Between My Peers Classic: Uniform Thoughts
Most of us, when we consider the concept of wearing a uniform, find it somewhat restrictive. A few, however, would be relieved. If you are one of those few, pay close attention now. I am going to make your life easier.
When I was growing up, my mom wore a uniform. Not a company logo polo shirt, or fatigues, or navy shirt and shorts; she had a certain formula for dressing that just worked for her; a template, if you will. Wearing a suit everyday in my former professional life was the same concept. Easy, but with variety not afforded by a traditional uniform.
My early post Facing Tomorrow Without Trauma struck a chord with some of you. In it, I chronicle my development of a personal template for what to wear to church.
The project (this should be fun):
- Get out your collages (or envelopes or piles) from the Sunday project I previously suggested. You should have one for each lifestyle segment.
- Work on one season at a time. Depending on where you live, you may choose to work on Winter or Spring, or even Summer at this time of year.
- Identify a “template†you would like to use for the season you are working on, in each category.
- “Bottoms upâ€: Start with pants or skirt, add shirt, top with jacket or sweater. To be very thorough, plan also for shoes, coats, accessories, and even undergarments.
Here’s a fictional Winter template plan:
Leisure = jeans + cotton tee-shirt + wool sweater
Casual = wool trousers + dress shirt + blazer or cardigan
Business = pant or skirt suit + silk blouse
Social = dark sleeveless dressEnormously helpful in my life, this concept adds structure to our thinking about what to wear.
Tell me now, what’s your template for Spring 2007?
Spring is my most difficult season.
Fun…and I’m so ready for Spring!
Leisure: (I assume this means at home?) shorts or skirt+t-shirt
Casual: capris or denim skirt+feminine shirt
Business: slacks+tailored shirt
Social: dress
Btw, you wear a black sleeveless dress in Winter? ;O) Where I’m from, that would be a wee bit drafty!
Oops, forgot to edit the comment info to reflect my new home! And thanks for being so quick to update me in your blogroll!
Obviously you are in a much warmer clime than I, Mary! I just change from wool sweaters to cotton with the change of seasons.
I’m glad you brought up the question about sleeveless dresses. Because I don’t wear dresses often, I ONLY have sleeveless. But in the winter I would certainly top it with a blazer or cashmere sweater. Does that make more sense?
I just have to say, when I wore an ACTUAL uniform, life was so easy. When I bought clothing it was truly because it was something I just wanted-no worries about it being appropriate etc-all my clothing was just leisure wear!
I love the idea of a template/uniform. I’m curious, why is spring difficult for you–is it the fickle weather, or is it that you don’t like your spring clothes, or spring colors in general?
I don’t really like spring colors; I prefer stronger colors. So that’s why I have trouble w/spring. The template is basically the same as the rest of the year (top, bottom, layering piece), but cotton instead of wool. Thanks to your suggestions, I’ve been using jackets as a way to dress up my casual wardrobe and I love them!
Another question–would you classify your church attire as casual, business or social?
I’m having trouble getting my mind around “business”–maybe as a homeschooling mom, I don’t have that category. Or would my version of business just be appointments in offices, such as with a tutoring center for ex?
And would social be formal like wedding attire, or also afternoon tea dresses, and pretty baby-shower outfits? If not, where do “baby shower” outfits fit? Baby showers are about the dressiest thing I go to these days!
You sure ask good questions, Jennifer! I don’t think my trouble with spring is the same as yours, although in theory my approach is the same (trade wool for cotton). Generally speaking, spring colors are not bad for me.
The fickle weather no doubt contributes. Spring in my mind is 5o degrees and raining. So I’m always cold or wet. And my coat is aubergine, it doesn’t look great if it happens to be a pretty sunny day. My friend has a pink coat for me to try, though.
Probably my biggest trouble with spring is just not wanting to spend any real money. Clothing for moderate temperatures doesn’t seem to clearance as cheap as that for the more extreme temperatures.
There may be more to it, but one thing’s for sure - I’m committed to improving my spring wardrobe this year.
Your other comment contains such good questions I am going to answer them in another post!
I agree about coats… A spring coat always seemed sorta frivolous but now I’m seeing the usefulness of one, like a trench in a nice color. Being practical I like hoods though, for rain, and I’m not seeing hooded trenches. So I wear my hooded nylon mid-weight Eddie Bauer jacket. Completely tacky w/most of my outfits but I tend not to care in the rain!
Oh, and spring sales… Memorial Day is the big spring clearance if I remember correctly from last year. By then you won’t need a rain jacket any more, but it will be cheap!!
Perhaps that is the conflict, too. Just trying to finish getting the garden in. But I should be able to take a little time out and go shopping. By that time of year, Awana is over for the year and, theoretically anyway, things slow down a little.
I bought an umbrella recently. We’ll see if I end up using it. It’s sort of grass green, with a paisley-like print; you may have seen it, I got it at the Eddie Outlet. So in the back of my mind, whatever coat I get needs to look good with green. Pink would work.
Oh, and here it actually rains until the fourth of July. So Memorial Day is a great time to buy a rain coat. And, of course, I keep my coats for a long time.
I’m late again! It’s hard to be specific about spring clothing choices, because spring here (as it does in your neck of the woods, Rebecca) from possible snowstorms to bordering on hot.
Casual/leisure: jeans + tees + blazers … blazers change from winter weight(!), jeans may be substituted with denim/cord skirt, tees may be substituted with light weight sweaters or even a blouse!
Slightly dressier: substitute dress pants or washable suede skirt
Fancy: long-sleeved wrap dress (alone no blazer required), black beaded cami & shrug with black stovepipe pants (useful for puddle jumping and worn with goretex ankle boots)
Outerwear: long black coat (with button in lining)
Handbags: coral red, metallic silver or teal
I put the handbags in because (a) the only time I really leave the house without one is when I’m on my way to the gym (b) they tend to be my statement piece or punch of colour.
You’re not too late, Wendy. I am by no means finished with this project.
Love your handbag colors!
Oh yes, I remember the wetness of the west coast! We got to 73 with sunshine yesterday…here in the mid-west. It’s currently raining though!
I’m a homeschool mom, and I was classifying “social” as wedding or church. “Business” to me, would be what I wear to a conference (writing is my particular cup of tea)…I’d probably wear the same type of attire to a baby shower.
Rebecca, totally makes sense (in the west coast context!) that you’d be wearing a jacket either wool or cotton. I used to have to wear a jacket over my t-shirt and shorts at the beach it was so chilly! Thanks for clarifying!
[…] questions come from Jennifer via this recent post: Would you classify your church attire as casual, business or […]
[…] occurs to me now, if you are experiencing decision fatigue with regard to getting dressed, try the uniform template concept. It’s bound to […]
[…] development of a uniform template. Underlying the success of this concept is the necessity to actually own at least one of each […]