When it comes to office wear, less is more, Published on The Cusp, May 2017

​

Do you suffer from debilitating stress every morning when it comes time to decide what to wear? Do you fret every night about what clean clothes you have ready to pull on in the morning? If you do, maybe it’s time to start re-assessing your wardrobe. Research suggests people who wear the same outfit each day to work have one less thing to worry about – and without the pressure of early morning decision making, they have more time to kick career goals. Could this be you, too?

​

Wearing the same iconic ‘look’ each day is often mentioned in the profiles of highly successful people, and for good reason too. Drew Barrymore is now on the bandwagon, and figures like Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg are consistently cited for their super simple working wardrobe choices. Of course, let’s not forget Barack Obama, who schooled us all on the power of wearing only two shades of suit.

​

What all these figures have in common is their choice to cut down their daily decision making processes. Ergo, eliminating decision fatigue. Our lives are filled with decision after decision after decision. Small, medium, or large coffee, gym in the morning or gym in the afternoon, after work drinks or a working lunch? No wonder we sometimes find ourselves paralysed by choice. How to fix the problem? Cut back on the choices you have to make.

​

Speaking on his fashion choices, Obama has said: “You’ll see I only wear blue or grey suits. I’m trying to pare down decisions.” Not only does wearing the same look each day significantly lessen decision fatigue, it also clears time in your morning routine to finally get those 20 crunches in. Plus, removing the stress of deciding what to wear in the morning allows you to start the day feeling put together, and more likely to be productive throughout the day.

Finally, creating an iconic look will allow you to focus on how you present yourself as a brand. Wearing the same outfit each day paired with a killer work ethic will leave more of an impression on your co-workers and industry peers than if you have an OK work ethic and always look, you know, ‘nice’.

​

Essentially, by having a unique and consistent look, you will have more time to focus on your workload, build your professional relationships, and get to kicking those career goals. What are you waiting for? Start creating your own capsule wardrobe:

​

Less is more

The main point to remember when building your capsule wardrobe is that less is more. Streamline what you already have by getting rid of what you don’t wear and keeping only what makes you feel like your best-self. Whether you are a guy or a gal, keep it to three or four key pieces that you can mix and match together. Like the blue suit because it is made of wool? Buy another in charcoal, and rotate the two. Keen to be known as the smarty-pants in a turtle-neck and skinny jeans? You do you! Whatever your wardrobe choice, keep it simple, keep it small, and only wear what makes you feel really good.

​

Brand yourself

Once you’ve created your iconic look, commit to it fully and make it your own so that you can shift your focus to other areas of your life. The embodiment of a signature style will impact your work ethic and how you present yourself to clients, colleagues, and industry peers. Who is David Hockney without his famous glasses? Is Anna Wintour even a celebrity, without her signature bob? Without realizing it, your iconic look could very well set you up for future roles and opportunities. The power of a single stich, eh?

 

Ditch fast-farshun

Fast-fashion adds to the global warming crisis and litters our wardrobes with badly made ‘basics’ that don’t hold their shape. Fast-fashion is so 2014. The trend of sustainable, ethical fashion is in, and is here to stay. Which is great news, because your capsule wardrobe needs quality pieces that will stand the test of time and not grow frayed with frequent use. Use an ethical app like Good on You to align yourself with brands that create quality pieces that are sure to last.