To wear the same outfit to work everyday

[Adamsants]

I am starting a new job soon..I need to buy new clothes as not worked for a few years as been a sahm. I was thinking wearing the same outfit everyday. Not the exact same....clean but the same Like a uniform. Is this weird? Does anyone else do this....or AIBU?

Its partly public facing.

Its blowing my mind here that people are saying effectively that women have to wear different coloured tops so that people know they aren't wearing dirty clothes and are professional.

Men do it all the time, wearing the same coloured shirt. If you have multiple white or blue shirts, nobody notices. Nobody! No one told men they aren't professional unless they have different coloured shirts to break things up and make them look professional.

Black trousers. One colour top (multiple copies to wash obvs) until you get bored of it. Done.

I'm always slightly envious of people who just have a few outfits for work. I think how much space and money they must save. Whereas I have a stuffed wardrobe and have my head turned by shiny, new things. But it also makes me happy having different looks for work.

"Mix up the colours and styles a bit or people will think you either don’t wash/change your clothes or have no imagination."

JFC!

I sort of do this in everyday life. Most days I wear Unqlo ultra-stretch leggings trousers, I have about 5 pairs in black and also 3 pairs of their ultra-stretch jeans. I have about 20 vest tops in various colours and over that I wear a loose tunic/shirt. Some fancy ones from Monsoon or East and some plain from Uniqlo (I have one style from them in four different colours). Then I have 4 cardigans than I can layer over the top on cold days, 2 black, one grey and one red. Plus 4 very pretty shawl/scarf things that I crocheted myself.

I also have 3 long billowy summer dresses for hot days. Then I have about 4 pairs of Lands' End Starfish slim leg trousers and four t-shirts for the gym that I sometimes use for daytime pyjamas/lounge wear when I know I won't be leaving the house.

I think most of my everyday wear would be absolutely fine for an office except the jeans and the more casual tunics if it was a bit formal. The most important thing is that all the tops go with all the bottoms so there's very little thinking needed. And all of it is comfortable so I don't spend the day adjusting bits that are digging in or hitching things back into place.

Who gives a shit!? I dont even have the besdspace to even think oh so and so wore identical clothes yday. Unless you smell why would I even notice got better things to be thinking about.

Honestly absolutely ridiculous that men can get away with it but women can't.

If you took away your clothes and came in your underwear only would people say the same.'omg it looks like the same black knickers and black bra' obviously you would have on fresh ones. Noone cares if you wore the same bra two days in a row...so why care about actual clothes.

Op..do what makes you comfortable and happy

It worked for Steve jobs. Nobody thought he was just a scruff who didn't wash. Actually, it works for lots of men.

I wear the same clothes every day basically, I hope people don't think I don't wash but if they do I don't really care that much either. My body is clean and covered, my clothes are clean, I've brushed my teeth and washed my face. I don't owe the world a full face of makeup and a new outfit every day just because I was born XX and not XY

Mark Zuckerberg does this and so do I now that I work from home. I sort of did at work too, I just had the same trouser suit in 3 different colours and the same shirt in 3 or 4 different colours and rotated.

I wish I had been brave enough to just wear the same colour suit and shirt but I wasn't.

www.mirrorimageltd.co.uk/blog/what-you-can-learn-from-mark-zuckerbergs-wardrobe

@Dreamstate

Who gives a shit!? I dont even have the besdspace to even think oh so and so wore identical clothes yday. Unless you smell why would I even notice got better things to be thinking about.

Honestly absolutely ridiculous that men can get away with it but women can't.

If you took away your clothes and came in your underwear only would people say the same.'omg it looks like the same black knickers and black bra' obviously you would have on fresh ones. Noone cares if you wore the same bra two days in a row...so why care about actual clothes.

Op..do what makes you comfortable and happy

Yes, exactly this.

It is just the fashion industry telling us we need different outfits for work.

We don't. We just need to be brave enough to actually do it.

Omg..I came on to say who cares. And would anyone question a man wearing a suit all the time?? No! So, why would a woman have to be careful of what others think? Truly bizarre thinking.

I have 2 pairs of work trousers, 2 cardigans and about 7 tops. I just mix and mingle them through the week. I am still doing this 5 years after buying them (good old M and S trousers and cardis) and inexpensive George at Asda tops.

I think most people do a version of this, men certainly do.

There shouldn't be a problem with just having one outfit. Better for the environment, less issues with storage, less bother in the mornings deciding what to wear. Would anyone actually notice? I don't think I notice what my collegues are wearing! I think it's a great idea!

[quote Im2022]@Artesia
Yeah I really aimed that comment at you, so that gives you good reason to overreact stupidly 🙄
Are you really clever?[/quote]
I didn't for a moment think you were aiming it at me. I just objected to the smug, patronising suggestion that those of us who do enjoy wearing nice, varied outfits are wasting our brain power.

At least change the top

I have 5 pairs of the same black trousers and a selection of blouses that I rotate through.

I do my makeup, hair, change jewellery etc and don’t give it any thought.

It’s very easy and saves a lot of time.

I work in a creative role and nearly everyone wears a type of personal uniform. Mostly its black or neutrals with hair,shoes accessories and glasses differentiating. I love it to dress this way

@Adamsants

Its funny. I started off thinking this would be something to make life easy,,but when people say words like " you cant" i have to question this. Men can...women less so. This women can

And @Monty27 could you be any patronising

Yes!!! Totally agree with you.

I used to wear a black pencil skirt or a black pleated skirt (both machine washable) with same black jacket (I had three so could be dry cleaned) with white fitted shirt (also three but these were machine washable). Opaque tights in winter and thin tights in Summer. It's hard for me to find clothes that fit me well and I prefer to buy fewer good quality items than many cheaper items. I did have 5 white bras and a lot of different shoes always black, some flat/heels/wedges/T bar styles etc as I accumulated them over years as my feet didn't change size Very tidy hair and perfume - good to go! I did have a different hairstyle every day.

I would have loved to wear a trouser suit with a tie (tuxedo style) and would have done if I could have ever found a pair of trousers that suited me.

I couldn't give a fuck if people judged me on my clothes or lack of, the only thing I gave a fuck about is being judged on my performance.

I would ignore the opinions of anyone judging you (or helpfully advising you, an adult woman, to wash ) as it says more about them than you, that's for sure. Although domI know you started this thread to ask for opinions

The advice I would give you as a woman, is to not give a fuck how people judge your clothes, and have the confidence to wear whatever you want (subject to "dress code" styles at work eg no ripped jeans) It pisses me off when men judge womens' clothing and appearance and I don't like it when women do it either - we need to support each other in the workplace not judge each other's skirts FFS.

@Supersimkin2

You’ll look like you don’t rate the job enough to get dressed in the morning. Ok for till work, not so much for most jobs.

I'm fairly certain the OP intends getting dressed, just not doing a daily fashion show.

I worked in a bank as a cashier before my current office job. We got given a uniform of pattern print blouses, navy skirts and navy jackets. I wore a fresh blouse every day, often the same skirt all week if clean although I did have a spare, and the same jacket. Everyone wore the same, and it was a given that people were wearing clean items rather than the same shirt/skirt/jacket for 5 days.
I'm now in an office role, and for ease wear a white shirt and navy pencil skirt every day. I have 5 x white shirts and 2 x skirts. I do the same as before when I had uniform, new shirt every day and the same skirt unless it's dirty.
What's the difference between my own 'uniform' vs the provided uniform in my previous role?

I notice that the Senior women in my company dress stylishly and wear nice dresses. I think people do notice this, even subconsciously, and their image elevated them. Not saying you ‘have’ to do anything but it is worth bearing in mind.

No don't do that. X

I think this demonstrates how many of the 'rules' women live by are actually imposed by other women not the patriarchy.

Maybe you are not bothered by clothes now but when you get back into the workplace and start mixing with fashionable women that might change. X