Most anyone who grew up wearing a school uniform can understand, probably with years of hindsight, the perks. Of course, the main one being the elimination of any mental fatigue related to the decision-making around what to wear. Many years ago, I read about a woman who applied this idea to her work wardrobe by confining her attire to a white top with black trousers. The logic was that by not thinking about what she was going to wear, she could conserve her creativity for her art director role. While her discipline made me a little jealous, it also felt too constricting.
Now, faced with an upcoming stint of non-stop airplane travel and the requisite stress that goes along with it, I am re-evaluating my resistance to the uniform concept. Fewer decisions = less stress. Here’s where I landed.
Leggings but make it fashion
The key element here are cropped flared leggings (by Helmut Lang, on sale and made in USA) which check lots of boxes – comfort, TSA-friendly (no hardware), wrinkle-free and on trend. There are loads of options like these from FRAME, and these from Massimo Dutti.
To this, I’d pair:
Simple cotton layer with a touch of color like a red long-sleeved tee from J Crew or this made in USA tee from Michael Stars.
Cozy polka dot henley sweater that allows the bright tee to peek out (The Great, also on sale, made in Peru). Any oversized v-neck sweater would also do the trick here.
Polished Chelsea boots that work equally well when dressed up (Aeyde, made in Italy).
Cozy matching set
This matching set (Frank & Eileen, made in USA) is timeless and checks the comfort, TSA-friendly and wrinkle-free boxes. It also comes in black, grey and white. Pair it with:
Simple white sneakers that have a hint of color like these from Italian brand, P448.
Layer in a J.Crew tissue turtleneck like this light pink one.
Any one of these Akris totes in ample supply at The Real Real.
Slightly oversized scarf that doubles as a blanket. Scottish brand, Glen Prince, has lots of options including this one shown above.
Safe travels!