5 Years Later: Burgundy and Blush
Every month this year, I’m picking an outfit that I first wore and blogged back in 2016 (a whole five years ago, if you can believe it!) and recreating it using the same (or very similar) pieces! I actually could have started this series in 2020 or even 2019, but 2016 is the first full year I used a DSLR for blog photos, and no one needs to be reminded of the photos I took with the camera prior to that (lol).
My goals with this series are to put together updated versions of some of my favorite past outfits, see how much my style has changed over the years (if at all), highlight the items that are still in my closet five or more years later, determine if it’s time to pass on some of my older items, inspire you to evaluate the longevity in your own wardrobe, and most importantly, remind you (and myself) that it’s cool to rewear your favorite outfits/items!
Let’s discuss the FINAL 5 years later outfit of 2021!!! Should I keep this series going in 2022? Let me know in the comments!
BURGUNDY AND BLUSH — 2021 vs. 2016
I was deciding between three different outfits for my December 5 years later outfit…and finally settled on my Burgundy and blush look. There were so many good outfits from December 2016 that I’d wear today! Much like my November outfit, I remember feeling very proud of how well this outfit came together. It felt very “me”—and still does today! In 2016, I wore a Madewell coat, Everlane sweater, Madewell jeans, Madewell boots, and vintage Coach City bag. I still own everything except for the jeans and included all FOUR of the five items I still own in the new 2021 version!
The Madewell coat was one of my most expensive purchases at the time. I was lucky enough to be first in line at the Madewell store grand opening in downtown Salt Lake City, and the first person in line gets a $250 gift card! (Not sure that is the case anymore, as I was first in line at the store opening in Meridian a couple of years ago and did not get $250.) I spent it on something I normally wouldn’t be able to afford—a fancy coat. I still cherish this coat even though I don’t wear it that often because it is a lint/cat hair magnet. I love the burgundy color that goes with everything, and the cocoon style still feels current today!
You already know that I’m in love with my Everlane cashmere sweaters. I own the older crew style in multiple colors! I received the blush pink sweater as a birthday gift in fall 2015. I’ve honestly been thinking about selling it, mostly because it’s slightly sheer and I don’t wear it much because of that. It’s also somewhat close to my skin tone so I usually need to wear it with layers. But, I’m glad I still have it for this outfit!
The Madewell Billie ankle boots were love at first sight! I included in my first budget post in March 2014, and even though I got them on sale, I think it was the most I had spent on a pair of shoes up until that point (I was living that grad student budget life). I did end up going down a half size per reviews at the time but I kind of wish I had stuck with my usual size; the toes can feel tight after a while. They’re such a great basic pair of ankle boots that goes with everything, and I still love them almost eight years later!
A few years ago, I got really into vintage Coach bags and searching for reasonably-priced bags on secondhand sites like Etsy and eBay. I got into a bidding war on eBay for this Coach City bag in British tan! It’s a gorgeous color that matches all of my cognac brown shoes, and it’s been a staple in my wardrobe. Even though I’m a closet maximalist overall, when it comes to bags, I’m more of a minimalist! Since I don’t buy a lot of bags, I love a good classic, timeless bag that I can wear for years, and hopefully I will wear this one forever.
Out of all of the outfits in my 5 years later series so far, this one contains the most items from the original outfit. It’s crazy that I’ve owned four out of five pieces in this outfit for years now! And it’s another reason why I love having this blog: being able to look back at what I wore 5 years ago and taking note of what I still own/what pieces have longevity.
I no longer own the Madewell jeans I wore in the original 2016 outfit, but I do own a couple of similar pairs: one by Madewell and another by Everlane. I ended up selecting the Everlane jeans for this outfit because, to be quite honest, they fit me way better than the Madewell jeans at this point in the pandemic. The similar Madewell jeans I have were purchased in February 2020, so…
I’m somewhat new to curvy jeans, but they’re quickly become a favorite style of mine, and I love that Everlane offers their popular authentic stretch jeans in curvy! (Though I’m now worried the authentic stretch is being discontinued, as they keep going on sale with no restock date on the sizes that have sold out… Wah!!! 😩) I’m in love with the vintage blue wash of these jeans. They’re just slightly less stretchy than my Madewell jeans, but I still find them to be my third most comfortable pair as of right now and wear them regularly! (Read my Everlane denim reviews for more!)
These outfits are essentially the same, but it’s fun to see that I still own so many items from the original 2016 outfit! Would you do a challenge like this? Let me know if I should continue in 2022 and please join me if I do keep this series going!!!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Madewell coat / old; similar by J.Crew or Via Spiga
Everlane sweater / old; similar (cashmere review here)
Everlane jeans / exact or similar (Everlane denim reviews)
Madewell boots / old; similar by Nine West or Marc Fisher
Coach bag / vintage; similar by Marc Jacobs (exact style via eBay)
Le Specs sunglasses / exact via Zappos, Shopbop or Nordstrom
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact