{"id":3583,"date":"2023-08-02T19:47:53","date_gmt":"2023-08-02T23:47:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/10-reasons-repeating-outfits-will-simplify-your-life\/"},"modified":"2023-08-02T19:47:53","modified_gmt":"2023-08-02T23:47:53","slug":"10-reasons-repeating-outfits-will-simplify-your-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/parmaks.com\/Resources\/10-reasons-repeating-outfits-will-simplify-your-life\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Reasons Repeating Outfits Will Simplify Your Life"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Profit<\/a>
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Note: This is a guest post from Julia Ubbenga of\u00a0Rich in What Matters<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

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On a gray morning last month, I stepped out of my bedroom, dressed and ready for the day.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMom, why do you have that again?\u201d Asked my four-year-old daughter between bites of breakfast cereal.<\/p>\n

Have what? I wondered.<\/p>\n

Scanning my empty hands, my eyes landed on my yellow, graphic \u201cHello Sunshine\u201d tee. She\u2019s talking about my outfit, I realized. I\u2019d worn the shirt the day before yesterday, but it was clean again, so on it went.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s noticing my tendency to repeat clothes, I thought.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you mean, why am I wearing this shirt again?\u201d I asked, to be sure.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have it on again because you want the clouds to go away today?\u201d She said thoughtfully.<\/p>\n

I smiled. While I hadn\u2019t been that<\/em> intentional and chosen my outfit in an attempt influence the weather that day, living a minimalist lifestyle<\/a> has<\/em> unearthed an extreme intentionality around my wardrobe.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

Because owning a repeatable, sustainable wardrobe that reflects your personal style is one of the most powerful ways to simplify your life.\u00a0<\/p>\n

In 1930, the average American woman owned nine outfits. Today, that figure is 30 outfits<\/a>\u2014one for every day of the month.<\/p>\n

Before minimalism, I lived the \u201cmore outfits the better\u201d mindset. In high school, I documented clothing pairings daily so as not to wear the same thing twice in the same month. In my first job out of college, I\u2019d rummage through my roommates\u2019 closets regularly, trying to piece together a \u201cnew\u201d outfit before sliding into my cubicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Finally, I figured out this outfit preoccupation made life more complicated. In fact, many people are realizing the benefits of becoming outfit repeaters.<\/p>\n

Here are 10 reasons I love wearing the same things often (and think you would too):<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Increased presence\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Clothing can contribute to mental clutter. You decide to wear something, but two hours later you\u2019re stuck wishing you\u2019d worn something different. Maybe it\u2019s proven to be uncomfortable. Or, turns outs, it wasn\u2019t a great fit for the occasion. That interior voice can nag you throughout the day, stealing your peace and presence.<\/p>\n

Simplifying my wardrobe<\/a> and wearing only what I love has been mentally freeing. I don\u2019t get stuck wondering if I wore the right thing or wishing I\u2019d worn something different. I wear what I love. Every day. And I\u2019m more present for it.<\/p>\n

2. Save money\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The average person spends around $160 per month<\/a> on clothes, which is nearly $2,000 a year. Many of these purchases land in already full closets and are rarely worn.<\/p>\n

In writing this, I realized I\u2019ve bought four new clothing items this past year, two of which were needed maternity shirts. Minimalist living has shown me I don\u2019t need to chase the latest trend to feel good about myself. Shopping for clothes is no longer a pastime, which saves me money.<\/p>\n

3. Less decision fatigue<\/strong><\/p>\n

We make an average of 35,000 decisions a day<\/a>. Our brain\u2019s daily decision-making power<\/a> is finite, meaning the more decisions we make, the harder it becomes to make another one.<\/p>\n

Wearing the same thing repeatedly saves your decision-making power. I\u2019ve found my mind is sharper throughout the day when it\u2019s not bogged down in the morning trying to decide what to wear.<\/p>\n

4. Less comparison\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Getting caught up in comparison<\/a> is a guaranteed way to drain your joy. If you\u2019re distracted by other people\u2019s outfits, wishing your wardrobe resembled theirs, you\u2019re missing out on your own life. Purchasing another pair of shoes isn\u2019t going to make you happy (well, maybe briefly, until you see another pair you wish you had\u2026 and the cycle of discontentment continues).<\/p>\n

Before minimalism, I\u2019d see other people\u2019s outfits and work to replicate them. I thought I needed certain pieces of clothing to fit in (like those faux leather shoes I bought before moving to Spain because I thought they\u2019d make me look more European. Or the over-priced heels I bought\u2014and thankfully returned\u2014before my brother\u2019s wedding because I thought they\u2019d help me fit into the L.A. crowd).<\/p>\n

Now, I\u2019m confident in my personal style<\/a> and happy to wear my outfits over and over again. I\u2019ve found I can still admire someone else\u2019s style, but have no desire to own clothes like them myself.<\/p>\n

5. More self-confidence\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

What you wear projects a message to the world about what you think of yourself. When you wear what you love and feel best in, you radiate more confidence. Why not do this every day?<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve learned what outfits make me feel confident and most authentically myself and which ones don\u2019t. I wear the keepers often. And the rest, I let go.<\/p>\n

6. Simplified laundry routine (less clothing clutter)<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you have just a few favorite outfits you wear regularly<\/a>, you\u2019re more motivated to care for them. You don\u2019t let them pile up in the hamper for a week\u2014you need them sooner than that! This motivates you to stay on top of laundry so you\u2019ll always have your favorite outfits ready to go.<\/p>\n

Before minimalism, I\u2019d wear something and throw it in the hamper until I got around to washing it. Sometimes I\u2019d even forget I owned it! Piles of dirty laundry created clutter piles throughout our home.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now I know where clothes are at all times\u2014hanging in my closet or in the washing machine (we don\u2019t use a hamper). Our laundry routine has been greatly simplified<\/a> by owning fewer, more loved outfits. And spending less time on laundry means more time spent on other, more enjoyable, things.<\/p>\n

7. Help the environment<\/strong><\/p>\n

North Americans send 12 million tons of clothing to landfills<\/a> every year, 95 percent of which could have been reused or recycled. Because of fast fashion, we now view clothes as disposable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Buying outfits with longevity and repeatability in mind is good for the environment. When you wear the same thing often, you do this. Building a more sustainable wardrobe doesn\u2019t have to break the bank. My favorite place to shop is a Savers thrift store in a well-off area of our city where I find quality pieces for half the price.\u00a0<\/p>\n

8. You feel better<\/strong><\/p>\n

A trip to your closet can significantly influence how you feel. Seeing clothes you wish you fit into can trigger frustration. Owning clothes with the price tags still attached can trigger guilt. Seeing clothes inherited from a loved one who has passed away can trigger sadness.<\/p>\n

I prefer to feel happy when I peer into my closet each morning. Owning only repeatable outfits that I love does this and can set a positive tone for the day.<\/p>\n

9. More reminders of how little you need to be happy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Owning a repeatable, small wardrobe constantly sends you the message that contentment can be found in less. A glance at your curated closet prompts thoughts like: \u201cI need so much less than I thought I did to be happy.\u201d<\/p>\n

I\u2019m much less likely to buy on impulse or waste time scrolling in search of my next purchase when these thoughts infiltrate my mind every morning. My sense of gratitude also increases the more I remember life truly is better with less.<\/p>\n

10. More self-love<\/strong><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re in the habit of wearing repeatable outfits you love, you\u2019re in the habit of seeing, accepting and supporting yourself exactly as you are.<\/p>\n

In the words of Mel Robbins, \u201cKeeping clothes in sizes that don\u2019t fit you is not a form of motivation. It causes stress, anxiety, and triggers negative self-talk, all which makes you feel less motivated and it makes it impossible to love and accept your body as you are.\u201d<\/p>\n

In my experience, removing clothing items like the \u201cgoal dress\u201d or pair of jeans I haven\u2019t fit into in 10 years also removes the \u201cI should be different\u201d message. Repeatable outfits support who you are today, which is the version of you the world needs most.<\/p>\n

An unknown quote I love goes like this:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay to\u2026 repeat clothes, not upgrade your phone, buy second-hand items, live in a simple home. It\u2019s okay to live a simple life.\u201d<\/p>\n

If life feels complicated, consider your wardrobe. Could owning a repeatable wardrobe that reflects your personal style create a ripple effect of simplicity throughout your life? In my experience, it absolutely can.<\/p>\n

Why not give it a try?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s more than okay to become an outfit repeater.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Your life will become simpler and more meaningful for it.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Julia Ubbenga is a freelance journalist and mom of four who documents her family\u2019s journey into minimalism on her blog, <\/em>Rich in What Matters<\/em><\/a>. Her teachings on simplicity and intentional living help others live a more meaningful life with less stuff. You can find her on <\/em>Instagram<\/em><\/a> or check out <\/em>her free decluttering guide<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n