style: 2023 summer OOTDs critique/analysis

Transitioning my wardrobe from thotty crops tops and sweatsuits to a respectable collection of button-downs and unripped jeans (from Banana Republic no less) has been awkward. When I started my first job out of college, my daily uniform was an oversized t-shirt and shorts. The new norm of business casual was intimidating to me. While I was in school, I was a technology assistant at the local hospital, and I hadn’t felt the need to dress to impress. Simple to say that is no longer the case. Now, my previous uniform of sweats and big tees are (mostly) a thing of the past.

I graduated from college a little over a year ago now, and I’m just now feeling like I have a good “basics” closet, with items that are young and fun, but not inappropriate. I don’t think what I have going on could be considered as a “capsule wardrobe,” but I am mindful of the versatility of the pieces that I purchase. I think this manifests most obviously in my color pallet, I tend to choose white, black, blue, and brown pieces- which is something I’m trying to grow out of. I think nowadays it’s easy to get bogged down in the aesthetic of it all, and part of the fun in life comes from a little experimentation. This is something that I’m not great at right now, but I am looking to step outside of my comfort zone. I gravitate towards simple silhouettes as opposed to more intricate versions. I’ve been told by Matthew’s mom that I have “Landsend style” which, if I’m being honest, isn’t an insult in my mind. When I was going out in Chicago with some friends of a friend, and I was told I looked like I walked off of an Old Navy marketing campaign. I think this might all be the nicest ways to say I’m a boring dresser, but hey, at least I’m consistent in my branding.

To give my readers some examples of the outfits I wear, I’ve collected some recent OOTDs and created a little photo album breakdown of the clothes and sizes I’m wearing, and for what type of occasion I am wearing them for. A quick disclaimer: you will see the same pieces used in multiple outfits, I am an outfit repeater! While it might make my closet a little bit more predictable, it’s a cornerstone of my fashion practice. I want to look and feel stylish while having a functional, ethical, and environmentally considerate closet. I pursue this end by trying not to over-consume, utilize simple yet elevated pieces that I can style multiple ways, and prioritize shopping at small/local/women owned businesses whenever possible. I am a realist and I know that it’s impossible to purchase only ethically made/sourced items, but I do think it’s possible to be intentional with my shopping. I’m trying to invest in pieces that I think I’ll like in a year or two from now and take the time to really care for the clothes in a way that they age well.

After this past year building up a wardrobe of neutrals, I’m excited to incorporate more color, and fun into my outfits. I’ve linked my Pinterest board so you all can see the kind of vibe that I’m trying to emulate. I want to look and feel like the female protagonist in a hit 90’s tv-show (I’m talking about Buffy Summers and Liz Parker!!) In my head, those girls were always so casually chic and put together, even if they were in sweatpants!

Looking at my OOTDs and Pinterest, I want to reconcile the differences. While I love the vintage feel that a lot of my pins have, I know that will take time to build into my wardrobe, especially if I want to do this via thrifting. In my OOTDs I notice that the lack in the accessories department. Whether that be shoes, jewelry, or bags, I have limited options for all. Essentially every purse that I use now has been lovingly removed from my mother’s home. Looking at my OOTDs, I immediately want to start emphasizing my accessories more.

While I know in my heart, I am a Simple Sally in the fashion world, I know a large part of my fashion sense has been guided by insecurity. As a child in the Midwest, the fashion game is lacking and was doubly awful for a girl who was taller than most in her grade and outgrew the junior’s section by age 12. I was desperate to find clothes that looked like everyone else’s, but there weren’t clothes made for my pre-teen, adult shaped, body. Through my desire to assimilate with my peers and listening to my mother critique any “attention seeking” outfit we saw out in public, it became embedded in my mind that my goal when getting dressed was to fake thinness as much as possible and not draw any negative attention to myself. I think this mindset is what led me to choose ‘safe’ options in the past (and present!).

Up next? I plan on challenging myself with bright colors and creating more outfits with the clothes I have, maybe completing them a little bit better with belts, or some statement jewelry.

Thank you for reading, talk to you soon <3