Last year felt like a personal fit renaissance. I was sweatily layering until LA went above 80 degrees, finding a bit more luxe pieces to pair with my Uniqlo, and shoehorning new genres of footwear into my city boy aesthetic. I was even changing up my hair (at least) once a quarter by going through every brand of middle-parted ABB. So it was a bittersweet moment when I woke up the other day and realized… I didn’t have any fits I was genuinely excited about wearing.
Of course, the bitter half is having to deal with the pile of clothes formed by the daily cycle of trying on, skeptical grimacing, and taking off. But it’s oddly sweet knowing that I’m stuck in a rut; it’s a signifier of my style changing and my taste maturing. While I’m still navigating my path ahead, I’ve taken some steps to recalibrate my fashion compass.
A Frugal Aesthetic video has stuck with me – it’s about finding your north star. I’ve been watching Christian for a while now, and feeling rather ambivalent about how I’ve grown alongside his humor. The advice itself is probably similar to the TikTok tip of finding your “three words,” except I prefer to stymie my brain rot with ten minute videos (still guilty of scrolling through watered-down Reels tho).
After I watched that video last summer, I settled on the phrase “cozy chic.” I guess if I had to tack on a third adjective, I’d choose something like “minimal,” though in constant fear of coming off milquetoast instead. Looking back, I’d say it was a fairly accurate assessment, but the proof’s in the pudding so it’s time for 2023 fits wrapped. Last year, I made some great decisions:
I bought a full-length mirror
I took a fit pic most days
I did not repeat outfits within a week
Well, the last decision was probably rooted in some baseless insecurity that repeated outfits somehow equated to a lack of style, but hey it forced me to experiment. Anyways, since your attention span isn’t any better than mine, here’s a bunch of pictures with a bit of commentary.
✧ The Daily Driver
This was my go to, especially during the warmer months. After working my way up to bigger leg openings, I’ve found a lot of comfort in throwing on a pair of wide slacks. Having a fitted (or oversized) t-shirt tucked in was something I blatantly copied from my trip to Japan.
✧ A New Pairing
I bought a pair of jodhpur boots that I loved the look of online, but felt a little too pointy for me on feet. So it sat unworn until I paired it with some secondhand homme plisse, and it was like I unlocked a new area of the map. Of course, the cost-per-wear of the boots is still pretty high since I haven’t found many other combinations. Here are two fits from January and December of the same year, hopefully showing a bit of refinement:
✧ The Signature
Layering with hoodies is something I’ve done since forever. Maybe a remnant from the Fear of God flannel-over-hoodie ripped skinny jeans era? It’s my colder weather staple, except this particular fit was a bit more tonal. I think I ended up donating these jeans, though in retrospect maybe I shouldn’t have.
✧ Worn Once
I bought this polo for the slightly see-through weave and was thinking of jumping on that old money bandwagon. I haven’t worn it since, because it doesn’t quite mAtCH tHe viBeS but I still have it in my closet. I’ll give it another shot this summer before deciding to donate it.
✧ Short Shorts
My genetics might not have given me height but it’s given me calves, and you gotta work with what ya got. I personally think shorts that end above the knees look more flattering for me, which is why I’m hoping the jorts train passes before I’m tempted to board (currently at the station tbh).
✧ Kind of a Mess
Not every fit can be a hit. In fact, most of my experiments are misses. I don’t think this one is particularly bad, but the jeans didn’t have the effect I hoped they would. In fact, I’m still not sure how to wear these jeans, but this particular vest + hoodie combo I’ve kept in my rotation.
✧ Accessorizing
I left silver loops in all five of my ear piercings for the last year. This made it easier for me to expand my accessories – just more silver jewelry. Also, yes, I wore this tsuno bag almost every day. I like how there’s a little bit of metal at every elevation of this fit, without being ostentatious.
✧ More Cozy than Chic
I like to wear simpler fits if I know I’m going climbing later in the day. Simpler being changing into shorts in five seconds. Those shoes slide straight off, and the pants have an elastic waistband!
✧ Throwback Thursday
I bought these shoes in high school, and they’ve been edged out by my Birks as the grab-the-mail or empty-the-garbage footwear choice. I’m happy to have rediscovered their potential for both climbing and as a casual loafer substitute. While this only encourages my hoarder mindset, it gives me so much dopamine to have an extremely low cost-per-wear.
✦
I’m hoping all these pictures means you’ll stick around till the end. I was going to wrap up with some profound-sounding learnings about my direction and style and sustainability but all I got is skibidi toilet byeeeeeee