Your Style Philosophy

[DudleyGray]

I've decided to go full on uniform/capsule wardrobe for my casual wear. I'm going to try this out for a year and if I like it, I will sell off my leftover designer clothing. I'm only making exceptions for times when I have social obligations, but those are times where I'm not wearing anything that would be of interest to this forum. The final cut, head to toe:

-DRKSHDW black leather baseball cap
-RO white double layer cotton tee
-DRKSHDW black gimp hoodie
-DRKSHDW winged parka
-DBSS black destroyed shorts
-Uniqlo black leggings
-Cote et Ciel Nile Rucksack for daily carry
-BBS 11 X-plorer bag for travelling

Shoes are tough for me though. I've got it down to either all black Ramones boots or all white Geos. Maybe I'll just keep both to avoid stinky feet. And Geos were my first major purchase, Ramones were my last, so that seems fitting enough.

[Faust]

I've decided to go full on uniform/capsule wardrobe for my casual wear.

Watch this space...

[DudleyGray]

Watch this space...

Not sure what you mean?

Yesterday was the first day of this and I found myself bothered by the fact that I have more than 1 style of sneaker, and that I'm ill-prepared for extreme heat/cold.The RO double layer is a bit on the warm side for heat waves, and Midwestern winters are too cold for shorts/leggings. I think I have some editing to do. So 2 pairs of Geos, Undercover 85 (these and the DBSS shorts may last indefinitely through mending, which is nice for this sort of thing), Julius shredded hem tank, and possibly a long sleeve/sweater if I find myself too cold this winter, but that's a wait and see.

Apologies and credit to shuit for stealing a chunk of his aesthetic.

[Faust]

Means that I've been pondering the same thing lately and wrote a soon-to-be-published article on the topic.

[DudleyGray]

Oh, perfect! I can't wait to read it.

That doesn't surprise me, though. I think it's very in-line with the SZ manifesto. Originally, I set out to convey a sentiment with my clothing, and I feel that doing it with a capsule wardrobe makes the statement more meaningful. It also gets rid of some of that status symbol crap, that was really putting a damper on the enjoyment of my clothing in big cities. If you wear something everyday, it can't be about status.

[DudleyGray]

Yes it can. It can show that you're well-off enough that you can wear the same thing every day, while yet not ever giving the appearance of someone who can only afford one outfit. Nobody who was struggling up from the very bottom would choose to have just one outfit. It's a luxury to be able to afford that kind of poverty.

Good point :(

Well, the intent is aesthetics and putting my mental energy elsewhere, in any case. I'll just hope that most people don't think that deeply about things and that my personality conveys the rest. Or whatever, I guess it doesn't matter what conclusions other people draw.

[mikko]

So is the plan to wash the one tee every night? I can probably use one tee for two days straight before the stank is overwhelming. Also, constantly washing one tee not good for longevity... Or is the plan to get a new one when there're more holes than shirt left?

Def an interesting topic.

[syed]

So is the plan to wash the one tee every night? I can probably use one tee for two days straight before the stank is overwhelming. Also, constantly washing one tee not good for longevity... Or is the plan to get a new one when there're more holes than shirt left?

Def an interesting topic.

Did something similar three years ago. Sold/donated all the clothes I had except for two outfits - wear one, wash the other. Been building up slowly from the basics since then. Having a small wardrobe has to focus on day-to-day practicalities, and having that tight focus for me was actually freeing.

I have purposely been building my wardrobe as slowly as possible, just because I am so fascinated by why we choose to wear what we wear, and I thought the only place I could really start was by understanding what I wear what I wear (plus it's fun to keep track of all your whims and fancies along the way!). I have always been attracted to the idea of personal uniform (social factors such as school uniform from the age of 5-17, but also seeing my dad wear pretty much the same outfit every single day of his life - buttoned shirt, blazer, flat cap, wool trousers, loafers), and I think it is actually intrinsic to the formation of menswear. Whether it be coats and suiting derived from military wear, sportswear "uniforms" evolving in line with the rise of mass production, or athletic wear quite literally taking athletic uniforms and developing them for everyday wear.

[DudleyGray]

So is the plan to wash the one tee every night? I can probably use one tee for two days straight before the stank is overwhelming. Also, constantly washing one tee not good for longevity... Or is the plan to get a new one when there're more holes than shirt left?

Def an interesting topic.

I'm a skinny Asian who doesn't sweat/stink much, and I'm only in these clothes most days for a few hours max (business casual most of the day). I'm shirtless around the house during the summers. So I'll probably handwash my shirt on a case-by-case basis. Longevity isn't as much of a concern of mine, since Rick seems to make these every season. I wouldn't mind a tattered shirt, given my choice in pants, and I'll probably bleach/boil it if it stains too badly. Going to have to figure a lot of this out as I go, though.

Did something similar three years ago. Sold/donated all the clothes I had except for two outfits - wear one, wash the other. Been building up slowly from the basics since then. Having a small wardrobe has to focus on day-to-day practicalities, and having that tight focus for me was actually freeing.

I have purposely been building my wardrobe as slowly as possible, just because I am so fascinated by why we choose to wear what we wear, and I thought the only place I could really start was by understanding what I wear what I wear (plus it's fun to keep track of all your whims and fancies along the way!). I have always been attracted to the idea of personal uniform (social factors such as school uniform from the age of 5-17, but also seeing my dad wear pretty much the same outfit every single day of his life - buttoned shirt, blazer, flat cap, wool trousers, loafers), and I think it is actually intrinsic to the formation of menswear. Whether it be coats and suiting derived from military wear, sportswear "uniforms" evolving in line with the rise of mass production, or athletic wear quite literally taking athletic uniforms and developing them for everyday wear.

I'm curious, why have you chosen to build your wardrobe up past uniform stage, and what did you choose to wear?

There's already a temptation for me to wear a skinny black suit daily, but I suppose I'll put that off until they stop carding me for smokes/bars.

[syed]

I'd say I'm in the process of developing a personal uniform - my wardrobe is still tiny (had a white shirt on my list for two years before I finally bought one earlier this year). Personally I fell quite naturally into buying and wearing Yohji - it was always one of those things where I told myself I would wear it when I was older, when I was wiser, whatever the case may be, but I thought sod that, I'm ready now

But I think it is absolutely about taking things on a garment to garment basis. Screw the designer, screw the price, does it work the way you need it to work and does it look the way you want it to look? I try not to settle for less, or go with "good enough" - so as long as it is practical, it fulfills a need, it looks and feels right, and it is within budget, it is fair game.

The process is built upon function, but obviously it is inherently about aesthetic choices (you don't *need* these clothes, you just want them, so you might as well take your time). At the start of each season I write down everything I want to wear that day, every morning, for a month. The only rule is that it has to practical for what I am doing that day (no Thom Browne suit if I'm working in the garden all day or whatever). Tally everything up, and boom, you have a basic working list - put it in order of what crops up most, and you have a general idea of what constitutes a functional wardrobe for your everyday life.

I know that sounds incredibly anal, but for me it's about trying to understanding dress and the experience of the wearer, so I probably end up asking a million questions about every choice I make!

[mikko]

I'm a skinny Asian who doesn't sweat/stink much, and I'm only in these clothes most days for a few hours max (business casual most of the day). I'm shirtless around the house during the summers. So I'll probably handwash my shirt on a case-by-case basis. Longevity isn't as much of a concern of mine, since Rick seems to make these every season. I wouldn't mind a tattered shirt, given my choice in pants, and I'll probably bleach/boil it if it stains too badly. Going to have to figure a lot of this out as I go, though.

Ah okay, so this is not a 24/7 experiment! Didn't get that from the get go. Interested in similar concept, but I'm in the same clothes at work and home so I would need more than one tee...

[DudleyGray]

But I think it is absolutely about taking things on a garment to garment basis. Screw the designer, screw the price, does it work the way you need it to work and does it look the way you want it to look? I try not to settle for less, or go with "good enough" - so as long as it is practical, it fulfills a need, it looks and feels right, and it is within budget, it is fair game.

The process is built upon function, but obviously it is inherently about aesthetic choices (you don't *need* these clothes, you just want them, so you might as well take your time).

I think that aesthetic choice could also be said for less expensive clothing. And going back to the marker of status, a capsule wardrobe could be considered somewhat democratizing, emphasis on somewhat. Someone with less money has plenty of practical reasons to only have one outfit, and you never really know a person's motives. An SZ capsule wardrobe could take a bit more time to build up for someone with less money, but in the end, what's one year vs five or ten? Nobody would know the difference when it's all said and done.

Ah okay, so this is not a 24/7 experiment! Didn't get that from the get go. Interested in similar concept, but I'm in the same clothes at work and home so I would need more than one tee...

Yeah, I don't count my work life, because that time is not my own. The daily black suit would be inclusive of work. I might do that if I like having a uniform and I stop getting carded for cigarettes and bars.

[j100000]

Those two brands are owned by the same company (Factory X), which also owns Dangerfield, Gorman, and a bunch of others. An attempt to present as several quite disparate (and differently priced) labels while in fact all clothes are mass-produced together. If you have to buy cheap basics, maybe choose something independent/not fast fashion. I know Kowtow in NZ do freetrade organic cotton at a reasonable pricepoint - haven't worn it myself, and by the look of it a lot I wouldn't wear much beyond a few basics, but bound to be better than your current choices...

Just saw this now, thanks for your suggestion, I'd rather uniqlo though

[Faust]

uniqlo still uses sweatshops, sorry to say.

It's worth upgrading to designer basics anyway, IMO - a boring t-shirt spoils many an outfit. And the basics always make their way to sale, for those of us less flush with cash than others.

It has taken me many years to get here.

[DudleyGray]

Lately I've been having trouble with walking by homeless people with signs. I think about how I have not one, but multiple outfits worth several thousands of dollars that do little more than to make people think I'm crazy, deranged, or poor. One of those outfits could have fed a family for a year. Why do I need more than one outfit like that that lets everyone know I'm a weirdo?

So I've taken to buying a homeless guy with a sign food any time I see one. I can afford to do this for every homeless man I see without any trouble on my end, so why not? And I like the idea of doing this in my uniform, because they can recognize me and know that I am willing to help them get by off they see me again. Hopefully that doesn't backfire in some ironic way, but I accept the risk.

So I questioned whether I should wear something that is impossible to mistake. Full Rick uniform as opposed to my tattered goth rocker look? But having read Shucks's thread on wages, I've made my decision. I'll keep the Rick in my uniform that I already have, but as I need replacement items, I will not be buying from him again. I don't trust MII and forget Moldova.

Goodbye Rick, it was a good ride.