Uniform Praise

6 October 2017

Capsule wardrobes are gaining momentum. Hurrah for that. It’s about time our obsession with fast fashion wakes up to the horrible reality of the people who make the cheap clothes and the terrible waste impacting our environment. But for now, I’d like to remain focused on why a capsule wardrobe truly deserves to be popular.

Fortunately for the cause of the minimal wardrobe, some very successful, high-profile individuals, such as President Obama, Mark Zuckerberg and Steve Jobs, are associated with wearing the same outfit every day. For me, a much lower profile yoga teacher, fashion decisions are naturally limited. A pair of leggings, a vest, and I’m good to go. Still, I know that plenty of people in my social circle would feel very self-conscious about wearing the same thing day in, day out. It is a real shame that we are so caught up in this cultural habit of sartorial variety. After all, most of our kids (in Britain, at least) wear the same thing to school every day.

The school uniform is effectively the ultimate capsule wardrobe. Presumably the fundamental idea behind it is to create a sense of belonging and pride in one’s scholarly identity. But we, parents and children alike, are experiencing many additional arguments in favour of this uniform capsule:

• Fewer decisions in the morning with more time for what truly matters (like a healthy breakfast)
• Smart, appropriate attire guaranteed (without arguments)
• Less clutter due to fewer clothes
• Cheaper than trying to keep up with the trends
• No peer pressure or competition with lower risk of bullying

Agreed, quite a few school uniforms could be better designed and made. But hey, most of us have surely outgrown at least the need for our school uniform by now. So here’s the exciting news: We are now mature enough to carefully curate our own uniform in keeping with our personal sense of fashion, body shape and lifestyle. Combined with the above benefits, what’s not to like?