My closet is full. Not just “a few things scattered here and there”, like FULL full! There are tops that I have probably owned since freshman year of high school, jeans in three very slightly different washes, and at least five outfits I bought for very specific occasions that have yet to happen or might never happen. And yet, somehow, I rotate between the same three outfits every single week.Â
It doesn’t make sense, but honestly, I know exactly what I am doing and I just can’t justify it anymore.Â
There’s always the “safe outfit.” You know the one that fits perfectly, it photographs well, and it never makes you question why you decided to wear this outfit halfway through the day. For me, it’s my go-to aerie flare leggings, a basic top, and my cherished Ugg’s. Nothing groundbreaking, but it gets the job done every time, no stress involved.Â
Then there’s the “I need to look like I have my life together” outfit. This one comes out for presentations, important classes, or days when I feel like I want to look “aesthetic”. It’s slightly more put-together, maybe involves a cuter top or nicer shoes, and somehow tricks everyone, including myself, into thinking I’m fully on top of things.Â
And of course, the third: the “I physically cannot try today” outfit. Oversized sweatshirt, baggy sweatpants, hair in a claw clip. It’s giving comfort, its giving minimal effort, and it’s worn at least twice, if not more, times a week.Â
So why do we keep wearing the same outfits when we know we have options? Part of it is decision fatigue. Choosing what to wear every day is exhausting, especially when you’re already thinking about classes, clubs, friends, and everything else going on. When you already have something that works, your brain knows you just need to stick with it. It’s also about confidence. We naturally gravitate toward what makes us feel good, even if it means repeating it over and over again.Â
There’s also something comforting about consistency. In the middle of busy schedules, crazy days, and constant pressure to have everything figured out, wearing a familiar outfit feels like one small thing you can control, even when everything else might feel chaotic.Â
And honestly? No one is paying as much attention as we think. That top that you’ve worn three times within the last two weeks? No one noticed. Or if they did, they probably respected the consistency, or they are doing the exact same thing.Â
So maybe the problem isn’t that we only wear three outfits. Maybe it’s that we think we’re not supposed to.Â
And at the end of the day, what really matters is that if you feel good, you look good and that is how clothes should make us feel!Â