5 Reasons Why Successful People Wear the Same Clothes Every Day
Mark Zuckerberg, President Obama, Christopher Nolan, Diane Keaton, Albert Einstein, and many other successful people all have ONE thing in common: they wear the same thing every day.
Think about it, when is the president on television without his signature blue or gray suit?
When have you seen a picture of Mark Zuckerberg without his daily uniform of jeans, a gray t-shirt, and a black hoodie?
The third question is this: why do they do it?
Why do so many successful people choose to have little to no variety in their daily wardrobe?
After all, they can certainly afford to wear clothing from famous designers.
In addition, many of them have the clout to become fashion trendsetters if they so desire.
As it turns out, there are 5 reasons that successful people don’t vary their wardrobes.
1. Simplicity
Research demonstrates that the more decisions a person makes in a short period, the less likely it is that each successive decision will be a good one.
This is known as decision fatigue.
Because of this, successful people make a concerted effort to reduce the number of decisions they make on a given day.
This is the reason why President Obama gives limits his wardrobe selection.
It is simply one less decision he has to make while doing a very complex job.
2. Style and Sophistication Over Trend
Successful people understand that they are often judged by their physical appearance.
This includes the clothing that they wear.
Some can ignore this altogether, others not so well.
Most successful people find a look that is comfortable, functional, and flattering for them.
Once they find this look, they stick to it.
In some cases, the look becomes their signature.
One very well-known example of this is the late Steve Jobs.
3. They Want to Control Their Story
There are magazine columns, websites, television shows, and even books dedicated to critiquing the fashion choices of well-known people.
Successful women are especially impacted by this phenomenon.
For example: if a female politician gives a speech, the media covering it are almost sure to comment on the clothing she chose to wear and how her hair was styled.
Sadly, this same scrutiny happens in the boardroom and red carpet.
When a celebrity wears the same thing every time they are seen, any story about their fashion choices becomes very quick.
When the media stops talking about their wardrobe, eventually, they begin talking about their ideas and accomplishments.
There are some successful people who learn this lesson early.
What many people may not realize is that there are many well-known people who embraced fashion redundancy at a young age.
Some successful people wore the same things even when they studied at Harvard.
4. They Want to Stay Organized
Too many articles of clothing, too many colors, and too little space create chaos.
All of this can be avoided by limiting one’s wardrobe to a few pairs of pants or skirts, some comfortable yet stylish shirts, and one or two pairs of decent shoes.
All of these items can be stored and organized within the space of a simple bedroom closet.
This leads to less stress, which successful people understand can hold them back.
5. They Don’t Care
Does anybody think that Albert Einstein mulled over his wardrobe decisions?
Of course, he didn’t.
Highly successful people are often highly focused people.
They have a talent, they know what it is, and they use that talent to help others and to achieve further success.
A wardrobe simply does not enter their minds.
Ken Zebo
May 3, 2018 at 5:18 PM
Dress for success! When I was growing up and IBM was in its infancy one always knew an IBM salesman: Black suit, hat, white shirt, black tie. Today, with so many fabrics to choose from to cover the four seasons; so many shades of grays, blues, etc.—-why wear the same thing, “color wise”, every day. Dress with a flair! How difficult can it be: suits on hangers in a closet. Pick one and wear it. We Americans have drifted into conformity without realizing it. From our clothes to our cars and houses. Remember the distinctive cars of the 50’s 60’s 70’s? Remember two-tone paint jobs? Now all our cars look the same and they’re all painted silver. Stop the conformity!
Bonnie
May 1, 2018 at 2:28 PM
I completely agree. Simplify and automate all the little decisions. It gives more space to focus on the important things in life.
When I was a kid I actually just made a list of my wardrobe options. Each morning I just pulled out the next item on the list and wore it. No having to think about it in the morning.
Now I pretty much do wear the same thing every day. I have a few changes of clothes because laundry is necessary, but everything I have matches each other. I just wear whatever is on top of the clean pile.
I love a simple but purpose driven life.