Fashion Pshmashion

I recently read this awesome post about a fellow homeschooling mama's decision to get dreadlocks, and it made me think about my own fashion sense (or lack thereof). 

I have exactly zero interest in fashion.

I could blame this on the fact that I'm a curvy girl and it is annoyingly difficult to find clothes that fit well.  But I don't think that's it.  I just see clothing as utilitarian--as a basic canvas or backdrop with faces and hair and accessories (earrings!) as the focal points.  That's why Living the Simple Life author Elaine St. James's idea of creating a personal "uniform" appeals to me.  I read her book about 10 years ago, and it changed how I shop for clothes.

She decided that she was tired of the endless choices in clothing stores.  Like many women, she bought separates here and there and ended up with a closet full of clothes--and nothing to wear.  So she decided to take some time to come up with her own personalized uniform.  She thought about what her favorite colors are, what silhouettes she likes the best, what materials she prefers.  And she uses those parameters to limit her new clothing choices. 

I loved this idea and decided to do my own wardrobe sleuthing.  Here's what I came up with:

1. I have a lot of shirt-related rules.  I'm very picky about prints.  Shrinky Dink is slowly helping me overcome my print phobia, but mostly I choose solids.
2.  I am also particular about sleeves.  Long sleeves make me feel claustrophobic, but I have man arms so I need some sleevage.  I like a good short sleeve--no elastic or cap sleeves for me.  
3. I prefer v-necks because they make me look less squatty.    
4. My favorite colors to wear are purple, blue, salmon, and brown. 
5. I look best in empire or A-line shirts and dresses.
6. I will never compromise on comfort--period.
7. I like the touch (the feel) of cotton.
8. I don't do dry cleaning or hand washing.  I just say no to high maintenance clothes.

Some of you might find these rules limiting, but I find them a relief.  They narrow down my options, giving me more time to focus on the part of shopping that I enjoy--finding great deals!

My daily uniform now consists of a colorful v-neck t-shirt (fall/winter/spring) or tank top (summer) with jeans or capri pants (a cellulite-camouflaging alternative to shorts), and Crocs, Simple Shoes, mules, or flip flops.  Earrings are a must.  (I really like colorful beaded earrings!)  And I wear colorful scarves in the cooler months.  I like having a couple cute and functional purses too.  (But in typical OCD fashion, they must be the PERFECT purses, meeting all my purse-related requirements!)

Because I am drawn to simplicity and order, I also limit the amount of clothing I have.  I have about 20 shirts (including tank tops) and 5 pairs of season-specific bottoms at any given time.  I have 8 pairs of shoes, 2 nightgowns, 1 coat, 2 jackets, 2 winter hats, and 1 summer hat.  I LOVE having a limited wardrobe.  It makes getting dressed so simple!      
 
Are we now all in agreement that I'm nuts?  Good.

Now that you know all about my weird sensible clothing policy, I want to hear about yours.  Do you have a daily uniform?  What do you look for when you shop for clothes?  Got any clothing rules?

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