In Defense of the Outfit Uniform
Defining a personal style starts with a connection to your sense of self and belonging in the world.
Thinking about what it means to have a sense of style rooted in a genuine love of fashion.
It’s easy—almost automatic—to scroll through what everyone else is wearing and feel the pull to replicate whatever reads as “cool” or “chic” in the moment. To jump on a trend without pausing to consider how it lives alongside the rest of what’s already in my closet. I’ve done that more times than I can count.
Lately, I’ve been trying to approach style with more intention. To zoom out and look at my wardrobe as a whole.
To notice the pieces I return to again and again. The silhouettes, fabrics, and details that feel like me. And then, to let that clarity guide everything else.
Here are a few pieces that speak most clearly to my essence.
A pair of Wrangler jeans with the perfect fit: sturdy but soft, broken in just enough, with a beautiful patina and thoughtfully detailed pockets. I found them after nearly an hour at a local Goodwill, digging through racks in search of something special in a sea of clothes.
They pair effortlessly with my favorite blue linen shirt from Salvage Public. Simple, casual, and surprisingly versatile. On cooler days, I’ll throw on a thrifted Levi’s jacket I picked up from a secondhand shop in Williamsburg, a place I discovered through a social media recommendation while visiting New York. Each piece carries not just utility and function, but a memory.
Together, they’ve become something more than just clothes. They represent how I’ve learned to appreciate material, construction, and longevity. They hold stories of travel, of slow searching, of small moments of discovery.
This is what I think of as my outfit uniform: not a rigid formula, but a foundation. A combination that feels grounded, personal, and entirely my own.