Designing a Uniform: Clothing, Constraints, and Cognitive Load

A couple of years ago, I simplified my wardrobe to what basically amounts to a personal uniform. I have a set of nearly identical shirts and pants that I rotate through, and that’s about it. It started as an experiment to see if cutting out the “what to wear” decision each morning would make a difference in my day. The result? I’m never going back. It’s a small change with surprisingly meaningful benefits.

Here’s what I’ve noticed since adopting a uniform:

• No more decision fatigue in the morning. I used to waste mental energy thinking about outfits, especially when I wanted to “dress right” for different occasions. Now I grab a familiar combo and move on. My brain feels like it skips a needless startup routine and boots straight into the day’s important tasks.
• Consistency and comfort. I chose clothes that I feel good in and that fit virtually any casual scenario. Every day I sort of know what version of me I’m presenting, and it feels consistent. There’s comfort in that reliability — no unexpected itchy shirt or distracting outfit regrets.
• More mental space for creativity. It’s subtle, but there’s a real sense of having freed up bandwidth. The trivial questions are settled, so my mind seems to latch onto more interesting problems first thing in the morning (like writing some code or planning the day). It’s as if I reclaimed a little slice of cognitive focus that was being spent elsewhere.

Friends have jokingly called me a cartoon character for wearing the same thing all the time. And sure, it’s not for everyone. Some people express themselves through what they wear, which is awesome. In my case, I realized I’d rather express myself through what I create and do, and let my clothing just be a comfortable background player. By embracing a constraint (limited wardrobe choices), I actually feel like I’ve gained more freedom — freedom from decision fatigue and from the pressure to constantly change up my look.

This experiment in life design taught me that sometimes less choice can lead to more peace. It removed a tiny daily friction that I didn’t even know was bogging me down until it was gone. Now getting dressed is the easiest part of my day, which leaves me energy for the parts that actually matter.