Uniform dressing has been a topic of debate for a while now. Is wearing the same outfit in different ways lame or efficient? I love uniform dressing. But, I am often left with the question, “how to make your uniform feel different every time you wear it”.
The uniform in question today is: a relaxed straight leg pant and a long sleeve button down. Simple, yet effective. Its certainly not a novel concept, but it hits. You can wear it during the day or night. You can use it for work but can also take an iteration of it on vacation. Its versatility is golden. But as you can see above, if not styled, it looks a little… flat.
HOWEVER, by implementing just a few style hacks, this outfit is so easy to make new and fresh.
ACCESSORIZING
The pieces of this uniform are straightforward enough that your accessories are going end up being the star, so use them wisely. I am a big advocate for accessorizing during the spring/summer months. From open chests to exposed wrists, you have so much free real estate to work with.
By switching up the little things, you can totally transform the vibe of this look. A few accessory ideas for you:
Wear a hat
Stack your necklaces
Add a bandana
Wear a watch AND a bracelet
Carry a canvas bag or a cross body
Tie a sweater around your shoulders
Add a fun belt
SHOES
Now, I will say, it’s more your situation that determines what shoe you should be wearing vs you making that decision. Such as:
A relaxed situation (running errands, day drinking, vacation, coffee dates): sandals, clogs, sneakers
A formal situation (dinner, work events, night dates): loafers, dress shoe, boot
But as you can see, within each category you have multiple options. So, change it up when you can.
TUCK VS NO TUCK
This styling nuance will determine the level of formality you are trying to bring. If you are going for a more serious, hipster or preppy (oddly enough, there is in fact a fine line between hipster and preppy) look, tuck in the shirt.
For a more easy, nonchalant look, leave it untucked.
UNDERSHIRTS
Wear an undershirt to create some dimension. With this, you can also go tuck vs untucked. The same rules apply as above, the tucked version is more… more Ralph Lauren.
The untucked is more… cool guy.
CROP THE PANT
And lastly, you can always roll up your pants a bit and wear a low profile shoe. Nothing says carefree like an exposed ankle.
As always, thank you for being here xo