I Wear Basically the Same Thing Every Day. So Should You.

This is One Thing, a column with tips on how to live.

Not every facet of your life has to be exciting or interesting, and when it comes to clothing, I’ve learned that I prefer comfort and ease over being fashionable. I basically dress like a cartoon character. You know how they have one main outfit and that’s their calling card? That’s kind of me, but I’m more sanitary.

At any given time, I have about five outfits on rotation and I switch those out for one another as needed. Let’s call it a capsule wardrobe, but an extremely nonfussy one. On rotation right now are two favorite sweaters, my most comfortable bike shorts, and my best-fitting jeans. I live in L.A., and if it’s warmer out, I’ll slip one of my best T-shirts into the rotation. But basically, I wear almost the same thing most days.

There are so many decisions to make a day that it’s nice to kind of take clothing planning out of it. Do I sound like Elizabeth Holmes or Steve Jobs? Maybe! But tbh, the tech bros of the world, and their bland, soft repeating outfits, are onto something.

You don’t need to go so far as to wear only one outfit all the time, but neither do you need to have a million different outfit options for every day, especially given the speed at which the fashion world cycles through trends and the fact that it’s all heading to a landfill eventually. Plus, it’s good for the brand. (Holmes was onto something here too.) People know I’m all about the bike shorts and sweatshirt à la Princess Diana the moment the air turns a little cool.

One time, my young niece looked at a flannel sitting on the side of the road and asked her mom why I’d left my shirt there. Sad? Kind of. But also: The brand is strong!

I wish I could say I make my outfits interesting by adding different accessories, but … I honestly don’t. I do, however, save a lot of money that I might otherwise spend shopping and get to spend it on things that matter to me, like buying hardcovers of my favorite books to add to my personal library or hitting my favorite coffee shop in the morning.

If you’re looking to get into a capsule wardrobe or downsize your closet, focus on what you really like to wear, not what you think you should be wearing to look cool, then resist keeping or buying anything outside of that. I’m all for getting the same things in different colors and sticking to well-made pieces that match with a bunch of different things in your closet. Maybe no one will swoon over how well you’re dressed, but you will feel more comfortable. Plus, shopping less is great for the environment. Talk about a win-win.