5 Years Later: Spring Has Sprung
Last year, I started doing the 5 years later outfit challenge: I picked out an outfit I first wore and blogged back in 2016 and recreated it using the same (or very similar) items. I had so much fun that I decided to keep it going for 2022, so now I’m recreating outfits I wore back in 2017! (Wow, I can’t believe 2017 was 5 years ago already…that was the year I finished my PhD!)
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 break down the first 5 years later outfit of the spring!
SPRING HAS SPRUNG — 2022 vs. 2017
Yesterday marked the first day of astronomical spring! (March 1st is the first day of meteorological spring—climate records include full months because that makes our lives easier. 😉) We had a small taste of spring earlier this month, but spring looks to really show up later this week, and I can’t wait! I’m excited to wear my lightweight jackets and flats again. My “Spring has sprung” outfit was a favorite from my late grad school days. In 2017, I wore a Madewell jacket, LOFT top, Madewell jeans, and Earth flats. I still own two of the four items and included both in the new look for 2022!
Items from 2017 I’m still wearing in 2022
I remember the Madewell Outbound Jacket being a favorite when it was released nearly 8 years ago (I purchased it in 2014!). It certainly was one of my most-worn lightweight jackets! The utility style very much matched my own style, and even now it doesn’t feel outdated. The olive green color is a favorite, too! According to my Stylebook stats, I’ve worn it 105 times. That number feels low to me but I lost a couple of years there with the pandemic and not really leaving my house much! Madewell has released many iterations of that jacket since then; currently, the Military Shirt Jacket is the most similar in style, but they also have the Northover Jacket and the Dispatch Jacket.
I received the Earth Bellwether Flats as part of a brand partnership in fall 2016. Out of the two pairs of shoes I selected that season, I was most excited about the other pair—but I ended up loving and wearing these flats more! Turns out simple brown flats are exceptionally versatile; who would’ve thought?! Haha. These also didn’t get a lot of love during the time I was working from home, but I’ve still worn them 56 times according to Stylebook. I don’t foresee these flats ever leaving my wardrobe unless I find a pair that are just as comfortable! They’ve treated me well all these years.
What’s new in 2022
Two of the four items in the 2022 version are new! (Plus, I’m wearing my signature sunglasses in the new look.) I opted to stick true to the original outfit and picked my most similar top and a comparable pair of skinny jeans for the new outfit. It still feels like a very “me” outfit—or maybe even more so than before thanks to the updates I made!
Technically I still own the LOFT top that I wore in the original 2017 outfit, but it’s currently listed on Poshmark so I’ve effectively removed it from my main wardrobe, and it’s hanging in the guest room closet waiting for its new home. I have a very similar new top that I added to my wardrobe in summer 2019 thanks to another brand partnership: the Everlane Air Ruched Blouse. It’s a lovely lightweight blouse that is airy (as the name suggests) and perfect for the warmer months! It features thin pinstripes that sometimes photograph grey but that I think are a light blue in real life.
I also still own the original pair of skinny jeans from Madewell (they were my very first Madewell purchase ever!), but they don’t fit. I did get them shortened since I wore the original outfit so now I don’t have to cuff them. The rise is also fairly low and hits below my bellow button. I much prefer higher rises now! I have a couple of newer pairs of jeans that are perfect substitutes, and for this outfit I went with my curvy Roadtripper jeans. I really love the button fly for something different!
Even though the outfits aren’t terribly different, are you more of a fan of the 2017 original or the 2022 refresh? The only major difference is the rise of the jeans!
OUTFIT DETAILS
Madewell jacket / old; similar options: 1 / 2 / 3 (last seen here)
Everlane top c/o / old; similar by Old Navy or similar from Nordstrom Rack (last seen here)
Madewell jeans / exact (limited sizes) (curvy style also available at Zappos; regular version available at Zappos and Nordstrom)
Earth flats c/o / old; similar from DSW or Nordstrom Rack (last seen here)
Le Specs sunglasses / exact via Revolve, Shopbop, or Nordstrom
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact