Barack Obama only wears grey or blue suits. Mark Zuckerberg’s wardrobe rarely gets more adventurous than his trademark grey t-shirt. For them, getting dressed is about not making a decision. Obama famously told Vanity Fair in 2012 that his sartorial simplicity was about paring down the number of decisions he has to make in a day, citing research that our capacity for decision-making is finite – what some psychologists call “decision fatigue.” As POTUS, it’s probably best to keep as much in the tank as possible.

As for the rest of us, well, Japanese clothier Uniqlo wants us to think about it. But the retailer known for its simple threads (it could probably find a suitable t-shirt for Zuckerberg) seems to be appealing to those looking for decision-making shortcuts. “A simple outfit frees up space in your brain,” says a spot about jeans in its new campaign.

It’s the first global campaign for Uniqlo – which is opening its first Canadian stores in Toronto this fall – with creative by Droga5 New York. With soothing narration and slow-motion scenes, the spots want us to contemplate the meaning of clothing. What do you want to be wearing as you run through a crowded city to catch the one you love before it’s too late, for example? Or, can a shirt change how you feel? (Spoiler: Yes! “Warm colours release dopamine,” the narrator tells us. “In other words, they can make you happy.”) Do you just throw something on because you’re late? Why do you want to fit in?

There’s no one answer to the question of why we dress the way we do, the spot concludes. But Uniqlo will keep asking.

[iframe_youtube video=AKwd_0q7-mw]

[iframe_youtube video=jDJvIYETFCo]