206 Comments

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

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Oh wow Amelia! Are you a fellow uniformer? (And is that how we refer to ourselves?)

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oh yes. long-time uniformer! not quite as disciplined as you - I vary my outfits slightly every day: right now it's sweatpants + a sweater.

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The fuzzy version!

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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.

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Hmm. I don't think I even own anything that qualifies as an "accessory" beyond black winter gloves and scarf. I've worn the same necklace (a silver Tibetan double vajra pendant) every day for probably a decade and a pair of silver cuff earrings for the past year.

By hikes I don't mean clambering up mountains, no! But life does include the occasional legit hilly forest trail sort of situation. Last one was the day before New Year's in the Catskills. Not ideal, but it works!

Thank you for advising me to treat myself I am very hungry for a hamburger!

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Been meaning to ask if you ever considered a link for folks who can’t afford subscriptions to donate to you? I’m disabled and on a ridiculously fixed income but I’ve had such moments of joy reading your newsletter that I’ve often wished I could throw you enough coin to wash down that hamburger 🧡

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Amy you are kind to offer, and I think there are a LOT of people in your position. Substack discourages this, as it wants to get a cut of all payments, and I don't blame them for that. But I will give it some thought. There must be a way to make everybody happy, including ME, haha!

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Our buddy Michael Estrin started doing this and I was finally able to send him a few bucks. Maybe see what he thinks?

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Will do! As you probably know I consult him on all sorts of things.

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As well you should - he’s a mensch!

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just coming across this thread - did this ever get set up? I was able to do exactly this for a substacker I wanted to support... she used a site called Ko-fi[dot]com - I'm unsure of the relationship (if any) to Substack.

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he did it for me too!!! i did buy his novel even if i constantly bore him by admitting to not having read it thru entirely yet lol

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Look at all the likes on my original comment, Anne! The people want to GIVE, lol.

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The people have spoken!

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YES, "moments of joy" from Anne but ridiculously (bad) income

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Amy, it's been many years since I visited England, but I lived there for two years once upon a time, and was astonished to see grown women hiking in heels and skirts!

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Mind blown! 🤯

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I can see how it can simplify your life wearing just one outfit. I think because your life is so filled with other happenings, many of them very colorful, you have enough excitement to wear just a background black color. The events you create or encounter provide the mental color stimulation for you.

I, on the other hand, am not experiencing these delightful or not so delightful experiences, which add so much "color" to life. So I generally try to dress in a colorful and attractive way just for my own self even if I am planning to be staying at home. I was an art major and so I try to dress as if I were a finished work of art everyday since I do pass a mirror occasionally to see how I am holding up.

I never could or would wear three inch heels though. I would be toppling over in a short time.

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Irene it is funny, I do think that my adopting a uniform (along with many other strict daily routines) is partly to counterbalance the variety I get with my chosen occupation. Perhaps if I ever retire I'll go full rainbow again.

I love the idea of dressing yourself as a work of art, as you say you do for yourself, and love it when I see people around the city who clearly take this approach.

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“ If everyone else wore a uniform, I would be very, very sad.”

Oh my God! Anne! Your uniform practice does not pass the basic Kantian categorical imperative test.

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Meredith, you have NO IDEA how hard you just made me laugh!

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I had to go and look this up and I am weeks away from being 80, and I am still none the wiser, even after being given a link to schoolworkhelper.net. What am I missing here? The anarchist in me says ‘What the Hell. I’d be too busy looking in Anne’s eyes to notice her clothes.🐰

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To answer your question - this concept from the philosopher Kant is the golden rule, but taken up a notch; that you should only act in a manner that you would want everyone else to also act, universally. The joke is that Anne wears a uniform but does not want everyone else to, and so does not pass Kant's test 😁

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Thankyou Emily. So clear. I love diversity and I still don’t think of myself as Kantian, but I guess I am because I believe in Roosevelt’s ‘Four Freedoms’ and Eleanor’s view that community and localism are the bedrock of democracy, whilst being a Middle England Liberation Socialist. Thankyou for taking the time to write your comment. Regards akaKevin🐰

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Congrats on the growth of Cafe Anne, and your success with the uniform. I did that happily for years until I became a mother, and had to pivot to wild prints due to the frequency and variety of stains. Pro tip: if you look arty, people will believe the splotches are paint.

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That is funny you went PRINT to combat splotches and stains, Marina. Like those speckle tile floors you see in certain sorts of restaurants and bathrooms. I like to think my all-black accomplishes a similar funtion but perhaps I am fooling myself.

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I love this post so so so much!!! It's been my secret fantasy to wear the same thing every day, ever since I read that Vera Wang did exactly that (this was MANY years ago). She bought like 20 pairs of black pants, tops and shoes every season and that was that. How freakin freeing!!! Anyway I'll probably never get there but it's super inspiring to see people that do. Thanks for sharing!

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I did not know about Vera Wang, Amy. I'll have to read up!

I understand the urge for simplicity that is not actually executed. I have this fantasy of living in a tiny room with just a cot and a writing desk and no possessions, but that will probably never actually happen.

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We have a tiny trailer, and every time we come back from a long road trip, I feel overwhelmed when I walk back into our house. It does inspire me to pare down even more.

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Anne wearing the same thing every day... 😐😮😯🤯 😀😁 So COOL! You are one of a kind.

Peace is not in the world. Peace is in the person that walks the peaceful path. 🙏🏽

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That was a real emoji adventure you took me on just now Nick!

The founder of my tradition once said, "Without inner peace, outer peace is impossible." I think we are thinking along similar lines.

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Your newsletter is such a delight, Anne! Always something interesting and funny. I’d like to declare for the record that I very much enjoyed the Avenue U installment, so I don’t know what’s wrong with everybody else. I also have somewhat of a daily uniform, and definitely appreciate the value of the “same look every day approach”. If I still lived in New York, I’m sure no one would bat an eye at my all-black wardrobe; but here in sunny Los Angeles I’m forever on my guard, waiting for the day they cite me for a fashion felony. If they do, can I count on you and the readers of Café Anne to send me a cake with a file in it?

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Ms. Laura Rebecca it is no big deal to wear black everyday in NYC, but to do so in LA requires a whole lot of SOMETHING that is for sure. No one will suspect the file hidden in the vegan, gluten-free, zero-sugar cake we are sending!

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Oh my god I LOVE your uniform. I wear the same black Everlane cashmere sweater every single day until it's too hot to bear in MPLS summer, but, even then, often at night, I put it back on. It's so comfy, it's like my blanket, but it's also nice. It's looks good AND feels good. But I don't have bottoms to my uniform. I am going to do what you do, and make a real uniform. I do not like to spend time worry about what to wear but I do like liking what I have on! I loved the idea of the 100 wool day dress but didn't want to wear a dress every day. Anyway. this is brilliant. I am going to find myself a uniform (and yes, it will be black!!).

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Jeannine, a black cashmere sweater is the perfect start. If I wasn't so dry cleaning averse, I'd do the same. I'm very excited to see what you chose for the bottom half. Please keep me posted!

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Oh believe me I do not dry clean it. I purchased it, wore it until the sleeve tore through at the elbow into a giant gaping hole (I guess I'm kind of hard on my clothes--we have a dog and 5 preschool grandchildren), and then I found another exact version of it on Ebay and replaced it for leaving the house, but kept the ratty torn up one for "just in case" -- so, as you can see, I am extremely well suited for the idea of a uniform! I am so excited. I really love your uniform but don't want to wear tights in MN winter so I think I will need both pants (soft) and a skirt for summer. Let's go!

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I wish Substack allowed photos in the comments as I am wearing it right now and would paste in a selfie, ha.

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ooo would love to see a link to this sweater!

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It's kind of $$ but I have, as I said, found it new at a discount on Ebay on round two! And for wearing it every day, I am definitely getting my money's worth. It's so cozy. I do use a fabric shaver when it gets too pilly! https://www.everlane.com/products/womens-cashmere-boxy-crew-sweater-black?locale=US&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=pla-google-pmax&utm_campaign=20229534630&utm_content=&utm_term=&adgroup=&pid=13832-105779&device=c&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAzJOtBhALEiwAtwj8tirrqse2pyhC_OEkpSzyKsJg-e1wO5wlW8WeAOb-DpgBWp_SOe8CohoChNkQAvD_BwE

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That's a great sweater! I'd totally wear that! It'd look great with my pencil skirt!

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thank you so much!! i seem to love most articles of clothing that are described as boxy, haha.

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I have adopted a bit of a uniform too. It changes depending on weather but consists of black Levis 511 jeans (cut-offs in the summer), black Vans classic slip-on or black Doc Martens 1460, five variations of black and white stripped Gold Toe socks, black Fresh Clean Threads crew neck t-shirt or long sleeve henley, Amazon basics black tank top, black Levis jean jacket (sherpa lined in the winter), black and white L.L. Bean classic ragg wool sweater - one fair isle and one birdseye, Dehen wool knit watchcap in forester red, black/red/white Timbuk2 classic messenger bag.

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I love the detail in here KVN. And thumbs up on your uniform. If I couldn't wear mine I might wear yours!

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Hello Anne, and to the several other Katies I have seen in the comments! I’m so intrigued by this article; I cannot stop thinking about it. I can so easily picture the uniform that would make me feel at ease every day: wide leg trousers, sneakers and a tshirt. This is the outfit I gravitate to first, before grudgingly ironing and wearing the other things in my wardrobe.

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Hi Katie! It IS very freeing. And its interesting that you sort of instinctively recognize the uniform that might work for you. Let me know if you give it a try!

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Wow, so many people would love to wear I uniform, why don't we all just do it?!

My fantasy uniform would be something super utilitarian including attachments for tools and a row of pens in breast pocket. Then I could pretend that me exploring life was an actual job! 😂

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OMG I love this idea so much Vajradarshini. One thing I've been very interested in is purchasing a notebook holster (yes, these actualy exist) so I'd always be prepared for note-taking no matter the situation. But yes, also pens. I am always scrounging around for my notebook and pens!

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Hilarious, a notebook holster! Have you ever read the book 'what artists wear', it's full of pictures of artist's 'uniforms', I gave my copy away but it was really inspiring.

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I just ordered another copy!

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What a great idea for a book! I just put it on hold at the library.

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I am doing the 100 days dress challenge and am halfway through, not missing my other clothes that much though. My basic combo is the black dress with black tights, with either my gray cardigan or my beige wool pullover or both when it gets too cold, and black boots (flat!). Only I find it troublesome when I need a quick wash of it sometimes. I think I'll adopt the idea of a few pieces of the same thing or a slight variation only!

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That sounds like a really smart strategy, Rachel. Sometimes it's super helpful to pare it down to the bare minimum and see what you really want to add back. Like an elimination diet!

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One of my absolute favorite things about being nomadic is my very tiny wardrobe. What's funny is that even though I have multiple shirts and a couple of different shorts, I basically end up wearing the same thing day in and day out. Washed of course!

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Of course! Haha!

Wow, Michael, I can imagine that being a nomad adds a whole layer of challenge. Do you mainly stick to localities of similar climates, so you can keep wearing shorts?

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We mostly stick to warmish climates, but definitely not always. I froze my butt off in Prague one fall! Finally went to a thrift store and got a warmer jacket. Now headed back to Seattle and will get my jacket out of our small storage locker!

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I loathe picking out what to wear, but that's mostly because my weight has been steadily rising since 2020. I've had to replace most of my wardrobe twice. It would be a lot easier if I just slapped on a uniform and could replace pieces as necessary. If I had to wear the same thing every day, I wonder what I'd choose. Probably a combination of a grey shirt and blue jeans.

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An excellent choice, Justin! That used to be my go-to weekend uniform—jeans and a navy blue or grey sweater.

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Love the idea of wearing the same thing daily. I am almost there. I have a style shirt and pants that I like but wear in different colors. Problem is have to donate all the other items I never wear anymore.

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Linda I agree one of the hardest parts can be donating all the items you will no longer be wearing. It's a real commitment to the new approach. You COULD go back, but it'd be very expensive. Godspeed to you!

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