Do you wear a daily uniform?
No, I’m not talking just to the military servicemen, marching band members, and fast food burger slingers out there.
I’m asking, do you have a “Roll out of bed and know exactly what you’re going to put on?” outfit you love, feel good wearing, and know you can reliably slip into again and again?
For some guys, your personal style daily uniform might simply be jeans and a go-to t-shirt. For others, it could be a blazer and your favorite flat-front pants.
Whatever your daily uniform may be, if you have one, I’m betting you can picture yourself in it before you even pull open your closet.
But listen. I get that a daily uniform might sound like a huge snooze to you.
You could be a guy who truly enjoys the process of flinging open your closet each morning, ready to discover a new favorite combination of top, bottom, shoes, and more.
And if that’s you? I salute you.
But I’d bet a lot of guys dream of adopting a daily uniform. One that no one notices they’re wearing day in and day out. Why? Because getting dressed each morning can cause wardrobe anxiety!
I’ve been there: a vague sense of dread washing over me as I take groggy steps towards my closet. What am I going to wear today? I’ve thought nervously.
Sound familiar? Looking into your closet, every item seems to clash and you wonder if anything you own even matches. You leave the house preparing an excuse about how your bedroom light burnt out in case anyone asks why you’re wearing six shades of blue—none of which go together.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
For the guys who love rediscovering their wardrobe each morning, godspeed to you.
Everybody else? Right this way.
When you find a look that works for you—really, really works for you—there’s no reason you shouldn’t stick with it.
Think about Steve Jobs in his black turtlenecks and white running shoes, or Obama’s dark suits. Their daily uniforms didn’t limit them. Rather, their adoption of a daily uniform helped define them.
Of course, I hope you always feel encouraged—by us, of course, but also by the loved ones in your life—to try new things when it comes to your clothes.
Meaning? Even if you do wind up adopting a go-to daily uniform, don’t be afraid to sometimes switch it up. Try a new trend, or a new color!
I applaud the guys who bravely dive into their closets each morning—mixing patterns, experimenting with colors and test-driving new styles.
But you have enough going on in the morning; getting dressed should not be an added stressor. If your “uniform” works with your body and is appropriate for your workplace, throw it on and devote the brain space to more important matters.
How to find your daily uniform
The trick to zeroing in on a daily personal uniform that helps you get out the door faster and feeling more attractive to boot is upgrading your go to pieces.
Because the best part about adopting a self-imposed uniform? Once you’ve settled on your go-to wardrobe staples, you can start getting nicer things.
Instead of the cotton sweater in gray you’re used to buying over and over, why not upgrade to cashmere?
If you plan to wear a suit every day for the rest of your life and you’ve pretty well settled on a notch lapel/double-vent/flat-front/no pleats number, why not get it made to measure?
After all, a splurge isn’t really a splurge if you’ll wear it all the time.
Just remind yourself there’s freedom in a uniform, if you’re clever enough to find it.
Examples of daily uniforms for guys
A work-from-home daily uniform
I don’t care if you never see another person all day while working from home, there’s something to be said for still putting on pants when you sit down to work.
Rolling out of bed and straight to your desk may same time, but it can’t do much for your workday efficiency. Am I supposed to still be in bed? your brain is thinking.
That’s not to say you need to drag yourself into a dress shirt and slacks day in and day out. We’re not even saying you have to wear real pants!
Some nice athleisure bottoms and a more structured top do the trick of convincing your brain you’re meant to be productive now.
Something like this:
SG Says: Really the two rules for a work from home personal uniform are: 1) Must be comfortable, and 2) Not be pajamas. Joggers nails ’em both.
Uniform style for a casual workplace
Obviously workplaces come with all kinds of dress codes now, from corporate casual to “We’re not a regular office, we’re a cool office..wear whatever you want, brah!” which can actually be more confusing than the former.
You want to be taken seriously even in an office with zero dress code, and you never know when you’ll have to meet with clients (in person or on video chat), so it’s probably best if you don’t chance it with that Game of Thrones hoodie you promised yourself you’d only wear around the house when you first got it off Etsy.
A corporate casual dress code men’s personal uniform
Even in a more formal office, the same wardrobe goals apply: you should feel comfortable without wearing pajamas.
That means it might be time to strip your closet of its most billowy blue dress shirts, the pleated trousers you wear the day after client dinners, and the square-toe shoes you slip into when the “nicer” dress shoes you own are still airing out from the day before.
In their place, fill the holes in your closet with dress shirts or quality sweaters that fit you comfortably yet properly, modern fit flat-front dress pants.
And an extra pair of dress shoes that doesn’t pinch but aren’t the at-work equivalent of a flip flop, either. Think of your closet the same way you think of your kitchen cabinets; if you have the latter stocked with snacks you know you shouldn’t eat, the best thing is to just toss the snacks. That way? No temptation to indulge.
Creating your daily uniform
If you’re ready to jump on board the daily uniform wagon but dread the thought of figuring out exactly what that uniform should be…consider a virtual styling session with Team SG! Honk honk, it’s the best!
Let us rescue you from shopping fatigue and sartorial apathy. We can promise the kind of personal attention and care that will make you feel like the best version of the awesome guy you already are! If you’re ready for a daily lewk that’ll change your life, give us a shout.
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