When you wear the same outfit daily, people may begin to question your hygienic practices, or question whether you have problems within your home, or question your income-level amongst may other judgments. 

The chitter chatter behind your back does not account for the many roles you play in life as a partner, parent, sibling, child, business owner, employee, student, hobbyist, worshipper, etc. In each role that we play, there is a corresponding uniform. Research conducted at Columbia University discovered that when participants dressed for their corresponding role, they felt a degree of competence in that role. 

For instance, it is Friday evening you get home from work to take off your buttoned-up shirt with skirt or slacks, to put on your mom-jeans or dad jeans, to put on your lascivious lingerie or playful pajamas. On Saturday, you return to your closet to put on your mom jeans or dad jeans, but throw your gym clothes in your bag. After all, Saturdays are for taking the children to soccer practice and piano classes and for trying to squeeze me time by doing some yoga or weightlifting. At the end of your Saturday, you return to put on your lascivious lingerie or playful pajamas. On Sunday, you put on your Sunday’s best and head to a worship service. So many roles, so much pressure! What a performance! I bet you are exhausted!

Oftentimes in heterogeneous or individualistic societies such as United States, Germany, Ireland, South Africa, and Australia, there is prioritization on the individual expression of style. By the time we enter adulthood, we are expected to fully have mastered individually expressing ourselves–and this includes how we dress. If you have more than one day where you are tempted to wear the same outfit as the day before, you will be vilified. 

The author in her favorite outfit to repeat. (Credit: Dawnn Karen)

But as a fashion psychologist, I implore you to practice the theory repetitious wardrobe when you step on the stage to perform your life. Wear the same outfit as much as you can in as many acts as you can. Remember, when the stage lights are on, you cannot see the audience sitting ahead in the front of the house.

Repetitious Wardrobe Complex is the tendency to wear the same outfits habitually to neutralize mood. It is considered a complex in an individualistic society, but in a collectivistic society, it is considered an acumen.