Fashion alert: Developing your own personal uniform

The final weeks of school are here, and sleep depravation is setting in. You roll over and it is 7:45 a.m. Of course, you have an 8 a.m. class that you cannot miss. Before the panic and defeat set in, you can take a deep breath, because you know that you already have a fail-proof outfit ready to go. “How can I make this a reality for me?” you may ask.

Here is the simple answer: the personal uniform. I’m not talking about plaid skirts and white button-ups, like Blair Waldorf. What I mean is a personal style, with a go-to outfit model appropriate for a given situation, like going to class. Step one to making you personal uniform is defining your personal style. Are you a fan of dresses or skinny jeans? Do you prefer elaborate details on pieces or more utilitarian items? There is no need to stick to a label, like “girly girl” or “boho chic.”

Just find clothes that make you feel comfortable, and just ooze “you.” Now that you are armed with an arsenal of clothes that you love, you need to do a little math. Here is the simple equation: top + bottom + shoes + accessories. It is not very scary, right? Based on your personal style, you fill in the various parts to the equation for the appropriate occasion. For example, my go-to class “uniform” for fall or winter is a top, which can be a shirt or blouse and a cardigan, and a bottom, like skinny jeans.

For my shoes, I usually wear flat boots. I also use accessories, like earrings, necklaces, belts and boot socks, depending on the outfit. I would say that I wear a variation of this formula at least three of the five school days of the week. On the other days, I like to mix it up with a skirt, or swap the boots for flats. By no means do you need to wear your uniform outfit every day, but sticking to your formula will alleviate stress on those rough 8 a.m. mornings, and it will always allow you to look fabulous, no matter how late you wake up.