My Style Uniform and How I got there.

So have you heard about "Personal Style Uniforms"?

I'm kind of obsessed. Think of Simon Cowell, he is always in a tee shirt, usually white, that's his thing and a bad example is Steve Jobs in those hideous mock-necks. A better example is Andrea Jung, CEO of Avon, she's always in a sheath dress, usually with pearls.


I've loved the idea of having your-look. It saves time money and bad gifts. If you have your thing that's you, people will more likely gravitate towards gifts that "Just look so YOU!" than "I thought you'd look good in this" and it's purple tweed or something.

Hindrances I've found to taking the mono-look plunge:

• Deciding if marrying ONE color is something I'm ready to commit to
• Obsessing over "yeah, I could do this.... oh no, that doesn't work for weddings, funerals etc"
• I like sweaters. They don't work in summer
• WHICH look is ME???
• etc.

So I'm happy to say, I'm pretty sure I've found my answer. (OHMYGOODNESS!) Yes, it is true. Maybe this will help you as I can't be the only uniform/capsule/solve-all-my-problems wardrobe obsesser. And now that I'm pregnant I need to make wise decisions and buy a bunch of clothes. Grumble. Nothing fits. nothing nothing nothing

The first step in finding my uniform was giving myself permission to expand the boundaries a little. Simon Cowel always wears a t shirt. I am not a music producer, I have different levels of event in life. Meaning: I may just clean house and garden one day, I may go shopping another, at least once a week there is church and several times a year there are more-special church holidays. Of course there are weddings, funerals, dates and baseball games. I can't wear a white t shirt to all of those. 

Wait... white t shirt. I've never been a t shirt person, but sometimes they look so good on folks....

And it works so many ways! (If you haven't seen this picture before then Hi, let me welcome you to the internet :)  )  This is Audrey's blog. You should go to her site and read her remix stuff. It's good stuff. 

I learned a long time ago I love patterned bottoms. Mostly skirts. You can go into a thrift store or off-the rack sales place and buy a skirt for super cheap and because it's a skirt the size is forgiving, like if it's a size or 2 too big but it's a short skirt, it sits on your hips and is a cute knee-length skirt (Some of my favs are exactly that) or you can get a skirt altered easier than anything. Especially A-lines which are my super favs.

Ok, so I love colorful patterned bottoms and big necklaces. Boom. White t shirts. I will add them, learn to love them. Now on this note, I will not rest until I find the right white t. I do not like cotton. I don't know why. It has to be a major blend.

White tees and A-line skirts, with permission to have jackets on top of that, or mix it up with a maxi skirt, printed pants etc. 

Great Start! I can do a million things with that. So, now that I've spelled out that I really love A-lines I can go ahead and just throw in Fit and Flare dresses for my 'look' too. Sometimes it won't be a t shirt and skirt, it will be a dress. Fine by me. A little nicer.

Isn't that pretty? Oh I love these kinds of dresses. Since I already gave myself 'permission' to have as many jackets and cardigans as I damn well please I can accessorize with what I'll already have. Plus my necklace collection. Aaaaannnndd someday I'll learn to sew. This seems like the kind of thing I could sew. Right?

And then came color, again at Audrey's blog she talked about choosing your neutrals- I chose white and grey, with off-white being acceptable. Others will work their way in, but my intentionals are white and grey. I love white on white. I want to get a whole bunch of white stuff so I can wear all white. And then soon I'll have a baby and probably curse the white on white.....

And she demonstrated the color wheel and it's power:

Original picture from: http://www.academichic.com/2009/02/02/fashion-101-how-to-combine-colors/

In this pic she talked about color groups (in the color wheel colors equal spaces out 'go' together, like green is across from red and blue yellow and red are triangularly spaced apart). Thus I realized I wear a lot of teal. Looking at the wheel teal is across from coral/orange. Combine the surrounding colors and I have green, teal, navy and orange, coral, peach, red orange. What do you know? These colors all work for me!

I've always known I like green and blue but whenever I buy something that's really blue it just doesn't seem right and I never wear it. Navy stuff I just happen to end up with but wear the shirt out of it. Orange too. Especially orange with navy and what do you know, they fit the bill for the color wheel. So now I have a color scheme that doesn't make me feel restricted. I don't like purple and I look dead in yellow, but my blue and orange purchases will be more educated.
 My Polyvore Set
Seems kind of repetitious? That's the point! My uniform!