An Informed Uniform

I've mentioned before the usefulness of having a uniform, but for those of you who are just joining us here on the blog and for everyone else who's slept a few hundred times since I last covered this topic, let's recap.

During my time in the Pacific Northwest, I met a stunningly beautiful woman with the kindest heart and she always looked amazing and put together.  Her schedule was just as packed as the rest of us, her life just as stressful, but she always looked stylish and composed.  Since that was something lacking in my life, I decided to observe and learn from her.

What I found out about this woman was that she prioritized certain aspects of her life like her morning time of exercise followed by prayer and meditation before anyone else in the house woke up.  "Ok," I thought, "so far we're on the same page."  But when it came to her appearance she had a prescription she followed to take all the decisions out of things when she was in a hurry.  This was what I needed.

She had a look, a uniform if you will, that looked great on her and worked well for just about every occasion.  Because her wardrobe was built around this look (ie button down tops, skinny jeans, knee high boots and everything was in neutrals except for her signature color, lime green) all she had to do was grab a top, trousers, and shoes and she was good to go.  She did her hair the same way each day, so it was easy, and her make-up was understated and chic.

I was still finding my style back then, moving out of the mom garb, and I decided to give this little experiment a try.  First I had to find a style that suited me and the most common situations I faced in my week.  Within a couple of months I built a wardrobe that was similar but yet still my own.  It consisted of several white lacy tunics, two pairs of dark wash skinny jeans, one pair of brown knee high boots, one pair of black ballet flats, two long cardigans, and my signature color was dusty pink.  I kept my hair natural or up in a bun and got a make-up routine down to 5 minutes flat.

It was great, and I loved how I always felt confident leaving the house no matter how busy I was or was going to be.  Over time I grew more confident in my style and so naturally as my tastes evolved my wardrobe expanded.  So much so that stepping in my closet when I'm in a rush in the mornings can be overwhelming.  That's why I still have my "uniform" pieces that I can easily throw together and always feel confident.

This outfit is a prime example of my current uniform.  Right now my grab and go style is striped cotton tops, high waist black paper bag trousers or skirts, and black flats.  I still use the five minute face technique most work days and my hair is a bit of a wild card, so a bun usually suffices to tame the mane.  I like to wear my pearls nearly everyday.  The colorful belts are optional, but I love what they bring to the outfit.  In this way, no matter how rushed or stressed I'm feeling, I still walk out my door feeling confident, stylish, and ready for anything the day offers. 

Shopping Info:  City Classified Flats from Poshmark, Top and skirt from Shein