I Wear the Same Thing Every Day and I Love It!
I Wear the Same Thing Every Day and I Love It!
Plus! The $64 Question!! The Semi-Annual CAFÉ ANNE Quarterly Report!!!
Hello everyone
Welcome to Issue #101 of CAFÉ ANNE!
As you may recall, I recently received a $100 bill in the mail from a generous reader, which gave me a fun idea for how to celebrate the 100th issue of this newsletter. I exchanged the bill for $100 singles and went around the city asking 100 New Yorkers for a dollar’s worth of wisdom. The resulting feature was a hit!
But then I had a new quandary. Of the 100 New Yorkers I stopped on the street, only 56 had wisdom to offer. And of those, only 36 accepted the money. That left me with $64 to spend. “What,” I asked in the last issue, “should I do with the remainder?”
I got a lot of suggestions from readers, both by email and in the comments. Most fell into one of three categories.
Some suggested I donate the money. “Find 64 homeless people at 60 Wall Street and give them a dollar each,” suggested reader Hazel B., referring to my recent story about NYC’s weirdest public atrium.
Others said I should treat myself to something nice, like a steak dinner. Or at least a hamburger! “I think you should take the $64 and do whatever delights you or would be symbolic of your hopes or goals for this new year,” wrote Jill. “After all, it was a gift for YOU.”
And then there were the folks who suggested I use the $$$ to fund another escapade. One extremely cool idea, from reader Brigit D: “Jump in a taxi and ask them to choose the direction, and drive until the meter hits $64, and see where you end up.”
But my favorite idea came from reader DL who suggested, “Can we vote next issue on where the $64 goes?”
So here goes! Please vote early and often. I’ll announce the results in next week’s issue. And I promise to go with whichever option wins.
In other news, huge January getaway shoutouts to new paid subscribers Brandon J., Alan S., Cory M., Will S., and Jim K. That’s enough $$$ for an overnight escape to South Beach, Staten Island!
I am very excited about this week’s issue, of course. I’ve got an account of what it’s like to wear the same thing every day for nearly a decade. Plus, for newsletter stat nerds, the much-anticipated semi-annual CAFÉ ANNE quarterly report. Please enjoy.
Regards!
Anne
DEPT. OF PERSONAL EXPERIMENTATION
I Wear the Same Thing Every Day and I Love It!
I wear the same thing every day. I've been doing this for years, and plan to continue until I die—assuming they allow this in the hospital. Of all the lifestyle options I've experimented with over the decades, adopting a personal uniform has been the biggest winner by far.
It’s an unusual choice, I understand. Not even nuns wear a habit these days. Cops and soldiers wear uniforms, but not off-duty. Even Mark Zuckerberg swapped his hoodie for a suit when he testified before Congress. Yes, Steve Jobs took it all the way with his black turtleneck and jeans, but he is no longer with us.
I’ve mentioned my clothing routine a few times in this newsletter. Recently, reader Tina N, who writes the Panicked Creative newsletter (“Tricks for all us sweaty types”), left a request in a comments: "Please, please, please write up your journey to wearing the same thing every day. This speaks to me so hard, but I’d have no idea how to go about it!"
She was kind enough to follow up with some specific questions. I thought it'd be fun to combine them with questions I've gotten from others over the years and create a FAQ addressing the whats, whys and hows of adopting a personal uniform. Without further ado…
Do you really wear the same thing seven days a week?
Yes! Many people claim to wear a “uniform,” but this typically means they wear roughly the same outfit most days. Plenty of men wear something like a dress shirt and khakis every day, for example, but will they show up on Monday morning wearing a plaid button-down or stripes? Only the devil knows!
I wear the exact same thing every day. No exceptions. I buy five-to-ten of a particular item and typically wear it all season, with zero deviation, until the NYC weather forces an adjustment.
What's your current uniform?
This winter, my uniform consists of three items sourced from that hotbed of high fashion, Amazon.com. I've included links in case you'd like to dress like me for Halloween, or your next costume party!
1. A $35 black, stretchy collared black button down shirt with roll-up sleeves.
2. A $20 black pencil skirt.
3. $20 Black tights.
For footwear, I chose these $90 black leather boots with three-inch heels from Steve Madden.
How did create your outfit?
I need a uniform that works for every occasion in my life ranging from CEO interviews and teaching meditation classes to coffee with pals and the occasional five-mile hike. While this outfit is not ideal for any of the above, it is plenty appropriate for all of them. Plus, it is cheap. Plus, everything is machine-washable.
Can you really walk five miles in those three-inch heels?
Yes, the boots are incredibly comfortable.
How can you possibly go for a hike in a pencil skirt?
It's very stretchy!
Why all black?
Black is flattering. It does not show dirt, spills or stains. Also, I am a New Yorker. Also, if you wear all black, there is a good chance no one will notice that you are wearing the same thing every day.
Come on, don't you have anything else in your closet?
It would be disrespectful to show up to a very special occasion wearing my uniform. To that end, I have a nice dress for winter holiday occasions, and a black summer cocktail dress that, come to think of it, looks a lot like my uniform.
I also have a bathing suit that looks a lot like my uniform. And for working out, I own many identical pairs of black yoga pants and tank tops—an outfit that looks a lot like my uniform.
What about warm weather?
In the summer months, I wear the same pencil skirt with a black tank top and a pair of beige wedge sandals. The tank top and sandals were recently discontinued, so I’ll be looking to adopt a new uniform for Q2, 2024.
How did you start wearing a uniform?
It started about ten years ago. I had a closet bursting with a hellish rainbow of dresses, skirts, pants, sweaters and jackets. Every morning, I wasted what felt like an excessive amount of time trying on different outfits, never feeling like anything was quite right.
One summer, I decided to eliminate the mental and closet clutter by wearing only dresses. I kept the dresses hanging in the closet and put everything else in storage. Suddenly, every morning, I only had to decide which dress to wear. I loved it!
A year went by and I realized there was one dress I loved to wear in particular. It was a stretchy, washable, faux wrap dress from LandsEnd. What if I just wore just this one dress, but in different colors? That was phase two.
Phase three? I remember the moment so clearly. I put on the black version of the dress, looked in the mirror and thought, "I feel so great in this dress. I wish I could wear this dress everyday."
And then I realized: "Anne, You can!!!!"
I never looked back.
Don't people think you are weird to wear the same thing every day?
Honestly, my uniform is so boring, I don't think many people notice. And if you do spend enough time with me to notice, then you already know I am weird.
Don't you miss the opportunity to express yourself and your moods by changing your outfit?
No.
Don't you miss shopping for clothes?
No. Stores are super fun. I love to check out the latest fashions in NYC's wonderful boutiques. But trying to find affordable clothing that flatters and fits is a chore. There are approximately 10,000 other things I'd rather do with my time.
What are the downsides of wearing a uniform?
There are zero downsides. In fact, I have a recurring nightmare where I open my closet and am confronted with a vast array of colorful apparel choices in a variety of styles. I am always so relieved when I wake up and realize it was just a bad dream.
What are the upsides?
If you think about it, nearly every serious vocation requiring real dedication and focus involves some sort of uniform. Soldiers, health care workers, clergy, EMTs and cops all suit up for the job. This is because wearing a uniform frees one from distraction. I want to focus my time and energy on what I'm doing, not what I'm wearing. Along the same lines, I want the folks I spend time with to focus on me, not my clothes.
The other upsides? Laundry is a snap, and so is shopping. I spend far less money and time buying and caring for garments. And it doesn't matter if I lose a sock in the dryer—I have 19 more of the same sock.
Do you think everyone should wear the same thing every day?
No. That would be boring! I love walking around NYC to see all the crazy fashions. If everyone else wore a uniform, I would be very, very sad.
Do you wear a personal uniform, or something close to it? Please describe in the comments, or send me a note: annekadet@yahoo. Don’t forget to include links!
QUARTERLY REPORT
10,000 Cappuccinos Served!
Welcome to the CAFÉ ANNE Q1 2024 quarterly report, which actually arrives twice year!
I am pleased to report that in 2023, total subscriptions to the newsletter doubled, to 10,000, while paid subscriptions grew 70%, from 194 to 330. We've come a long way since the newsletter launched two years ago with a mailing list of 70.
I am especially pleased with the number of paid subscribers. As you know, CAFÉ ANNE has no paywalls and never will. As I like remind the generous supporters who opt to fork over, your willingness to pay for something you can get for free helps keep CAFÉ ANNE free for everybody but you!
Thanks to these subscribers, and with the help of the new classified ads section launched this fall, I'm halfway to breaking even!
Okay, now comes the fun part: which issues performed best and worst in the second half of 2023?
The strongest issue, by far, was "My Most Bonkers Story Ever!" the story of Mehran's Steakhouse. It got cited in the New York Times, which was a lot of fun. It also garnered 272 likes (a record for this newsletter), and 172 comments.
The runner-up: "One Thing at a Time Lady! My Week of No Multitasking," with 169 likes and 169 comments.
The worst performer? July's "New York's Most Bonkers Boulevard.” My tour of Brooklyn's Avenue U got just 83 likes. Honestly, what is wrong with you people? That was a great story!
Another poor performer: "Hot Off the Press: A Boatload of Nonsense," which included a look at New Yorkers on Cameo. Okay, that issue actually WAS a little lame.
Finally, thanks to the 186 Substack newsletters recommending CAFÉ ANNE—you're my biggest source of new subscribers. And of course, to my confabulous Substack support quad: Jane Ratcliffe (Beyond), Michael Estrin (Situation Normal) and Alex Dobrenko (Both are True). Everyone, please subscribe to their fantastic newsletters. And of course, thanks to my "friend" Aharon, the real brains behind this operation. And to everyone who reads, likes, comments and shares the newsletter with their friends.
So what's in store for 2024? Who knows NOT ME!!!!!! But what I want for all of us, of course, is a year full of delightful discoveries and surprises in the greatest city in the world. As always, your ideas and suggestions are very welcome: annekadet@yahoo.com.
CAFÉ ANNE is a free weekly newsletter created by Brooklyn journalist Anne Kadet. Subscribe to get the latest issue every Monday!
Uniforms are the BEST! They save time, brain space, look great, and are better for the environment, too. No need to buy lots of STUFF! xoxo
So you never get bored with your clothes and crave a punch of color? And what’s your take on accessories? And - forgive me - I’m still stuck on the five-mile hike in that skirt but moreover, those SHOES. Have you seriously done that long of a hike in those things and was it a paved/flat “trail,” or a legit rocky, up and down situation?
Also, I’m not so secretly pissed at those who voted for anything other than you treating yourself. Your readers should know by now that you’re going to deliver, and have adventures, no matter what. TREAT YO’SELF.