Outfit Repeater| vol.2
Reviewing and revisiting outfits of the past
*please note that this post includes a lot of photos and may be “too long” for your email, you can also view it in your browser :)
Hello my friends,
Welcome back to Outfit Repeater, the monthly series where I will be rounding up and reviewing outfits that I wore last year to determine if I will repeat, revisit, or retire.
Repeat means that I will wear the outfit again with minimal or no changes
Revisit means I will wear the outfit again with some updates
Retire means I will not wear the outfit again
My goals for myself and my style were very different in 2023 than they are now, and many of these outfits no longer feel aligned with how I currently express my style. For me, identifying what isn’t working is just as important as finding what is so I find analyzing my outfits like this to be so valuable. I truly believe that the key to developing your personal style is to wear your clothes, and I hope this series will inspire you to look back on outfits gone by for inspiration :)
So let’s get into it, here’s what I wore in July 2023
Overall, I’m not thrilled with this collection of outfits. I really struggle with my style when the weather gets warm and I can see that struggle in a lot of these looks. My goal this year is to expand my comfort zone beyond my typical Summer uniform of button-up shirts and soft shorts. Not all of these outfits are flops (though a few definitely are), but I’m craving more creativity with my silhouettes these days.
Starting off with a winner. This is my idea of a perfect outfit for a day at the lake. Part of the reason why my style leans so sporty in the Summer is that I’m outside doing sporty things a LOT. For a day of water based activities, my go-to uniform of soft shorts and a button up simply cannot be beat. I love the kooky touch that the Keen sandals add, and this is a look I will definitely repeat.
All the correct ingredients, but the wrong recipe. I love all of the individual components of this outfit, but together it just doesn’t feel like me. For a few reasons. The first is that the shirt is all wrong (and I ended up parting ways with it after just two wears). The proportions were off for the silhouette I wanted to create, and I found that no matter what I paired it with it simply didn’t hang right. This is a tried and true formula- white button-up, denim shorts, simple accessories- that I will revisit.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but the swishy, breezy, sporty shorts of your dreams are literally just a pair of vintage men’s swim trunks with the yucky mesh lining cut out. These shorts are a Summer staple for me, and I’m glad I took a chance and paired them with a bright red stripe- how fun! I tragically no longer have this shirt, but I will revisit this idea with something similar.
I’ve said it before (and I’ll keep saying it until I finally listen) I am not an all-black person. I LOVE this look on others (especially styled for Summer, so chic) but on me it always feels out of place. I think it comes down to the fact that I don’t feel my best in black, and I make a concerted effort to only bring in soft, faded black pieces to my wardrobe. I love the simplicity of this outfit, but I simply must retire this particular combo.
An extremely rare date night success story! Dressing up to go out has long been a sticking point for me, I find I get carried away and end up with random “going out” pieces that feel like a costume and gather dust in my closet. Recently I’ve cracked the code (perhaps I’ll write about it?) for transforming my casual style into a more elevated date-night look, and I think this outfit from last July is when things started to click. Technically it’s just a button up and jeans, but the juicy red silk feels sensual, and the eel-skin clutch and chunky belt add visual interest. My only gripe is the shoes, I would prefer to see this outfit with something more dainty, but the perfect strappy Summer sandals still elude me. I’ll revisit this one.
Frankly nothing beats sweater-and-shorts weather, specifically cotton-sweater-and-shorts weather. I’m a huge fan of cotton knits and this cozy navy v-neck is the crown jewel of my collection. I love how cohesive the colour palette is in this outfit, the pop of cobalt feels fresh and fun. I love this outfit and will absolutely repeat
Yet another attempt at all black, yet another outfit that does not quite hit the mark for me. This crinkled silk skirt is a longtime favourite, but I like it best during transitional weather and paired with a slouchy knit. I haven’t quite found the right warm weather partner for it. I would love to play with a cropped and boxy short sleeved button-up, or maybe even a loose fitting graphic tee? Definitely something to revisit.
Woof. This is one of my least favourite outfits from 2023. I just… hate it? The top and the pants feel like they’re telling two different stories, and the accessories are in an entirely different language. The whole look feels off to me and I remember it was one of those days where my entire wardrobe ended up on the floor while I was getting ready. A common denominator for outfits that I don’t enjoy is always harsh black, and now that I have my colour story more dialled in I know to avoid this. This one is officially retired.
And on a completely opposite note- I love this outfit. This green striped Ralph Lauren remains one of my most treasured vintage pieces, and I fear I may never stop feeling smug about these pants that I made. I don’t have much to say about this outfit other that it’s perfectly comfortable and simple and I will absolutely repeat.
The thrifted rugby shirt that redefined my personal style. Truly- I felt such a shift in how I expressed the more sporty side of my style after I found this top, and it has never failed to make me feel cute and cozy. I like it with the almost-matching yellow shorts, and I even like the idea of a mary-jane, but as I wrote about last month, I’ve replaced these kooky mesh ones with a more simple pair that better suit me. I’ll revisit this look with the updated shoes.
This is what I mean when I say I struggle with “going out” outfits. I so desperately wanted to love this, but I never reached for it again after this one outing. I love the idea of a slouchy, sheer knit mini dress, but in practice it felt like a costume and I found myself adjusting it all night. This outfit also reminds me that my evening footwear options are lacking and I must renew my search for the perfect simple/strappy/comfy sandal. Retire.
I know YOU loved this outfit (it remains one of my most pinned and most “liked”), but this crochet vest has been in my “to sell, question mark” pile for months and I’m still on the fence about it. Hear me out! When it comes to patterns, I’m a stripes person through and through, and generally I prefer a more graphic element to my prints and textures. I appreciate floral motifs on others, but I never seem to get much wear out of them myself. I really like the fit of this vest, but I find that I rarely end up leaving the house in it because it doesn’t quite feel like me. This specific outfit is one that I would definitely repeat, and I think I’ll spend some time workshopping this piece to see if I can create some other outfits that make sense.
This top is another piece that has languished in my “to sell, question mark” pile for months. I love the colour, the neckline, the bubble hem, but styling it is always a struggle and I find it looks better in photos that it does IRL. I’ll play with it while I’m trying to figure out the crochet vest and see what can be done to make it feel as cute as I know it can. For this outfit specifically, I think I’ll revisit with a different pair of shorts (or perhaps japris) and updated accessories.
An absolute winner! 10/10 for a casual and possibly sporty Summer day. Is she going thrifting or paddleboarding? Is her hair wet from the shower or the ocean? That’s for me to know and you to find out! This is a combo that I repeat again and again, I love the way the purple stripes complement the shorts, and the matching navy accessories bring cohesion. If you had told me a few years ago that hot pink men’s swim trunks would be a staple of my warm weather style I probably would have laughed in your face, but here we are!
Now this? This is some of my best work. I felt so cute and comfy in this outfit and I’m shocked that I haven’t ever repeated it?! Olive + navy + red is one of my very favourite colour combinations, the brooch cluster is my masterpiece, and the subtle sporty touch with the sandals keeps things fresh. I will absolutely repeat this one, AND I think this vest-as-a-top option could be great with the aforementioned crinkly black skirt! See?! This process always gets my wheels turning!
A moment for the brooch cluster. I hope that my commitment to the Brooch Agenda will be my legacy.
Another fan favourite! I still think this outfit is cute but I plan to revisit and update a few things, namely accessories. I truly love the idea of a statement necklace, but in practice I find that they don’t work for me (this one has already been disassembled and returned to my bead collection). I think my simple red beaded necklace would be a much better fit, and I would also lose the baseball cap in favour of a fun pair of sunnies.
A closer look at the necklace. Very cute in theory but I’m learning more and more that I just prefer something simple. 2023 was about experimenting, 2024 is about refining.
Our final outfit of the round-up! This is such a simple look but the colour combo is one that I come back to again and again. I’m including it not because it’s a groundbreaking and creative styling triumph, but because it’s a great example of how a simple look can still reflect my personality. I’ll definitely repeat this one.
I logged 39 outfits for July 2023, and the breakdown of repeat/revisit/retire is as follows:
Repeat: 10
Revisit: 17
Retire: 12
I’m not surprised that I would only repeat about 25% of the outfits (frankly I thought that number would be lower when I looked at them as a whole), and I’m glad to see that the largest percentage are outfits that I want to revisit. To me that indicates that I’m on the right track with my personal style development and I have some new learnings to put into practice for this Summer.
BITS, BOBS, ETC.
I’m now styling on Indyx! Use code Albertarose for $10 credit when you sign up!
Personal Style Sessions are booking for late July and August
You voted for a Summer wish list Substack post, hopefully it will be out next week
On a personal note, July is going to be a very busy month for me, so I’ve blocked off my schedule for most of the month. During this time I am still able to complete Indyx Lookbooks for you, and I’m currently booking Personal Style Sessions for late July-August.
As always, thanks so much for reading. I’ll be back soon with more sustainable + attainable style for you!
Soooo many good looks. I also think they are all 🔥🔥 but I particularly loved the date night look!
Bravo on this post! I totally respect that some of these looks don’t feel like YOU but from my eye; I LOVED so many of them.