Why I Wear The Same Thing Every Day, And What I Wear

http://blog.timoni.org/post/24619757935/why-i-wear-the-same-thing-every-day-and-what-i-wear

by jroes • 14 years ago

173 198 14 years ago

blog.timoni.org

markyc• 14 years ago

"and what you think presents your favorite view of yourself"

Isn't this a function with a whole bunch of variables like my mood, the occasion, the people I'm with, etc?

jasonkester• 14 years ago

Funny to see what a female thinks of as "wearing the same thing every day". For most dudes I know, That's a lot of clothes to own.

I think I made it to age 30 without ever owning 3 pairs of pants at one time.

jskopek2• 14 years ago

I recently helped a female friend move out of an old apartment, and I was absolutely astounded by how much clothing she had lying around. It surprised me because she came off as a stylish, but not terribly fashion-centered person. By my rough estimate, this list represented probably 1/5 of my friend's clothing.

Granted, a sample size of 1 is not terribly informative; however, my gut feeling is that a women's wardrobe will generally be considerably larger than a man's wardrobe.

On an unrelated note, I love hearing about life hacks like these. Reminds you of how much else there is left to optimize.

smikhanov• 14 years ago

...she came off as a stylish

The author is definitely NOT stylish by any reasonable definition of this word. Hence the difference in the wardrobe size. Things like "ethical" or "green" consumption only make situation worse.

vijayr2• 14 years ago

when my friend moved in with her bf, I took over her apt. First time when I went to see the apt, it seemed small. When I moved in though, it wasn't. I realized she had so much stuff, that it made the apt appear smaller when I saw the first time.

Women have lots of stuff - not just clothes, but everything (before someone complains - this is not sexism etc. just simple observation)

egypturnash3• 14 years ago

The plural of anecdote is not data but...

I've changed my sex. I used to be male, now I'm female.

My wardrobe used to be "a collection of t-shirts and 4-5 pairs of jeans". Now it's a whole closet full of blouses, dresses, and skirts, plus a dresser with a few more things. I recently did a purge and got the stuff down in my closet to 100 individual pieces.

gamache• 14 years ago

It sure seems like she spent a long time thinking about how not to think about what to wear. My dressing habits can fit in a tweet.

tonyarkles• 14 years ago

shrug That's not too much different than "It sure seems like I spent a long time thinking about how to not think about how to build and deploy my app". Put think time in now, so that you don't have to spend it later (or every day)

MSM2• 14 years ago

I too couldn't help but notice that she spent an awful lot of timing thinking through her fashion to be "liberated" from "taking up too much time and energy" deciding what to wear.

frossie• 14 years ago

Yeah, I was hoping more for a "Steve Jobs" approach. [I am female]

And frankly it is a bit confusing. Would you really wear a band t-shirt and a hoodie to a funeral?

[edit following comment below: I see, so it's "I wear the same thing ever day" for different values of the word "same"? I am somehow underwhelmed. ]

vacri2• 14 years ago

I thought the same, then saw each entry has 'fancy subs', so she would swap the hoodie for a cardigan and a classier t-shirt for the band one (unless, of course, it's one for The Departed)

It seems like she still has quite a lot of clothes to own.

A story from growing up: a friend and I were about to play strip poker with his second cousin. Not wanting to lose too bad, we both put on everything we possibly could, including gloves and even paper face masks (being nervous young teens, we kinda missed the point of strip poker was to lose). In total we were each able to bring our total number of losable items before nakedness to 18. Fronting up to the cousin, she laughed and counted out her clothes - her everyday clothing totalled 18 items... even now, I can't remember what they all were, but I remember being gobsmacked at the time. Parents came home before that story went any further, though.

bsphil• 14 years ago

I think I'm at 3 decent pairs of pants. Light, dark, black. Maybe 8-10 dress shirts/polos to go with them in total.

Boatload of old tshirts though.

rodolphoarruda• 14 years ago

For the past 5 years I've been owning a single pair of shoes. In January of each year I give away the old pair and get a new one.

ChrisLTD2• 14 years ago

If you had three pair of well-made leather shoes, you could potentially keep them for decades by not wearing the same shoes on consecutive days and treating the leather every few months.

simcop2387• 14 years ago

I'm currently at 5 because I had to get some after some of my older ones are starting to fall apart and get holes. Soon i'll probably be back down to 3...

jmsduran• 14 years ago

Nice, so far I've gone 2 years without shopping for clothes. My coworkers have my dress habits practically memorized, gray/blue T-shirts Monday thru Thursday, and a Maroon or white shirt on Friday.

cpeterso5• 14 years ago

And Saturday and Sunday? No shirt? :)

It just occurred to me that one could map days of the week to colors:

SMTWTFS ROYGBIV

cgag• 14 years ago

Yeah, I wear jeans, sneakers, a tshirt, and an optional hoodie every day and hadn't considered that wearing the same thing every day. I expected this to be more like a uniform.

notatoad• 14 years ago

also, apparently the whole goal of this is so that you don't have to stress about clothing. I don't wear the same thing every day, and reading that blog post was the probably most i've ever thought about clothing in my life.

ajross2• 14 years ago

Right. I hesitate to call it "sexism," as there's no adverse discrimination going on, but the double standard here is turned up to 11.

What is described in this article is, basically, the way almost every western man in a casual profession dresses. I wake up in the morning and pull on jeans, a t-shirt, and top it with a long sleeve, sweater or nothing depending on the weather. Yet no one would have any interest in reading a blog post about it.

danso• 14 years ago

Are you sure about that? Because I think you can find similar such themed articles in any given mens magazine, and unless the economics of print have changed, such articles require significant amounts of ink and trees to produce, so someone in the audience is interested in it.

Perhaps this article attracted attention because it was well-written and well-produced with a liberal use of attractive graphics...as opposed to the 100% width Times-New-Roman-400-word-paragraph format that many bloggers use. Why were you so quick to jump to sexism?

TwiztidK• 14 years ago

It may be the way "almost every western man in a casual profession dresses", but it is not how many western women in a casual profession dress.

timoni8• 14 years ago

This is true; a lot of guys dress this way naturally. I'm hoping the difference is that I actually _thought_ about what I wanted to wear every day, rather than just wearing jeans every day. I only know one guy who's consciously done this, and he's a designer, too.

calinet6• 14 years ago

My 2nd pair of jeans just got a hole in the knee.

My wardrobe has become suboptimal because of it. 1 pair of jeans = too few, 2 pair = just right, 3 pair = maybe a good idea, but c'mon, 2 is enough.

LaGrange• 14 years ago

3 pairs is optimal, because in emergency you still stay with 2. It's a backup.

daeken• 14 years ago

Not sure if the author is an HNer or not, but since she's into leggings I have to drop a link to Black Milk: http://blackmilkclothing.com/collections/leggings

My girlfriend has been absolutely in love with these, and I've been getting her damn near every new one they come out with, because they look great and (apparently) are a great fit and good materials.

waxjar• 14 years ago

There is a, somewhat squeezed, comments section on her blog :)

taude• 14 years ago

Ivan Boesky, the famous investment banker/pawn for Michael Milken was rumored to have had many of the exact same suit so he didn't have to decide what to wear each day.

ctdonath2• 14 years ago

Steve Jobs and Stanley Kubrick did the same, many identical copies of one outfit. George Lucas may have more variation, but AFAIK limits to flannel shirts and jeans.

brianlovin• 14 years ago

By attempting to be 'unconstrained' from fashion, OP has become more constrained than ever. Is she saving time & money? Maybe...but that blog post and graphics sure took some time to put together.

And now that she's made this public, she's stuck. Want to wear something different, colorful, playful? Fuck it, gotta stick to the schedule.

Clothing isn't time consuming or energy draining. It's about finding a style you're comfortable with, wearing it with confidence, and gently moving in and out of new styles as the times (and your personality) change.

maxerickson• 14 years ago

How do you possibly reason your way from her making a blog to her not being able to change?

anthuswilliams• 14 years ago

I assure you, if she changes her mind and wants to wear something else, no one will think less of her for not staying true to a blog post she once wrote. Maybe it took her time to put the post together, but that was more about writing something interesting than building a how-to doc for the fashion-casual.

timoni8• 14 years ago

Yeah, I realized I'd get some shit if I ever went out _not_ wearing that outfit in public. It's worth it to write up the process and details anyway. A lot of my friends/peers have been curious about my method.

clavalle2• 14 years ago

Joe Celko does this but his outfit is a three piece suit.

He told me that it is part of his 'personal brand' so he is easy to recognize and approach when at conferences and public in general.

I wonder how different people's approach to him would be if his signature outfit was a hoodie.

planetguy• 14 years ago

That must suck on really hot days. Where does this guy live?

Having read this whole thread, y'know what's even better than wearing the same thing every day? Not wearing the same thing every day. I have a bunch of different clothes, and deciding which of 'em to put on really doesn't take that much time out of my day.

gaius3• 14 years ago

Linen suits are very comfortable on hot days.

People who say suits are uncomfortable have usually only worn cheap suits.

clavalle2• 14 years ago

He lives in Austin as far as I know. So, yeah...not sure how he does it in August, or May for that matter (though this May was nice).

I love my city but two things I can never defend: the heat and the traffic. Aside from that it is heaven on earth.

ken• 14 years ago

Joe Celko is bald. Do not underestimate how much cooling this buys you. :-)

Spooky232• 14 years ago

It's not too bad, as long as you own appropriate suits. If you wear a heavy wool suit in August in NYC, you'll be a sweaty mes. If you wear an appropriate summer weight suit, you'll be ok.

timoni8• 14 years ago

I wear tanks and light leggings on really hot days (or in really hot countries). It's cool you don't have a problem deciding what to wear, though. I found myself bogged down with what was the appropriate thing for the right occasion/did stuff match well/did I look really cute or not.

alex-g2• 14 years ago

Vint Cerf usually wears a three piece suit as well. It's a bit of personal branding, plus he just likes wearing them. More importantly, perhaps, the look helped him in the past when dealing with (D)ARPA, military and congressional types, etc., allowing him to propose radical things. He wouldn't have been able to get away with that unless he looked sober, conservative, and respectful.

blt• 14 years ago

I think women don't fully appreciate the uniformity of men's clothes. Her plan is still more variable than most male dress codes like (dress shirt, slacks, leather shoes) or (T-shirt, jeans, sneakers). But I agree that too much choice causes stress. It must be a nice feeling to limit your possibilities and go from a 15-minute decision tree to a nearly instantaneous choice.

gms7777• 14 years ago

This may be just speaking from my own experience, but I think a lot of women do appreciate the uniformity in men's clothing. And frankly, are jealous as hell.

Its much more difficult, IMO, to be a woman and dress simply and look consistently "nice" than it is for a man, who can throw on pants and a polo/dress shirt and look classy.

AndrewNCarr• 14 years ago

Ever notice how when a female politician wears an outfit a second time, it results in a great deal of criticism from tabloid media? I male politician could wear the same suit every day, varying the tie (or even keeping that the same) and no one would notice. I always thought that was an insane demand.

Spooky232• 14 years ago

Men don't appreciate the uniformity of male bodies. (basically: skinny, average, athletic (bigger chest), portly (bigger gut) ) For women, there are many more variables, and each vendor cuts clothing differently.

A guy with Timoni's tastes following this strategy would just buy a hoodie, shirts and pants from the Gap. Done. For a girl, having had a kid might mean that Gap skirt doesn't fit anymore. Or the shirt is meant for a bigger/smaller bust, etc.

Nutella2• 14 years ago

We appreciate the uniformity of men's clothes sizes, too. One of the reasons women have to think about clothing and shop for clothing a lot more than men do is that we can't just look at the jeans in our closet, note the size, and walk out of any store with a pair of jeans labelled with that size and expect that they will be wearable. Women's sizes on labels have very little to do with the size of the clothes, even clothes from the same brand/store.

Fashions come and go more in women's clothing, too. My go-to dressup item is a navy blue blazer which is a standard that should be available all the time, right? No, some years standard blazers are out of style and cannot be found.

That's why all the work put in by the OP to find simple, classic styles is mysterious to many men. They can find simple, classic clothes that fit pretty much anywhere. That's a lifehack that's MUCH more difficult for a woman to achieve.

lucian19003• 14 years ago

As I guy, I've had a similar experience with most clothing. I always have to actually try anything, can't go by labelled size alone.

Of course, this probably varies with location.

citricsquid• 14 years ago

I would call an outfit a group of individual items, having a defined list of items (but having multiple of each) would be (to me) a "style". I guess it achieves the same goal whatever it's called so it's a moot point.

I personally have 1 (North Face) coat, 1 pair of outside jeans and... 160 t-shirts. I guess I would own more jeans if I left my apartment more than twice a month. As a side note I would recommend having so many t-shirts however they take up so much room, I have a 2 bedroom apartment to myself and both wardrobes are full of t-shirts.

jarek2• 14 years ago

Do you have a set order of the tshirts and wear each one exactly 160 days apart?

barik2• 14 years ago

This article was actually really confusing. It reminded me of people who spend their time coming up with the "perfect productivity system", a quest which ends up ironically consuming all their time and preventing them from actually getting any real work done. I largely wear the same thing every day too -- I have 5 pairs of jeans, a single pair of shoes, and a bunch of polo shorts that I bought on sale once. Regardless of what I pick, it matches, so there is really no decision at all.

vacri2• 14 years ago

I think it comes from a background of having to decide what to wear to make a statement, something that men don't usually have to do on a daily basis, but is common for a lot of women, especially women in some form of design industry. I guess changing the training of years can be a major mental shift - good luck to her, and it can be thinned out even more as time goes on.

djbender4• 14 years ago

How did her sitting down and thinking about her clothes sudden "consume all her time?"

GuiA• 14 years ago

Well, for example she states that she came up with this system to not lose time getting dressed in the morning.

Writing that blog post in itself probably took more than a few hours — to write, review, edit, do the graphics for it, etc. If the initial goal was to spend time not thinking about clothes, that doesn't really feel like an optimal way to reach it.

barik2• 14 years ago

Sometimes I wonder if HN posters like to be argumentative simply for the sake of being argumentative. My exact statement was, "It reminded me of people ...", which this article does in fact remind me of.

That is, there are people who spend much of their time doing "lifehacks" through these sorts of peep-hole optimizations [1], and this clothing strategy feels representative of such actions. I can easily see someone who is already a "lifehacker" adding this to their existing system.

[1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4012852

Paul_S4• 14 years ago

I've been wearing a shirt and tie since I was 18. The only t-shirts I own are the oversized ones I pick up on random occasions (get them as a bonus when buying something for example) and I only ever sleep in them.

This isn't to say I wear the same shirt an tie. Obviously I own dozens but the point is when I dress in the morning all I have to do is:

- grab any socks and pants,

- grab any shirt, trousers and jacket (they are all toned down and guaranteed not to clash),

- and now (the ONLY time I exert my half-asleep brain) pick a tie that isn't too offensive

You are dressed for any occasion, regardless how (in)formal. Never need to think about what to wear, don't need to own different clothes for different occasions, never need to buy new clothes simply because of fashion changes - shirt and tie has been around for decades and is likely to stay until well after I'm dead. The only time I buy new clothes is when I retire old ones due to wear and tear.

Served me well all my life. Never felt overdressed and my friends forgive me if I ever am but the point is that perfect strangers will react positively and are more likely to treat you well and trust you.

peacemaker• 14 years ago

Don't you ever get too hot and sweaty wearing a shirt and tie all the time? Do you still wear a shirt and tie to very casual occasions, like a baseball game or a night in playing video games?

Paul_S4• 14 years ago

I'm being perfectly honest here - I don't own other clothes. This way I can fit all of them in a tiny closet and it makes life easier when moving.

We don't do baseball in the UK but I get your meaning. You can always take the tie off - instant casual. With the local climate there's little chance of getting too hot but I don't wear a sweatshirt underneath the shirt so all I need to do is take the jacket off and unbutton the collar in case the sun makes an appearance in between the fog and the drizzle.

Actually, I did have a problem once, something mentioned here a couple of times. Riding a bicycle would snag the trouser leg occasionally. Fixed that with a safety pin.

Eduardo3rd• 14 years ago

Nice try Barney Stinson.

pwthornton2• 14 years ago

While I agree with you that going the more formal route can actually make this easier (you can dress an outfit down by just ditching the tie), I am going to have to disagree that you can just grab any old socks and pants and have them not clash. :)

The big distinction comes in with the belt and shoes colors. A lot of colors of gray I wouldn't wear with non-black shoes and belts. The socks that I wear also depend on if I'm wearing black/dark gray pants or something more Earth tone.

Certain colors work a lot better together than others. While purple can go with black or dark gray, it really pops with brown.

What I have found is that you can never own too many white collared shirts. You can wear them several times a week and no one will notice. You can wear them with a suit, with dress slacks, with chinos, with jeans, etc. A white collared shirt is always a good decision, except when eating Italian.

Paul_S4• 14 years ago

All my socks are black or at least dark so I don't have to rifle through them. I'm guessing you're American and by pants you mean trousers but it's a lot funnier to think you don't.

I bow my head in respect of your colour coordination. Myself I can hardly tell colours apart let alone match them. I make sure I don't have any vibrant colours so I don't have to make those choices and just make sure the tie has some common theme with the shirt. When in doubt I pick one of the black ones.

evincarofautumn• 14 years ago

This has the advantage that you don’t have to care how you look, but you still look like you care how you look.

personlurking2• 14 years ago

By knowing what looks good (in general and on you), you save yourself a lot of time. After a few odd years back in high school when I cared as a function of being different, I started to realize that I can get dressed in a matter of two minutes just by having the predetermined knowledge of what works. Over 15 years later and it hasn't failed me yet. In the end, I look fine or good enough and I don't waste time choosing or caring too much.

In essence, I suppose I've created a "reminder app" for myself in the sense that I've freed myself of having to think too much about things that should be automated.

fusiongyro• 14 years ago

Fashion makes a lot more sense when it's treated as a language (and one that women have a multiple-decade head start on versus men in our society). Then this article is less about how the author found a way to think less about fashion and more about how the author is using the language of fashion to communicate something different and interesting about herself. Regardless of the "reasoning" for doing it, that's what's really happening here: she's expressing herself through this medium, in a surprisingly different and interesting way.

T-hawk• 14 years ago

This approach also seems to include a dependency on being in San Francisco or other places like much of California where weather remains rather constant during the year. A New Yorker wouldn't be wearing a hoodie in July or August or a T-shirt in January.

dclaysmith• 14 years ago

Definitely. I live in Ireland and wear the same clothes year round (in the winter I add a scarf and gloves). Definitely not possible growing up in Atlanta.

Blue jeans, black t-shirt, light jumper (I have about 20 in different colors), and soccer flats. I have a suit which I have to wear about once a year.

timoni8• 14 years ago

I actually was in New York for two weeks last winter. I wore double hoodies, thick socks and boots, but still wore t-shirts.

rdrimmie• 14 years ago

My wardrobe follows many of these mechanics - jeans, t-shirt, hoodie. In the winter (I live in Waterloo, Ontario) I just add layers. Sometimes more shirts, sometimes long underwear, and always a jacket, hat, gloves etc. It's usually pretty warm inside, so the core pieces don't change.

dredmorbius3• 14 years ago

Adapting my usual wardrobe for colder weather involves a few extra layers.

Base: jeans, black t-shirt, possibly a fleece vest, leather shoes.

Cold weather (~20F or below): beanie, leather jacket (lined), scarf, possibly a heavy sweater depending on the duration of being outside, and gloves. Also athletic tights (more insulation than just plain jeans).

Really, it doesn't take much.

wazoox• 14 years ago

It doesn't take much because you stay indoor most of the time. Spend a day outdoor in freezing weather to see the difference :)

OlivierLi• 14 years ago

I wish I had that kind of freedom while deciding what to wear at work.

Right now it's dockers, dress shoes and dress shirts every single day.

I really never understood what forcing a strict dress code on your employees is supposed to accomplish.

pyre2• 14 years ago

Corporate synergy!

mike-cardwell• 14 years ago

I think I pretty much found myself in the same situation, but without putting any conscious thought into it. I wear combats and t-shirts, every day. I put a jumper on if it's cold. Combats are good because they contain large leg pockets for all of my gizmos.

ctdonath2• 14 years ago

The 8-bit renderings are cute, but actual pictures would be nice.

whalesalad• 14 years ago

Yes. I want pictures. And I wanted pictures before I even realized she was a member of the opposite sex.

danellis2• 14 years ago

Yes, exactly. Of the combos, rather than the individual items.

timoni8• 14 years ago

I thought about doing a bit of a photo shoot, but it's not really my style. Do you want outfit pictures on me, or just pictures of the clothes?

mleonhard• 14 years ago

How about a pack of photos of a model wearing different outfits, and a way to order those clothes?

gaius3• 14 years ago

She could just stop at Muji, job done.

jimboyoungblood• 14 years ago

Looks like she's in SF. There's no Muji store there.

gaius3• 14 years ago

If only there was a technology by which anyone could buy anything anywhere.

Havoc• 14 years ago

Is it just me or did she fail to include a picture of what this actually looks like? Would've been a great usability enhancement to the article.

msutherl• 14 years ago

Leggings are a great solution for women, but I'm still looking for a non-jeans everyday pair of pants for men. Something stretchy and comfortable, that can be dressed up and that I can ride my bike in.

bbbertie• 14 years ago

On the original post, there's a comment that links to this: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/594084262/pants-by-bluff...

Sounds right up your alley.

williamcotton• 14 years ago

J.Crew has some great chinos. I like the 484 Slim fit. They fit my body like a glove. Also, this swedish company Velour makes slim fitting chinos as well. I'm a 32x30 but I buy their 30" pants as they are quite stretchy and after a few wears and washes fit almost perfectly. Also, I like the Levi's 510 super skinny jeans, but I get a 34x32 and then have the pants hemmed.

I think I have 12 pairs of pants in active rotation and they should keep me going for a few years.

I like form fitting pants for a number of reasons:

1.) Your cuffs don't stretch out over your shoes and get all mangled by walking on them. Not a good look and it reduces the lifespan of your clothing.

2.) You don't need to roll up your pant legs when biking, as the pants are in no danger of coming in contact with the chains.

3.) They are somewhat revealing and add to sex appeal. Yes, this sort of stuff matter for men as well as women.

djbender4• 14 years ago

I love chinos and a good pair of Levis. Great recommendations.

juan_juarez• 14 years ago

Check out Dickies. They have a few different cuts, come in a few colors & are designed to hold up to the abuse of people that do far more physical abuse to their clothes than we do.

lucian19003• 14 years ago

I have a pair of flexible jeans (very stretchy), but not the silly tight type; they look perfectly normal.

Sadly, they're no-brand and I haven't been able to find other similar ones.

daviddaviddavid• 14 years ago

I'm reminded of guitarist Pat Metheny's horizontally-striped shirts. I have albums from him that span decades and he seems to be wearing the same shirt in all of the liner notes.

I've never heard an explanation for this but have always assumed that he's so single-mindedly focused on musicianship that he doesn't want to have to think about getting dressed.

brendoncrawford• 14 years ago

Or, he wants to establish himself as a brand.

nick_urban• 14 years ago

I just finished a year of living out of a suitcase. I was pretty careful in choosing what clothing to bring, but even still, there were lots of things I barely used.

Minimalism takes time to perfect.

And for those who are wondering: nobody commented on my wardrobe.

evmar• 14 years ago

I feel like a creep digging through her flickr to find a picture, but I honestly was just curious about the clothes. This one seems most like what was described in the post.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/meatstravaganza/5793064302/in/g...

DoctorHouse• 14 years ago

Thanks for finding this. It looks like a pretty good outfit, and subbing in a fancier shirt or shoes seems easy to do. Nice job, Timoni!

cpeterso5• 14 years ago

I'm surprised that she would write a long blog post about wearing the same thing everyday, but not include a photo of the outfit.

bryanlarsen• 14 years ago

I appreciate her effort to find a look not subject to the whims of fashion. However, she will have to adapt her look in a few years when the leggings under a skirt look goes out of style. I'm sure she'll adapt, perhaps switching back to tights.

It's also a look that will be difficult to pull off when she's 20 years older. For some reason, women have to dress their age. My guess is because there is so much societal pressure for women to look younger that there is significant backlash when the effort becomes too transparent.

Men have it easy. A well fitted Saville Row cut suit has been relatively fashionable for at least a century. The only thing you'd have had to change would have been the tie, and you would have had to lose the hat about 50 years ago.

sliverstorm• 14 years ago

Men have it easy. A well fitted Saville Row cut suit has been relatively fashionable for at least a century

Though, they have also cost a small fortune for at least a century.

dminor• 14 years ago

> Men have it easy. A well fitted Saville Row cut suit has been relatively fashionable for at least a century.

I'd be laughed out of the office if I wore that.

phren0logy2• 14 years ago

Only on the first day. Do what works for you, but classic style is classic.

sneak5• 14 years ago

Find a better office, quick.

mindcrime• 14 years ago

All a man needs is a pair of blue jeans, a plain white t-shirt, some boots, and, optionally, a Marlboro cigarette. :-)

jlgreco3• 14 years ago

Find a pack of lucky strikes, much cooler.

I don't even smoke. ;)

hxa7241• 14 years ago

That's "Savile Row" -- one 'l' !

mhd2• 14 years ago

Assuming you've got the Saville Row conduit cut back then and worked somewhere conservative (i.e. pretty close to Saville Row). Other than that, there have been a lot of fluctuations in male suit fashion over the years. Sure, it's not as obvious (no sudden harem pants), but one might argue that this makes it harder. Think of the business card scene in American Psycho and apply that to suits. Colors, patterns, shoulders (wide, narrow, built up etc), waist width, vents, pleats, cuffs – then add shirts, ties, suspenders, cuff links…

I agree, a Dr. No-era Bond suit is a timeless style icon, but if the rest of the group is wearing 80s style "power suits", you'd be the odd one out, which in some jobs would not be really good for your career.

phren0logy2• 14 years ago

You are doing it wrong.

Buy a suit that fits your build and it will never look too far out of place. Don't buy exaggerated cuts (like the present too-tight fit with too-short pants). The trendiest items will always be a little different, but they don't vary too far from the middle. You only look silly when you buy clothes too far on one extreme and the trend moves to the other end.

See here for examples: http://theimpossiblecool.tumblr.com/

timoni8• 14 years ago

Yup, I'm aware. Here's hoping leggings don't go out of style for a while.

mgcross• 14 years ago

I only wear jeans (whatever style of levis fit well, usually 514), casual pants and t-shirts (fitted, solid colors, no prints or brands). I don't like collared shirts or 'business casual' in general. I do like late 70s/early 80's style sneakers, though, so I have a couple pairs of addidas originals, some ponys, gola, etc.

jere• 14 years ago

Most appropriate use of pixel art ever.

[clarification: I found the pixel art in this post to be incredibly helpful and relevant.]

swalsh• 14 years ago

Blue dress shirt, white undershirt, jeans, frye boots. If it's winter throw a sweater over it. This blog puts way too much thought into dressing. I've been wearing the same thing for 4 years by accident i guess.

chrisa• 14 years ago

There was recently a company that did a line with the same basic concept: http://weareultra.com/projects/ultra-10/

The idea is that 10 pieces of clothing could mix and match to last you an entire year.

strictfp• 14 years ago

A hoodie? In my book that is _very_ casual. I would only wear one on a fishing trip or some other private activity where the risk of bumping into work associates is minimal. A cardigan would seem like a better common denominator between dress codes.

djbender4• 14 years ago

I'm working on this too but more from the puthison.com dressed-up angle.

RawData• 14 years ago

Stupid...for the last 15 years I've worn a black tshirt and pair of jeans every day....every 6 months or so I replace the tshirts and buy a new pair of jeans...

excuse-me• 14 years ago

Although even in the software industry it would probably be considered normal to change the T-shirt daily.

icebraining• 14 years ago

Stupid

Please don't do this.

ChrisLTD2• 14 years ago

To each his/her own, but having having and collecting a variety of nice clothes can be enjoyable. Especially now, since quality clothes – by historical standards – are incredibly cheap.

mynegation• 14 years ago

First of all, this is a very nice writeup and concept.

Alas, what works for a designer in San Francisco will not work for financial industry in Toronto.

Some have already mentioned the climate aspect. In the finance you just cannot come in every day in the same shirt, tie or suit and (to a lesser extent pants or shoes). If you do, you are sort of signalling that either you do not make a lot or cannot manage your money and either is a red flag. So you can say clothes are a part of professional reputation, just not the one you put on a resume.

kellishaver• 14 years ago

This isn't really "the same thing" it's "some things that all fall into the same 3-5 categories."

I got into the habit of wearing the same thing everyday last year, when I was dealing with some pretty serious colorblindness (corrected now, thankfully). I settled on a dark grey shirt, a light blue shirt and black pants.

Not the fanciest of clothing, but I generally don't need it to be all too often.

I haven't diversified now that I can see colors again. This is easy, comfortable, and requires no tought.

dylanz• 14 years ago

I bought about 30 pairs of the same gray socks and 30 pairs of the same black boxer briefs. It's so nice never having to match socks, or worry about running out of them or clean underwear to wear. They're small items, so they don't take up much space.

In regard to pants/shirts, I'm still on a mission to find basic t-shirts that don't get messed up after many washings. I think pima cotton is the way to go for this (currently, I'm buying my shirts from aether. not cheap, but the quality is great). I have about 10 of the same black shirt (and one red, one blue and one white... just to mix it up a bit when I'm feeling "crazy").

Shoes... I have 3 pairs of black high-tops from Tom's. They are comfortable, can pass in dress-up situations, and cover my heels.

Long story short, I don't really think about what I wear anymore or spend anytime going through that mental process in the morning/evening. Some of my friends think I'm a bit weird, but I'm glad I did it!

iamdave• 14 years ago

I bought about 30 pairs of the same gray socks and 30 pairs of the same black boxer briefs.

My kind of man, I know exactly where you're coming from with this. My sock wardrobe is black socks, white socks and that's it. Never understate the importance of taking care to how you are presented, but at the same time I'm not going to drive myself batty just trying to put together a wardrobe that requires maintenance just finding something.

philwelch• 14 years ago

I've cut out the white socks.

EricDeb• 14 years ago

I understand her desire for simplicity and energy conservation but as a male I enjoy seeing women in a variety of outfits :)

cletus• 14 years ago

I saw this post and ignored it on first glance. I just assumed it was some guy and as such it's pretty easy, particularly as an engineer. At work picking out the engineers is largely trivial (jeans, tshirt, runners). There are variations (eg SF engineers have more an affectation for, say, checked shirts at present).

As a guy this seems totally fine. Women seem to have it much harder and not really because of men either. Women (generally speaking) are highly critical of other women and much more conscious of their appearance and behaviour because of other women (take women's shoes: the only people who care are other women) so it's interesting for me to hear this "utilitarian" approach from a women's perspective.

I find the comments on jeans interesting. She's right in that there is a lot of variation in women's jeans but this in itself sends an interesting signal.

In the past couple of years there has been a style of skinny leg jeans. By and large these look ridiculous. Below the waist straight leg jeans are basically timeless so right there you have an easy differentiator between those women governed by the fashion of the day and those governed by other considerations (like actually looking good; yes there's a difference between that and being a slave to trends).

Anyway, for wearing the same thing there sure seems to be a lot of clothes on that page.

sneak5• 14 years ago

There is huge variance in t-shirt quality and fit. In my experience, American Apparel tees are the best I've ever found, and I order them 150-200 at a time (in black, of course). I have to lie and say they're for screenprinting, due to some weird requirements Am Appy instituted for their (now pretty restricted) wholesale customers. In bulk and in quantity (free shipping), they are $6/ea stateside. (Retail where I live is €27.)

I firmly believe from experience that no t-shirt looks better than a washed-once American Apparel black T in the right size. It's the closest thing we hackers have to a suit, I think.

By "runners" I assume you mean running shoes? Those aren't all-weather and can't be worn with an actual suit. I've a nice pair of black Doc Martens which shine up wonderfully, and have been treated to be fairly waterproof. They are perfect universal-occasion shoes, and incredibly comfortable.

tomwalker• 14 years ago

> I order them 150-200 at a time

Wow. That's is a HUGE pile of t shirts.

You say "washed-once" is a good look but do you throw them away afterwards?

I think 150 t shirts would last me 150+ years

wgx• 14 years ago

Woah, in the UK[1] that's a £2,250 (~US$3,500) order.

[1] http://store.americanapparel.co.uk/2001.html

Daniel_Newby• 14 years ago

"... and I order them 150-200 at a time (in black, of course)."

Cyberpunk will never die as long as one person is still living the dream!

Swizec• 14 years ago

Have you thought about using one of those fabric softeners designes specifically for black clothing?

My t-shirts last about 3 years. Business-presentable up to a year or so ... that's hundreds of washes considering I cycle through most of my t-shirt stack every 1.5 weeks.

After 5 years they're only good enough for the gym, on account of the fabric becoming weird. The colour is still mostly fine.

Also, I think you're doing something seriously wrong when washing your t-shirts ... you are doing cold washes right? Nothing above 40C and all that ... also, is your washing machine filled with sand or something?

house9• 14 years ago

my personal preference - Hanes Beefy-T, black, there is none better; much thicker T than American Apparel; started printing t-shirts in high school (20+ years ago) been wearing them ever since.

ahoyhere• 14 years ago

"Women seem to have it much harder…" -- as a woman who has totally opted out of this, I can tell you that women make it much harder… on themselves. Not even on each other, not unless you're hanging out with the wrong people.

I think of this as the "Boohoo, societal beauty standards are brutal, please pass the Cosmo" conundrum.

Her essay was a fun read and I loved her pixel art. But I think my wardrobe is less complicated than hers and it would never occur to me to write about it. I rather think she's romanticized a completely normal and unremarkable way of living… the CPU quote as a sign.

FWIW, nobody's commented on or criticized my clothing choices since an ex's mother, nearly 7 years ago, bought me fancy button-up shirts without asking, but I think she just thought I dressed the way I did because I was poor. Ha. :)

harrylove• 14 years ago

Somewhere in a fashion forum, well-dressed people are reading a tech article and scoffing about how much time we spend on computers.

nemo1618• 14 years ago

I certainly agree with this outlook. I've been wearing nothing but blue jeans and plain white t-shirts lately, and it definitely has taken a lot off my mind.

shrub• 14 years ago

I just buy my clothes in outfits. For each pair of pants there is at least one sweater and at most two that will go with it. I don't try to mix and match to make new combinations on the fly. When I wake up, I think briefly of which sweater I'd like to wear and get the designated matching pants, or I think of which pants I'd like to wear and pick an appropriate sweater from the pre-defined matches. This usually takes less than 30 seconds.

I have to admit though that this scheme has arisen largely from shopping at thrift stores (not that I probably couldn't afford new clothing, but it remains a thrifty habit from a tight-budgeted youth). I enjoy the hunt for an outfit, but when I find one, I don't have the option of just buying 10 because generally the items are one of a kind in the store. Overall it works for me: interesting clothes, fun finding them, uncomplicated mornings, low budget.

Zimahl• 14 years ago

Michael Kors wears the same thing every time you see him: black blazer, black t-shirt, plain designer jeans.

He has talked before about his 'style' and says that he used to be very high fashion with his clothing but just found it was too much work.

chexton• 14 years ago

"When I first started looking for things like a ‘standard tank top’ or a ‘standard jersey skirt’, I thought they’d be easy to find."

I find this to be the case too often. Jeans are easy (Levi 501, anyone?) but finding a t-shirt or collared shirt that fits well, is comfortable and that I will likely be able to buy over and over again for the next 10 years is quite difficult.

GAP and Uniqlo sort of do this but even they change things around a lot. I think sites like Everlane.com could do quite well out of this concept: most people like to stick with basics they love. Make good basics and keep them around forever. I've always wanted to be able to login on my iPhone and click 'give me two new t-shirts' and have them delivered to my door, the iPhone app should know where I live, my card number and my favourite stuff...no questions asked!

egypturnash3• 14 years ago

oh man I could never dress like that. I like VARIETY. And when it's warm enough I like to show off my body - I've spent a lot of time and effort getting it into shape.

podperson• 14 years ago

Surely the character to cite would be Jeff Goldblum's character in The Fly, who owns a set of identical comfortable, smart casual clothes for exactly the reasons stated by the author and the character in Jurassic Park (presumably the book).

In any event, this is a much tougher problem for women than men, but she isn't really describing "an outfit" but a wardrobe. I don't have a problem with that, but the title is misleading.

X-Istence• 14 years ago

As a guy I am extremely lucky. Jeans, dickies short-sleeve shirt, black socks, magnum boots and a fedora hat and I am set.

It is what I wear day in day out. Sure, I have different colours, black jeans, {dark, light} blue jeans and the dickies shirts come in various colours {red, black, blue, marine blue, navy blue, white, green} but that is pretty much where it ends. Sometimes I'll switch out my fedora for a flat cap.

I own four pairs of jeans, and 8 pairs of dickies shirts, and those dickies shirts have been with me for a VERY long time. My oldest one is now 6 years old and still going strong.

ravejk• 14 years ago

I'm also a female, a designer (ux/ui) and I try to spend as little time as possible thinking about my clothing and hair, while still looking like a designer.

The look described here sounds simple, but super casual and perhaps a bit dumpy for a designer. I find that the easiest thing for me is to wear all black clothing that fits well (don't buy it unless you feel great in that shape and material, no compromises). Avoid cotton because it fades and has a gross texture. Done.

Mz6• 14 years ago

Fascinating piece. I am saving a link to both the article and the discussion here, which is also very eye opening for me. I happen to be female and my mother sewed beautifully and shopped sales. I grew up with tons of clothes, much of it custom made just for me and I would stand for fittings. I also studied clothing and at one time I wanted to be an image consultant. But I eventually came to hate shopping for clothes. All the time I spent studying clothes made it possible for me to buy stuff without trying it on. I walk into a store, pull stuff off the rack -- oftentimes the sale rack in fact -- pay and leave. This became a really vital skill while I was getting well. Last year, when I was shrinking so dramatically, I threw out my clothes after one or two wearings. If I couldn't have grabbed clothes for $2 an item off the clearance racks that fit, met dress code, and looked good enough to wear to work at Bigco, I couldn't have made the healing journey I made.

I am currently homeless and currently literally own only (clothes-wise) the jeans, long sleeved T and sandals I am currently wearing. That is not due to being homeless. Instead, it is made possible by being homeless. It is a health choice, rooted in my ongoing efforts to kill the infection that nearly took my life eleven years ago. My relationship to clothing has been complicated and it was when I got over caring so much about how I looked that my background came in handy for flying under the radar socially while living a very strange life. I have had the most fun with clothes in recent years while not being a slave to societal expectations about how women should look/dress.

Anyway, it is something I want to write about but do not know where to start. I am hoping this piece helps me with those plans. So thanks for writing this. I feel like I have a million things to say about it but I want a) to not let my day get eaten by this distraction and b) would rather write it for one of my websites than for discussion here.

nerdfiles• 14 years ago

My wardrobe is an analogy to the color palettes I have used or would use in a Web Design.

Everything I wear could, in principle, be used as a model for a web design. This thought was the basis of "Getting Dressed Grid System" which ultimately failed.

I disagree with any "essential" justification for wardrobe. Attire, like anything else, is a tool for expression. Minimalism has its drawbacks, and will be perceived as such in the scheme of other dress styles.

I typically shop at thrift stores or what have you. I am generally "freegan" about clothing, as _anything_ could potentially be used for a design. In similar fashion, we look at font libraries as "bones to pick" for Web design. I believe it is a fruitful intellectual endeavor to view clothes in the same way. Anything might become an article of clothing, even garbage on the street.

I believe establishing a coherent image (like a brand) for one's self through "found clothing" is a better way to go. It makes clothing one's self, like preparing many vegetarian and vegan dishes, more like an activity of story telling: harmony (of ingredients; of colors), consistency (of taste; of themes which identify one's personality), robustness (of flavor; unconventionality of style [which indicates range of experience with fashion]).

runjake• 14 years ago

As odd as it sounds, I try to model my outfits after CIA officers[1], which depends on the context and environment, but generally involves regular jeans, a normal t-shirt, and a button-down shirt for men. What you'd see at the local Home Depot. It's comfortable, discreet, and durable.

I have a few pairs of jeans, a few pairs of t-shirts, and a few pair of button-down shirts, and a couple pairs of shoes.

I don't call it "wearing the same thing every day" and I still have far less than this person and I never "waste brainpower" on deciding what to wear. Her whole post gave me brain cramps, however.

1. Typical example, Raymond Davis: http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/10/02/article-0-0E2E4ADE...

Jun83• 14 years ago

I've always wondered why there is so little of talk about what to wear in nerdy crowds, e.g. on HN. Looking at the way people obsess about every single detail about their lives (how to exercise in gym, what music to listen while coding, etc.), there should be way more discussion on this but it's nonexistent.

I think a wearsthis site, similar to usesthis.com, would be quite popular. I'd like to know what shoes Spolsky is wearing, what t-shirts pg prefers, what brand of underwear Drew Houston uses, and, of course, where does Zuck gets his hoodies (they are custom made: http://www.quora.com/Mark-Zuckerberg-1/What-brand-of-hoodie-...).

While coding (and especially when I'm hung up on a problem) every little distraction, even miniscule, distracts me, so I hate wearing shirts, I have to wear t-shirt. I've yet to see t-shirts that are marketed predominantly for coders, say, with a nice quote on them (e.g. ""Metaprogramming is the language feature that helps you write code that you won't be able to understand once the cocaine (or Ritalin) wears off."") and the ASCII table on the back.

Mz6• 14 years ago

Thank You!

I actually want to do something with fashion. Not sure what. I have tried asking around on HN and found it frustrating. This discussion is turning into a goldmine of food for thought (or maybe buffet?).

Jun83• 14 years ago

Here's an example I like a lot from Tantek Celik: http://tantek.com/log/2008/03.html#d06t1604, something along these lines would be great.

I think just going around asking valley luminaries what they wear & pack while traveling and why would be a great place to start.

flipp• 14 years ago

You really want to know what underwear Drew Houston wears?

cpeterso5• 14 years ago

Mark by Mark Zuckerberg. Fashion for Men:

http://www.markbymarkzuckerberg.com/

breadbox• 14 years ago

Thanks for the article; I really enjoyed getting the view from the other side.

PaulHoule• 14 years ago

This is logical. The elaborate version of this is like making a superhero costume for yourself.

It's easy to do in San Francisco where it never gets really hot or cold and the only precipitation is a mild drizzle.

If you're in upstate NY, however, you need to design a system that adapts to climate conditions from -15 to 110F.

Mz6• 14 years ago

No disrespect intended, but I have lived without a car for over four years and crossed the country (walking through mountains while it was snowing) earlier this year in winter in sandals. My experience: Being healthy enough means you tolerate a wider range of temps and climatic conditions without changing clothes. My sons essentially live in t-shirts, shorts and sandals year round. My oldest has walked to the store in the snow in a t-shirt, shorts and galloshes.

I feel like I understand how those eastern monks walk around in saffron robes in winter in the mountains.

jaetldev• 14 years ago

I agree with her not finding good pants to wear ( I know this from my wife). The nice & affordable clothing market is a hard one to crack I think. Women do face a lot of issues with sizing that have nothing to do with looks or vanity. The components for a good fit are universal but women have an especially hard time finding good items. Especially if they bike+work.

The last time I went to the mall I saw way too many cocktail dresses for women but was hard pressed to find active clothing for my wife which looked good. This is a non trivial problem which needs some good brains behind it. No - I don't want to pay for Rapha for some such brand.

septerr• 14 years ago

I am yet to have spent $40 on any clothing. Looking for shirts under $10 and jeans/pants/dresses for $20 makes it so much more difficult to have a decent wardrobe.

Although I know some of the pricey stuff is totally worth the money, it's difficult to break the frugal ways inherited from more difficult times.

But I am going to give away my clearance sale wardrobe and start fresh. Like, Timoni, I don't like having excessive stuff around esp. stuff that doesn't get used. So, I am planning a minimalist, functional, cool+classy and fits-all-occasion collection (SMALL!) which will be periodically recycled.

This post was good for my plans. Tx.

jarek2• 14 years ago

> I am yet to have spent $40 on any clothing.

Winter coat or rain coat?

bitwize• 14 years ago

Sorry, but consciously imitating Cayce Pollard -- pure hipsterism in literary character form -- is not really not giving a fuck. It's giving a fuck that people think you don't give a fuck, which isn't quite the same thing.

I'm a guy, I'm single, and I live (more or less) alone. This is a domain in which I have some expertise. That said, it really is quite simple not to give a fuck about what you wear:

1) Go to your closet, or armoire, or laundry pile, whatever.

2) Pick out something that fits, doesn't look or smell dirty, and is temperature appropriate.

3) Put it on.

That's it. That's bloody all. I've gotten by like this for the past... ohhhh, six years ago? You've still got this costumery with all these pieces and gewgaws going on. For me it's: shirt, pants, bob's your uncle. I can be up and going in about 20 minutes, including shower.

I really wonder why more women don't do this. It'd be a sign of independence, and it'd shave precious minutes (or hours) off their "getting ready to go to work" time, leaving them more time to... sleep in, or hack, or whatever.

bobowzki• 14 years ago

I'd like to read the same article from a guy...

Why I Wear The Same Thing Every Day, And What I Wear

Related Stories