simple sunday

James really knows how to keep life simple

This week's simple idea...

I wear a uniform to work. Not the military kind, not the fast food kind, not even the health care kind...but a uniform nonetheless. I find it stressful to hunt for clothing in the morning, making sure that it is clean, unwrinkled, matching, and fits my "mood" for the day. Ten or fifteen minutes can easily slip away standing in front of the closet and digging through laundry baskets. I would rather spend that time walking the dog for a few extra minutes, having a second cup of coffee, or reading a chapter of our  book (right now 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) with p'tit minou 2.

Solution? I borrowed an idea from Minou (when he worked in an office). I wear almost exactly the same thing every day. For Minou, it was corduroy pants and white dress shirts and a tie. For me, I wear comfortable non-wrinkling black pants (I have two pairs), black socks and black Dansko clogs.  For tops, I choose from a few sweaters/knit tops/button-downs depending on the season and wish for color...but they all go with black. On casual Fridays, I have a different uniform: jeans, agency t-shirt, and silly striped socks.

However...if I forget to keep up with the laundry, my whole system is thrown into jeopardy! Last week somehow both pairs of black pants were in the wash (not yet washed) at the same time, and I was thus in a tizzy getting out the door and to an early staff meeting. Most of the time, however, wearing a uniform works so well for work and keeps life simple. True, it can be a little boring--but a simple uniform can be altered or dressed up easily with a scarf or earrings, and it saves a lot of time in the mornings!

What do you wear to work? Do you use clothes to express your creativity, or prefer a time saving solution?