In my eyes, there’s a big difference between fashion and style.
Fashion is impersonal – it doesn’t care about your personal taste or comfort. Fashion is the “trend” pages in glossy magazines and garments worn by Instagram models that will be unfashionable in a season’s time.
Style, on the other hand, is your best friend. Unlike trends, style is tailored to you and is developed over time. It’s influenced by your personality, occupation, lifestyle and priorities.
After a few years of exploring different styles with my Be Adventurous blog series, I’ve finally found a style that I feel at home in but I feel there’s still progress to make.
Reflecting on my favourite outfits of 2023
Since style is constantly growing with you, I like to have a little look at the clothes I’ve worn throughout the past year with a critical eye.
Here are some questions I keep in mind when reflecting on these ensembles:
- Is the outfit practical?
- Did the look get any positive/negative attention?
- What improvements/changes can be made?
Using my daily Outfit Of The Day (OOTD) mirror selfies and my digital wardrobe on Whering, let’s analyse seven of my favourite outfits of 2023.
Outfit one – 28th February
Starting off strong, this ensemble is a huge step in the right direction for my style. At the start of 2023, I had set myself a challenge to put together colourful looks with no black in them.
The pastel colours are soft and cosy, perfect for the lead-up to spring. I’d like to focus on the softness of the look by adding some socks or knitted tights.
I also think this OOTD would benefit from putting my hair up with a knit scrunchie to showcase the layering of the shirt under the jumper while continuing the cosy theme.
Outfit two – 14th April
I wore this to a Karen’s Diner that we were invited to through my work. I fully expected to be roasted for my preppy look. To my surprise, none of the “Karens” said a word about it. That’s a win in my book!
I love the pale blue colour of the top and jumper. The top on its own is a little too revealing for work so the jumper vest is perfect for making it a little more modest and practical.
I wish I had stuck with a full white and blue colour scheme instead of adding black accents. I think a white belt and white shoes would look better.
Silver jewellery would also keep within the cold tones of the outfit and a pair of statement earrings wouldn’t go amiss either.
Outfit three – 10th May
Orange has never been a favourite colour of mine but somehow this jumper is an absolute exception. After finding it on Vinted, this jumper has wormed its way into my everyday wardrobe, and by extension, my heart.
It can bring the perfect pop of colour to almost any ensemble and works incredibly well with this Jade Elizabeth headband.
I think the real problem here is the jeans. The combination of wide-leg jeans with a loose wide-sleeve jumper creates a shapeless silhouette. My faded blue Wranglers would be an ideal replacement.
Outfit four – 28th June
This houndstooth jumpsuit swiftly became a closet essential after I found it on Vinted. It’s a brilliant piece and is perfect for layering over blouses and jumpers.
The puff sleeves of the blouse add a little bit of dimension to the look and I think it’s one of my favourite outfits of 2023 despite lacking colour. It’s classy, timeless and suits minimal colours.
I love colourful, fun looks but this is perfect for something a little more understated. I can (and probably will) try to add more colour to the ensemble with scarves, hats and the underlayer.
Normally I wear my black beret with this get-up but since this was in summer I opted for a velvet bow instead, which maintains the preppy look.
Outfit five – 1st November
Red and pink is one of my favourite colour combos. It’s a slightly unlikely pairing, but it works incredibly well.
I had worn a different version of this look before, with the short puff sleeved blouse (in outfit five) and red Converse. I feel these changes are improvements but it still needs work.
I plan on expanding on this idea, perhaps adding my red beret and swapping out the underlayer with different tops. I have to admit, an outfit like this would benefit from more accessories.
Outfit six – 5th December
I. Adore. This. Look.
I found the scarf in a box of vintage pieces in a charity shop and it truly steals the spotlight here.
I had been told several times that I was “giving off Daphne vibes”, which honestly made my day.
This outfit has been worn since (but don’t have a photo of it). I ditched the blue jeans and wore my white wide-leg jeans instead, which I think fit the colour palette better. There are darker colours on the scarf but I think it’s best to favour paler colours.
I’m keeping an eye out for a skirt to wear with this to expand the 60-70s feminine quality of the top half.
Outfit seven – 6th December
The red skirt strikes again! This time paired with a floral shirt and my trusty white jumper vest.
On its own, the floral pattern is a little bit busy but the jumper tones it down a little and makes the look cosier for the colder weather.
The chunky knee-high boots are a perfect addition to (it’s a shame you can’t see them in the photo), adding a bit of edge while also being a practical choice.
I like this outfit the way it is. The only changes I would make would be switching to lightweight shoes and layering the shirt over a tank top instead of under the vest for warmer weather.
I’ve discovered that documenting my OOTDs has helped immensely with refining my wardrobe and exploring my style.
In 2023, I prioritised finding versatile pieces that layer well – my three jumper vests are perfect examples.
You might’ve noticed that some of the outfits have articles of clothing in common – like my white jeans, red skirt and white jumper vest.
I’m aiming to hone in on these pieces and reach their full potential in my wardrobe. I must be doing something right since I wear them regularly so now it’s time to learn from them.
I want to find more closet essentials like these that I’ll wear consistently rather than filling my wardrobe with pieces I like but don’t wear.
My New Year resolution for 2024 is to cut out the fashion trends that come and go – and instead invest in my own style evolution.
Thrifty Mango 