Going through old outfit photos is a fun and occasionally instructive exercise. Sometimes it helps me “re-discover” an older piece and see its possibilities anew; sometimes it inspires me to revisit and reinterpret an old outfit formula. I want to talk about the latter today.
Those of you who have been reading here for a while will know that my style has changed a lot over the years, especially since 2015 or so. At the end of the day, though, like most people with a “regular” job/ life, there is only so much sartorial exploration I can do. Most of my outfits are variations of the same half dozen or so basic/common “themes”. What changes over time are the component elements. I thought it would be a fun exercise to do some side-by-side comparisons to illustrate this point.
[Photo on the left is 2015; right is late 2018]
Now, in this case, the 2015 photo is a bit a-typical of my style at the time, which leaned more to the maximalist side. I remember this outfit being a conscious effort on my part to go for a more minimalist look. Even so, there are details that are very “2015 Adina”. The pants are skinny jegging type. Compare to 2018; black pants are still my go-to, but the cut is slightly different – still slim, but not skinny, and with a bit of drape to it.
The sweater is similar – still a slim fit, but with more volume to it, and most importantly, a mock turtleneck. I love me a good turtleneck.
And the shoes! 2015 Adina loved a statement shoe. If the shoes were not a bright colour, they were leopard print. I rarely wore black shoes, and on those rare occasions only with an especially brightly coloured/patterned outfit. My current choice is much more likely to be black or some similar neutral (or a subtle metallic). I have sworn off leopard print (anything with calf hair actually, the shedding drives me nuts). And I love oxford-style shoes — not a thing that was on my radar back in 2015.
[Pic on the left is 2016; middle and right are 2018]
The 2016 photo here is very representative of my previous style, mixing non-neutral colours and prints, and pairing a pencil skirt and blazer. Man, I used to love my pencil skirts! Nothing wrong with them, of course, but I now prefer the midi/maxi skirt instead. The two current photos are good representations of my current style influences. The middle one has a menswear-inspired vibe (the Adventurer type), which I love to incorporate into my current outfits – a contrast to the definitely more “femme” vibe of the 2016 outfit. The photo on the right fits more with my Prince/Artist personas – the clothes have interesting lines, with a minimalist aesthetic. Above all, a darker, more neutral-heavy palette.
Here are two outfits featuring the same skirt, one from 2017 and one from late 2018. Again, this illustrates my move away from the more “femme” side of the spectrum, to something which, while still more feminine than androgynous, is a lot less “cute” and more goth-inspired.
Let’s talk about florals: 2015 versus 2019 edition. Is “sophisticated florals” a thing? Because I feel like that’s one way to describe my current focus. I still appreciate the pattern on the left (the dress was sold a while ago), but it’s not something I feel drawn to actually wear. My challenge these days is to make the right call when it comes to florals; I love them all, but some I prefer to simply look at, rather than wear.
I’m using the same 2015 outfit as above as an example of another common combination: dress + blazer. I used to wear it all the time, and still do – but, again, the pieces are different. I am more likely to choose a less traditional style of blazer, for one thing. I like blazers with interesting details (like contrast linings, embellishments or interesting textures) precisely because my wardrobe is much more neutral-heavy than before. Often, now, my blazers are the statement item, whereas before they were more likely to be supporting players.
Secondly, look at the silhouette of the 2 dresses. One is a sheath-style dress, which was very much my go-to style for years (along with pencil skirts). The Maria Cornejo dress on the right has a much more unusual shape to it, with a cool draping effect along the sides/hips, and an interesting abstract pattern. It totally speaks to my Artist persona.
Lastly, it’s hard to tell, but the shoes on the left are a hunter green; contrast that with the shoes on the right, a neutral taupe.
That’s it for this session of “then this, now that”. Let me know if you would be interested in seeing more!
I love this post and would love to see more!
Thanks, Meg!
I loved this post! It definitely speaks to me as I try to understand why I no longer want to wear things in my closet that were once staple items. Sometimes it is really a challenge because I didn’t keep track of my wear count or take outfit photos, but I can tell that my aesthetic has shifted. This is helping me think about the types of subtle shifts that speak to my current style (e.g. my now-ignored knee high boots and all my focus on Chelsea boots).
Style changes can be hard to navigate. If there is one piece of not-really-advice I would give, it’s to take your time and not make snap decisions. For example, I know there have been pieces over the years that I got rid of because I was convinced at the time that I wouldn’t want to wear them again, and that they would never fit my aesthetic again – and now I miss them! Obviously, if you’re style is evolving, you may need to let go of some things and replace them with new ones, but to avoid regrets down the line, I think slow and steady is the best.
I also try to be really mindful of makes an outfit work for me (what makes me like it and feel good in it) and what doesn’t, so I can narrow in on what needs to go and what can stay. Sometimes, it’s really small details and tweaks that can make a difference, which means keeping old pieces and just updating styling or accessories. And again, speaking for myself, thrifting has helped tremendously in terms of being able to “test” new looks or pieces without a huge money commitment or guilt.
Would love to see more!
Maybe a follow up post is in order 😉
Hi Adina! I really enjoyed this post and it has made me think about how I might be in a bit of a rut with my go to style formulas. Can you do a post on your favorite, lasting, non drying lipstick choices and colors? I have similar coloring and I feel washed out without lipstick but I feel like I’m applying it all day!
I don’t really have much to write about. I put on lip stuff in the morning, but it’s usually gone by noon and I rarely remember to reapply. I’m still mostly using my old stash of Rimmell Colour Rush lip crayons (now discontinued). I also occasionally use a Stila lip cream that’s also been discontinued (sad face) and some Clove and Hallow lip stain that a friend got in a subscription box. Not sure what I’ll do when everything runs out because I don’t have any idea what to try next.
Love it, more please. Also, I would love more elaboration and examples of your different style personas! Love reading about them!
I wrote a series on my style avatars last year, but I could revisit that and maybe update. Now that I’ve had a chance to work with this style direction for almost a year, it might be a good time.
Much of my 2015 wardrobe has also cycled out of my closet at this point, but I just can’t seem to part with the statement shoes, and particularly flats and sandals. They’re so colorful and in theory I love them so much but I just don’t reach for them very often right now. I think if/when the trends shift back to colorful I’ll be most likely to go for bright shoes rather than clothing so I don’t mind holding on. I remember coveting your shoe collection back then; have you held on to any of it?
I’ve kept most of my shoes, at least the higher end ones. Except for anything super uncomfortable. Same with designer bags. Not worth getting rid of them and they don’t take up a lot of space.
Are the last 2 photos meant to have one repeated from above? I’m confused!
Yes, as I mentioned in the text below the second collage, I used the same photo (pink floral dress, taupe blazer) to illustrate two common themes/outfits: (i) florals (first photo collage), (ii) dress+blazer combo (second photo collage). Hope this helps 🙂
Doh, another example of reading too fast and just looking at the pretty clothes!
No worries, happens to me all the time 🙂 I probably could have been more clear as well.
Love this, and I am always interested in reading your thoughts about how your personal style is evolving over time. It’s really interesting to see the before and after this way, especially with the first set of photos: two outfits with very similar-seeming elements, and yet, they’re very different!
Looking at this post makes me really wish I could find some awesome prints for my wardrobe. I love the idea of colorful prints, but continue to not have a particularly easy time incorporating them into my wardrobe, or to even find ones that I want to buy. At this point, I think I have to admit that prints are something I like a lot more in theory than in practice for my own wardrobe. (I really love some of the new prints you’ve been using in your outfits, like in the last two “after” photos in this post.)
Love this post! Your “now style” is the best- definitely creative, yet chic. I love all of your outfit posts.
Thank you, Rach 🙂
Loved this! Your analytical skills combined with your fantastic writing makes for a fascinating read! More would be welcome 🙂
Thanks, Teresa!