5 Years Later: Winter Whites
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 dive in to the next look!
WINTER WHITES — 2021 vs. 2016
I wore this outfit that I called Winter whites back in February 2016, and it’s still one of my all-time favorites. I love the mix of the ivory/white with the camel and cognac. It’s such a rich color combo for winter! In 2016, I wore a ModCloth camel coat, Madewell sweater, LOFT jeans, Madewell boots, and vintage Coach crossbody bag. I no longer own the majority of this outfit, but I do still own the boots and bag and featured them in the new 2021 look!
I spotted the Madewell Billie heeled ankle boots when I stepped inside a Madewell store for the first time in San Francisco when I was there for an academic conference in December 2013, and I immediately fell in love. I was a young grad student at the time, so I didn’t have much in the way of disposable income. I ended up snagging them on sale and they were included in my first budget post in March 2014! Even though they were on sale, I think it was the most I had spent on a pair of shoes up until that point. 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 nearly seven years later! Madewell tends to offer a similar style every year.
I can’t remember how I discovered vintage Coach bags—it was either via a blogger or from lurking in the Reddit subreddit FemaleFashionAdvice—but I went on the hunt for one and ended up getting into a bidding war for this Coach City bag in English saddle on eBay back in 2015. Even though I spent more than I was hoping to at the time, I have zero regrets about this purchase! It’s the perfect neutral that goes with my cognac shoes, and it still looks pretty good considering its age! 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.
I no longer own the coat, sweater, or jeans I featured in the original outfit from 2016. I added this Banana Republic camel topcoat to my wardrobe in fall 2019, so that was an easy swap from my original camel coat. I ended up selling my original coat because I wanted an upgrade with fewer buttons and minimal details, and I wasn’t a fan of the collar. I do think I prefer the color of the original coat with the rest of the outfit; my new camel coat has yellow undertones and definitely looks more camel than my original coat.
When it came time to pick an ivory sweater, I immediately thought of my texture cotton sweater from Everlane as the replacement even though I have multiple to choose from, and that’s what I wore here. After looking at my sweaters again, I should have instead gone with my waffle-knit cashmere that I purchased in October 2017. The latter sweater would have likely been easier to layer under the coat, it’s closer in color to the white denim, and it’s also warmer for winter. Ah well!
I don’t currently have a pair of white skinny jeans, and my (old) kick crop jeans from Everlane are my only pair of white denim, so that was another easy swap. I wish the hem of the jeans came up just a touch higher so it didn’t hit the top of the boots awkwardly. Full disclosure: These jeans don’t fit me right now due to my pandemic weight gain. I didn’t realize that until I was getting dressed to leave the house. We’ll see if they ever fit me again…I guess it’s time for a new pair of white jeans!
I was so excited to recreate this outfit because I thought I would prefer my updated 2021 version, but I actually think I still prefer my original 2016 look! Which outfit is your favorite?
Check out all outfits in the 5 years later series!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Banana Republic coat / old; similar or similar from Macy's (last seen here)
Everlane sweater / old; similar or similar by Target
Everlane jeans / old; similar by J.Crew
Madewell boots / old; similar from Nordstrom or similar from Zappos
Coach bag / vintage; exact style via eBay
Le Specs sunglasses / exact via Zappos, Shopbop, or Nordstrom
Dior Lip Glow in pink / exact