to want a uniform?

[manateeandcake]

I don't mean medic/police officer/flight attendant uniform. I mean stylish clothes that suit me that I can wear most days without really thinking about it. I briefly fixated on this idea 5 years ago after reading a magazine interview with Charlotte Gainsbourg and saw how great she looked in a really well cut plain white shirt and trousers. OK, she's Charlotte Gainsbourg, but you get the idea.

So then my uniform was going to be well-cut trousers and white Tshirt (not Gap). I didn't wear it every day, but within a few weeks the Tshirt had a tomato sauce stain that wouldn't come out and the trousers were baggy round the bum area. I know this doesn't happen to Charlotte!! But WHY NOT?

Fast forward 5 years: I now have 2 DC, including an 8 month old in the midst of BLW. White Tshirts are Jackson Pollocks waiting to happen. But I still crave a "look" that I can put together quickly every morning without thinking and look reasonably good, instead of a wardrobe full of mismatched shite from H&M etc.

Anyone with me? And/or any suggestions for said uniform?

Totally agree! Mine is loose top and skinny jeans in black or dark blue (sometimes khaki to mix it up )

But always with good hair, make-up and some jewellery.

I also got a nice tweed jacket that goes well with it for chillier days, such as mid-June

This is mine:
7/8 length cotton trouser in black and navy for SS
wide leg woollen trousers in grey and navy for AW
plain merino cardigans in black, navy, grey

shell/swing tops in plain black, navy, and black/white and navy/grey patterns
plain black t-shirts
3 skirts - plain black, black/white, navy/grey
3 jersey maxi dresses for when it gets hot
brogues, nude pumps, black sandals, black boots

I wear most things all year round, might smarten up with a tailored jacket sometimes, or add some colour with a scarf or bag or coloured cardigan.
It does make life a lot easier in the week.

Think of it as a signature 'look' that is the essence of 'you'. If you don't know what suits you, then I second PP's recommendation some style and colour advice, House of Colour is good, but there must be others around. Once you understand the colours and shapes, you can have a great look with minimal maintenance. Again, for a special occasion, look for the shape and style of your 'look' but in more luxurious fabrics and colours, rather than something entirely different.

You will always look effortlessly put together with a great look.

This is the antithesis of the scramble to be wearing the "latest" look. So much effort, so tedious and often, with hideous results. All the best.

I stopped wearing separates a few years ago and find just wearing a dress is so easy! You just put the one thing on and it's already a whole outfit. A few smart jackets that mix and match and that's it 😊

To make the whole uniform thing work - you need multiple pairs of the same trousers and lots of the same tshirt/top.

Otherwise they will get trashed too quickly.

Every day without fail I wear an above the knee skirt, tights, trainers and a fitted t-shirt. And a hoodie if it's cold. I look shit but it's so easy. I am liking the idea of a shirt, that could be cool.

Spend a while investigating capsule wardrobes. One approach is to Start from one thing you really love, it can be a bag a necklace or an item of clothing. Everything must match to that one item. Another is to look at what you already have, look for trends in colour shape, dress length etc. Work out your dark neutral (usually black navy grey or olive)

Do not just go out and buy multiples of stuff. You need to be sure what you are buying works for you first. If it is tops start with 2, if they wash and wear well add another 1. Then either buy in threes or the odd one as you go past the shop depending on cost and whether the top is a long running range. I found multiple tops are fantastic (tops wash well don't need ironing and are my staple all year round), Other than jeans, i don't have multiples of the same bottom halves. They tend to be different.

Most capsules work in 3s. Three basic work wear bottoms (eg one pair black trousers, one plain skirt one patterned), three basic jeans, three summer bottoms (eg long skirt, short skirt, midi), three cardigans (one dark neutral, one patterned with dark neutral colour in pattern, one coloured). I found it easier to keep tops relatively plain and pattern bottom half's and cardigans.

Your wardrobe should suit what you have to do. Mine is absent of work wear because im a carer for DS. It has to be functional so think about what is missing, eg do you have smart shoes, walking shoes wellies etc.

Eventually it is likely to look less and less capsule like. Just very well cordinated

Toffee you beat me to it! A capsule wardrobe is the best idea. Choose a colour which suits you (and projects the right 'image' - navy/grey/black = smart/business-like) and get basics such as dress/jacket/skirt/smart trousers in those colours. Then compliment with shirts/blouses/scarves in another colour which goes with them. Shoes/bags to be in a colour which goes with the above. That way whatever you decide to wear will always look smart and co-ordinated. It's also more economical.

I suppose I have a capsule wardrobe - I wear good trousers/ jeans and good cardigans and get cheap jersey scoop neck tops from primark - short sleeves in summer and long sleeves in winter. And because they are cheap, I can bin them without regret with I inevitably get food stains on them!

I know exactly what you mean!
I can only echo other people and find something that works!
I have shift dress delight that i wear at work most days. If i fancy a change (or my legs need a wax!) then its jeans and a dressy top but no more than once a week.
Most of my dresses are similar style but different in colour/pattern and i have the knack now of seeing something in a shop and just knowing if it would fit/be OK for the office.

I hate dithering n the morning and with a dress it's all done and dusted before you have time to start thinking what goes with this etc..!

I have a similar way of working for th eweekends as well, i love clothes but hate being undecided!

Not quite a uniform, bit of you want more variety this blew my mind a while back. With messy baby stuff going on if switch it to four tops that go with three bottoms but you get the gist.

I tend to wear a uniform - jeans, a fitted tee and a boyfriend style cardigan, in varying colours.

I prefer to buy things in complimenting colours so I can mix and match, or add a scarf.

I' ve ended up with a capsule wardrobe since having DS and think I always look nice (if a bit cliched), my day to day clothes are skinny jeans (grey and navy) open cardigans and floaty tops (3 with sleeves, 2 sleeveless)...all with patterns to disguise any baby spit up. I've also bought a denim a-line skirt for the 'summer'

I rarely wear white tops because I always turn the collars yellow with sun cream, but I think the colour toffee brown also works well as a neutral with black, cream or even dark blue trousers. This sort of colour or even slightly lighter, depending on your colouring. If I was starting from scratch now I think I'd mainly wear tops in that colour, black or stripes, trousers in black or cream, and blue denim jeans and skirts where appropriate. You can mix it up with different coloured scarves and jewellery so long as the colour of your clothes is in there somewhere, even in a small detail.

My 'uniform' for work is a pair of cigarette trousers from banana republic with a tailored shirt plus a cardigan. I have several different cardigans I might pick. My uniform for home is jeans or dungarees and a band/genre tee. and a jumper if it's chilly. I have a lot of band/genre tees and quite a lot of knitwear. If it was really hot I have some dungaree shorts to replace the jeans/dungarees. It's not often really hot.

In recent years I've planned my purchases on the basis that I love them enough to wear them for years and then waited for offers/sales. Lots of stretch jersey from Baukjen ( my favourite brand and wash and wear brilliantly on a quick thirty degree wash), bit of Whistles, leather trousers and skirts plus good jeans ( I got J brand from Tk Maxx for sixty quid). For example I need a pair of pointy nude courts as my old Lk Bennett ones are round toed and maybe a bit passe ( I've relegated them to work wear ), so today I bought the TopShop Grace court which are all leather and thirty quid in the sale. I nearly bought them a couple of weeks ago at twice the price.
As a result I have tons of clothes but I wear them all! The only bummer is weight loss which has rendered some too big, so I need a good alterations lady now....

I'm also an e bay addict, this week I've bought at least two items brand new with tags for a fraction of the store price.

I have heavy, beige, charcoal and navy chinos any of these I can wear with any of my knee length linen, cotton or cord dresses. They work well for warm, hot and cold weather. Just add a cardi or wrap for temp change. I also wear Asian clothes which can be bought as separates.

I'm another one with lots of black dresses and jackets. Boring, but always good to go to a meeting or court.

PS if I need to jazz up I wear funky jewellery, a tweed jacket, some different shoes or a bright cashmere cardi.

I have a 'school' uniform.

3 pairs of M&S straight cut trousers - Black, Navy and Grey.
5 patterned blouses in varying red/back/navy/grey prints (winter)
5 patterned short sleeve tops in slightly brighter colours (summer)
1 pair black boots
1 pair black shoes
1 pair grey shoes

Life was so much easier when I wore combats and boots every day.

Dresses. People underestimate how easy and simple they are. In winter, with tights, boots and a cardi. In summer, with sandals, espadrilles etc. I channel Jess from New Girl - it works for me.

I have about 15 dresses from everything5pounds which I cycle between, and then a few separates.

I am a bit evangelical about everything5pounds

It's high street stuff mostly, labels are often cut inside.

I strongly recommend getting your colours done. I wore loads of navy and big patterns before having my colours done. Turns out navy is a big no-no and if I'm going to wear patterns they should be small! And that I should only wear v-necks (or layer a v-neck over a crew).

Upshot is that when I'm buying something new I buy from my colour palette (neutral basics, some extras in the right colours) in the knowledge that it should all work together. I think colour is a really big thing (as you can see from my evangelical report!) and can transform you from a bit 'meh' to 'oooh, you look well'!

and white isn't great on most either...