ジャッキーの これ、どう思う？ While we're on the topic ...

Jackie's "aggresively basic" wardrobe with an ST cushion JACKIE HOFFART PHOTO

Recently I've felt the need to reinvent or at least refresh my wardrobe, but that gives me a special kind of anxiety because I'm not 20 years old anymore. Every time I walk into a store, I find myself thinking: "Why is the music so loud?" or "What did they do with the rest of the sweater?" I guess I'm getting old, but I prefer to think of it as: I'm settling into what will likely be my style for the next decade at least.

The truth is, I'm not really that fashionable. I've always paid attention to what I'm wearing, but I prefer dressing down to dressing up. And it turns out that's fairly typical for Canadians.

One of the things I found exhausting about living in Berlin, Tokyo and London, was that everyone is so well-dressed all of the time. It seems like people spend a lot of time (and energy) shopping for clothes (and shoes) and considering what the trends are. I find it all a little tiring (and uninteresting)…

As a general rule, Canadians seem to care much less about fashion than people do in a lot of other countries with comparable quality of life — you'll see a lot of people here wearing sneakers or yoga pants as if they just left the gym (which they probably didn't).

In fairness, there are plenty of snappy dressers in Canada, especially in urban centers like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. But I think there's something about the immigrant/farming heritage of Canada — there's a relentless practicality to our clothing that seems to have trumped stylishness.

Now that I've finished my film program and am finding my way in the industry, I must admit that I feel quite at home fashion-wise there. If you are working as a crewmember on a film or TV set, no one cares what you are wearing, provided that it's practical for your job. It's very important to wear dark colors if you are anywhere near the camera, because you don't want to reflect light on the actors or walls or mirrors. That's why black is a very popular color among crew.

There are also a lot of eccentric people in the business, and that is borne out in people's clothing choices. There are certain directors, for example, who always wear the same type of thing — and I've decided I want to be one of them.

I've decided to gradually simplify my wardrobe so that it is dominated by the colors black, white, grey and blue. I will wear only blue jeans or black jeans. My necklines will be V or crew, but collars are OK too. I will eschew patterns entirely, and maybe phase out stripes.

It's not that I want to reject fashion, I just want a radically simple style, one that is considered, not plain; one that is not subject to the shifts of fashion.

There are a few basic benefits to this approach. An aggressively basic wardrobe will cut down the amount of time I need to decide what to wear. Also, perhaps even more importantly, it will be easy to replenish. When I buy something new, I can buy two.

I can also start to focus on what I find more interesting as I get older: quality. As my income starts to rise, I can swap out the less durable or less flattering clothes, and focus more on buying things that have a nicer fit and are made with more attention to detail than the vast majority of clothing on the marketplace. It's the opposite of "fast-fashion." I want to cultivate "slow-fashion."

Finally, a simple, classic wardrobe lends itself well to embellishment. A beautiful scarf becomes the star. A cute button or broach doesn't have to compete for attention. Adorable shoes, a gorgeous belt — these things all have a chance to stand out more.

This is what I aspire to, anyhow. I like to think I've been influenced by all the places I've lived, but the truth is that influence is mostly in my heart and mind — and not in my wardrobe. Now all I need is a job so I can go shopping・・・

Next time: My topic is ... the barter system