10 signature work looks, from Steve Jobs and Karl Lagerfeld to Barack Obama and Richard Branson

From tech giants Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg to fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, some of the world’s most successful people have been known to wear the same outfit to work every single day. In many cases, these distinctive “work uniforms” have become synonymous with the person. Here are 10 famous work uniforms, from Jobs’ black polo neck to Lagerfeld’s white collared shirt, black jacket and black sunglasses. And let’s not forget Barack Obama’s grey and blue suits … Steve Jobs Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, was perhaps one of the most famous people to adopt a “work uniform”. Jobs was almost always seen wearing his signature black polo neck, jeans, and trainers. He once said in an interview that he owned about 100 black polo necks made by Japanese designer Issey Miyake. Mark Zuckerberg Another tech titan, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is known for his recurring outfits. In Zuckerberg’s case, it’s usually a black or navy hoodie, which he sometimes removes to reveal a grey T-shirt. The T-shirts are reportedly special ordered from Brunello Cucinelli, and reportedly cost between US$300 and US$400. Karl Lagerfeld Karl Lagerfeld, the legendary designer who died on February 19, was known for his iconic uniform of black sunglasses and a tailored black jacket with a high-collared, highly starched white shirt. He usually accessorised with some jewellery and gloves. Lagerfeld reportedly had 1,000 of the same white shirt. Anna Wintour Condé Nast artistic director and Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour’s distinctive look includes her sleek bob and black sunglasses. Eight foolproof fashion investments that are as good as gold Wintour also typically wears “a patterned or textured skirt, a simple close-fitting jewel-neck jumper and a chunky necklace,” as Annette Tapert noted in The Wall Street Journal. Richard Branson Virgin Group founder and billionaire Sir Richard Branson keeps his uniform simple. “I just wear the same pair of jeans every day,” he reportedly told Page Six at a party. “Whatever I’m doing, whether it’s a speech, whether it’s going to see the queen, you know, whatever it is.” Branson said that he likes to pair his jeans with a simple white T-shirt, noting that his wardrobe only contains two or three pairs of jeans and a few white shirts. Elizabeth Holmes Elizabeth Holmes, the former CEO of Theranos, was known for wearing a familiar work uniform before she was charged with “massive fraud” by the US Securities and Exchange Commission and then indicted by a grand jury on “wire fraud schemes”. How to tell your Chinese immigrant mom you’re a cannabis dealer Holmes was always seen wearing a black polo neck like Jobs, which later became a symbol of her alleged fraud. “Such an individual uniform has a risk if you do not live up to the promise,” fashion critic Vanessa Friedman wrote in The New York Times. Hillary Clinton Former US Secretary of State and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton made pantsuits her work staples years ago. She often wears them in bright colours and occasionally in bold patterns. Giorgio Armani Fashion designer Giorgio Armani’s work uniform is simple yet streamlined. He is nearly always seen wearing a navy jumper, navy pant, and white trainers. Fran Lebowitz Author and public speaker Fran Lebowitz almost exclusively wears a uniform that comprises a jacket (usually designed by Anderson & Sheppard), a men’s shirt, Levi’s jeans, cowboy boots, and tortoiseshell glasses. Five Southeast Asian ‘hijabistas’ with an Instagram following “I have all my suits and jackets made, but I’ve never had a shirt made … it’s not as important to me that they fit perfectly,” Lebowitz told Elle in a 2015 interview. Barack Obama One of the most famous proponents of the “work uniform” is former US President Barack Obama. “You’ll see I wear only grey or blue suits,” he told Vanity Fair in a 2012 interview. “I'm trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.” In fact, experts say making lots of small decisions like what to wear and what to eat throughout the day can drain your mental energy for when you need to make more important decisions. It is perhaps this “decision fatigue” that drives so many successful people to adopt work uniforms.