Zuckerberg’s closet filled with same-colored clothes

Zuckerberg’s closet filled with same-colored clothes. January. 28, 2016 07:19. by 정성희기자 shchung@donga.com.

“What should I wear?” Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a Facebook posting a picture showing his closet full of gray T-shirts and dark gray hooded T-shirts. Though it is well known that he likes to wear T-shirts and hooded ones, it was interesting to see his closet filled with several same-colored shirts. He said to Facebook users that he wears same-colored shirts because “I really want to clear my life so that I have to make as few decisions as possible about anything except how to best serve the community.”

Steve Jobs, Apple’s founder who died in 2011, was known for Issey Miyake’s black turtlenecks, Levi's Jeans, and New Balance sneakers. “I don’t have to worry about what to wear and I can make my own style with them,” Jobs said. When he visited Sony in Japan in the early 1980s, he was impressed by the Japanese company’s employee uniform and tried to introduce one in Apple. Even though he gave up on introducing uniforms for Apple due to the strong backlash from employees, Jobs created his own uniform for him. “I have enough turtlenecks to wear for my entire life,” he told his biographer.

For a similar reason, U.S. President Barack Obama wears blue or gray suits. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2012, “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.” He would certainly have a stress as a commander-in-chief, but not as much as that of women who need to choose what to wear. That is why Nora Noh, 88, Korea’s first fashion designer has worn in black since she was in her 40s.

Today, many people are find it hard to make a decision among too many options. Zuckerberg seems to have eliminated options because he does not want to spend time and energy on making decisions about what to wear. He must have succeeded because he removed unnecessary portions from his busy life. Nevertheless, selecting the right dress for the right place is also an important asset to people today.