Aug. 28--A recent Cosmopolitan expose declared: "Definite Proof That Kim Kardashian Only Wears 15 Outfits Ever." What followed was a series of photos showing her wearing variations on the same 15 themes (No. 11: Black bra and high-waisted briefs under a sheer dress) on different occasions.
Kardashian's not the only one who deploys battlefield-tested looks again and again. Many fashion aficionados say a uniform of sorts is a secret lifesaver for the busiest, most stylish women and men in the world.
"Karl Lagerfeld and Anna Wintour -- two of fashion's most powerful figures -- essentially wear uniforms," said Sarah LaFleur, co-founder of MM.LaFleur, which assembles fashion "bento boxes" for women, composed of MM.LaFleur pieces, designed to restore ease and fun to dressing for work.
"And then there are folks like (the late) Steve Jobs and (Theranos) CEO Elizabeth Holmes -- both of black turtleneck fame," LaFleur said. "Of course, these people switch out certain pieces, but they always look like themselves. That's the magic of a uniform. You wear it; it doesn't wear you."
"Wear to Work," a book LaFleur co-wrote with Tory Hoen, advises a "40-40-20 wardrobe" that includes everyday pieces (40 percent), elevated pieces (40 percent) and showstopper pieces (20 percent).
"We also believe that, when all is said and done, you really only need 10 great work outfits -- a two-week rotation. Those 10 outfits will look different depending on the person and their work environment, but 10 is the magic number."
LaFleur's uniform consists of 10 MM.LaFleur dresses, with various accessories to change up the look.
"To me, the dress is the adult onesie. You don't have to think about mixing and matching. You just put it on and go," she said.
A dress is one of designer Shoshanna Gruss' two uniforms, which is one reason dresses form the backbone of her Shoshanna brand. "I wear a dress almost every day, and a wedge shoe. I feel pretty, comfortable, confident and ready to bump into anyone."
Her alternative uniform: "Sleek jeans and a beautiful sweater," she said. "I can make these looks so versatile with the change of shoe, like a boot, or heel, or sneaker, and incredible accessories."
Designer Donna Karan introduced her vision of a fashionable uniform with her "seven easy pieces" in 1985. For a modern translation heading into fall, Elyse Walker, fashion director for the e-commerce site Forward, would narrow hers to six: "a black leather biker jacket, a solid pair of denim, a plaid work shirt, a great bag that doubles for work and play, a solid pair of fashion sneakers and a cozy cashmere sweater."
Designer Maria Pinto bases her M2057 line on a low-maintenance, high-function premise. Fabric is key. The majority of M2057 dresses, pants and tops are in a not-too-clingy, machine-washable Italian matte jersey for versatility.
"I have clients who tell me, 'I can travel for three weeks at a time with a carry-on now; I throw my M2057 in a bathtub to wash it and hang it to dry in the hotel room," Pinto said. "Fabric -- whatever it is, if it's a great wool slack -- invest in the fabric."
Amber Farr, designer for Flynn Skye, built her fall Basics line on 13 pieces. Her own uniform consists mainly of a good T-shirt and jeans, but when she needs to kick it up a notch, she reaches for Flynn Skye's Wrap It Up Skirt "because I can wear itanywhere and it makes me feel girly."
Color -- as with Kardashian's gravitation toward white or blush on one side and black on the other -- also should be an early decision point in building a uniform.
"Ibelievein darker colors when going for a uniform, but when it comes to dresses, go bright," Farr said. "You walk into any room with an impact. People areattractedto color."
Signature accessories, too, aren't just shoes, jewelry, bags and scarves.
"If I could only wear oneaccessory,it would be glasses," Farr said, recalling Wintour and Lagerfeld. "They hide flaws and make people-watching fun."
wdonahue@tribpub.com
