Simplifying your wardrobe: a life hack with numerous benefits.
Zuck's closet.
Steve Jobs always wore the same black mock turtleneck, jeans, and New Balance sneakers. Zuckerberg wears grey t-shirts and hoodies with jeans.
For years now, nearly every day, I have worn a solid-color polo shirt, khaki shorts, and white tennis shoes. It's easy and I love it.
A common argument for the unchanging wardrobe is that it's "one less decision each day". Very true, but there's more to it than that.
For me, the best part is the simplified shopping experience. I know exactly what I'm looking for when I go shopping. Plus I shop at the outlet mall, so it's cheap. I've bought the exact same Reebok's three times in a row. It couldn't be easier.
Wearing the same (or a very similar) outfit every day, year-in and year-out, shows that you don't really give a shit. As with the billionaires noted above, it's a way of saying "I have more important things to worry about".
The unchanging wardrobe is also a rejection of what you probably went through as a teenager: regularly changing your clothing style to keep up with trends, fit in with social groups, make a point about your personal identity, etc. It shows that you've matured to the point where you just don't care. Not that you're a complete robot; your clothes always say something about your personal identity, or as some would say, your personal "brand". For me, polo shirts and khaki shorts say "casual, but not sloppy".
It's also a matter of comfort. I live in the desert. Do you know what it's like to wear a wool suit in the summertime? It sucks. If you're a business that insists on "professional" attire in a hot climate, I beg you to reconsider.
A final note: some people enjoy "fashion". I get it, but I think it's fair to look at fashion as more of a hobby and less of a social requirement. Having a hobby often means that you have something you enjoy that you spend money on; fashion is no different. If you enjoy fashion, knock yourself out, but don't knock us efficiency-minded folks for our unchanging wardrobes. (We have a lot more closet space than you.)
How have you simplified your wardrobe? Tell me about it on Twitter @cschidle.
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