Good afternoon, Monday. It is a perfectly lovely day in the city today and I'm happy after a fun weekend with family, my first attempt at a kugel (success), and Springtime, above all. Rejoice.
So I read a great article last week about a female Creative Director in advertising who is notable not only for her smarts and beauty, but also for her embrace of a more uniform approach to office attire- in that, she wears a uniform. Every day. Her reasoning for doing so ran the gamut from saving time in the am to feeling more in control in bro-land and always being on point. I found this so relatable, having worked in advertising most of my career, but also, somewhat ironic.
Now advertising is one of the few businesses that a woman or man can pretty much wear whatever they want- from a sweatshirt and jeans to a more buttoned up look for client meetings and beyond. I posted the article about her on my Facebook feed and got oh so many responses and likes from people that can relate to wearing a uniform on the regs. As for me, I've oft fantasized about living a uniform life when it comes to daily dressing- it sure would cut down on closet space, prep time, and take all the guesswork out of getting it right when there are so many other things to worry about each day.
But what's striking to me is that the notion of a uniform is a slippery slope- for instance, I was completely repelled by every gym class uniform I ever had- from the one piece blue bloomer thing with belt we wore in grade school (really) to the hideously hued gold tee shirt and scratchy blue jogging shorts we had to wear in high school. I hated it so much that I got my family doctor to write me a note, claiming I was allergic to polyester. This gave me a free pass from not only wearing a uniform, but also taking gym at all. I ended up in some sort of remedial gym, where the school degenerates and other types learned to play shuffleboard and ping pong instead. It's why I'm still good at ping pong to this day, so for that, I'm eternally grateful.
And I know I would hate a job that told me I had to wear a uniform- I could most likely never be a cop, fast food worker, or flight attendant. Because wearing a uniform that is not of my own choosing, that is somehow imposed upon me would be just terrible. And although Goldie Hawn looked mighty cute in her oversized fatigues in "Private Benjamin", my life as a freely dressed civilian is much more appealing.
For me, as a woman who is getting older and wiser about what looks good on my body, a sort of uniform in the workplace is an inevitability. I like well cut blazers, soft tees, and great jeans or trousers with a mid heel pump or ballet flat. And I love the way my lightweight wool jumpsuit from COS makes me feel- it buttons up the front and has a drawstring waist and long sleeves and a cropped, wide leg- it's a simple statement to replace the endless array of LBDs I have always been prone to wear. The jumpsuit is a true wardrobe mainstay. As long as it's not orange...
As for women who in my mind stand out as wardrobe icons- I go immediately to Audrey Hepburn and her classic LBD, the one that made women all over swoon for something classic. I remember an old stylist friend of mine packing for a trip to Rome and bringing about three black sleeveless sheath dresses, of varying lengths, which would go with everything from a cute flat sandal to a sexy high heel at night. Genius.
Also, think of Uma Thurman in "Pulp Fiction"- a crisp white, well fitted button down (though slightly oversized) and a cropped black trouser will always, always be a great look, and could easily make you a card carrying member of the uniform club. You could easily play with bags, shoes, and jewelry to keep the look from getting boring. With this as your base, there's so many more places you could go- from moto jackets to cardigans to a peek of black bra. Love.
And by now you know how much I am obsessed with the whole French thing- they are truly the masters of the chic uniform- from Emanuelle Alt's almost all black everything to Caroline De Maigret in this black suit and white shirt (my all time fav wardrobe and the one favored by the woman in the piece above), there is simply no place you couldn't go dressed this way. And topping things off with a trench and only a trench is a great way to travel. It looks good with just about everything. And j'adore a tee shirt or short sweater dress as a great piece for the summer that you could wear in either black, white, or navy, and just about every day. PS uniforms work best in neutral colors, but you can also think about uniforms in a different way- if you wear pink every day as your "thing" it could easily become a uniform, or if you favor leopard print, or something leopard every day, that could work too.
And that's what's wonderful about a uniform- if you get it right, you can go anywhere wearing it, because it's so much more about YOU and less about what you're wearing, because you've simply got that on lock. A uniform says you mean business and can't be bothered with the trite and trivial and are immune to fashion's whims and endless trends and flashes in the pan. A uniform is like armor- impervious armor that will take you to a new place in your wardrobe, and approach to personal style. If you are feeling overwhelmed by options and need to dial it way down, think about a uniform that suits you- that lets you be exactly who you are. I'm close to perfecting mine and would love to hear more about yours. Cause that's what's up this modern approach to Monday in the 718. Yours, in well styled sameness. Here's another great piece on stylish uniforms. Grace Coddington is a great example of someone who is infinitely creative and surrounded by the most splendid clothes on Earth, but she keeps things simple in basic black and that familiar shock of red hair. XO