5 Years Later: Summer Uniform (The Remix)
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 next 5 years later outfit of summer 2022!
SUMMER UNIFORM — 2022 vs. 2017
Over on Instagram, I asked for your help picking an outfit for this month because I couldn’t decide between this one (summer uniform) and my casual cool outfit. The latter one got more votes, but I felt like that one was the safer choice—I can basically recreate that one exactly as it looked in 2017. I knew that my new “summer uniform” outfit would have to be a bit creative because I’ve been wearing more midi skirts versus mini, and I also had a few different blue striped shirts to choose from this time.
So, here’s my updated “summer uniform” (except I would not consider this outfit my uniform of summer 2022, haha). I had fun totally remixing this whole look! July 2017 was the month I began my post-grad employment (following a week having fun in the Florida Keys). It’s crazy to think that I’ve been at my job for 5 years now! In 2017, I wore a J.Crew shirt, J.Crew Factory skirt, Steve Madden sandals, and Moorea Seal sunglasses. I still own two of the four items and included only one in the new look for 2022!
Items from 2017 I’m Still Wearing in 2022
The only item from 2017 that I’m wearing in the new 2022 look is my pair of Moorea Seal sunglasses! I haven’t worn these sunglasses in forever (I’m quite loyal to the Le Specs Air Heart sunglasses) but figured I’d pull them out because I can’t find my black Le Specs sunglasses, and I also wanted to wear at least one item from the original 2017 outfit. I still do love these sunglasses. I’m very particular about how sunglasses look on me, and I realized that I like oversized on me. They balance out my face and make me feel low key like a celebrity HAHA.
I also still own the blue striped shirt I wore in 2017 (my OG blue striped shirt; I now own three different variations), but I felt like mixing it up this time around, and all of the other items I’m wearing are new, too! More on those below…
What’s New in 2022
The remaining FOUR items in the 2022 version are new! This is one of my only 5 years later outfits (so far) that deviates quite a bit from the original look because I don’t wear mini skirts really at all anymore. Also, I wanted to play around a bit with proportions!
I stuck with the black skirt theme and picked my Amour Vert wrap midi skirt. This is such a fun skirt but I do have to beware of gusty winds because it’s very easy to flash everything! Instead of wearing my blue striped button-down shirt from J.Crew (I’m honestly not sure if it still fits, lol), I opted for my Everlane Way-Short Shirt, which is a great cropped length for wearing with the longer skirt. It’s nice to not have to deal with tucking the shirt because it naturally hits just below my waist. Another way to achieve this look is to tie a knot in a longer button-down shirt.
As for the shoes, I do have a pair of heeled clog sandals that look really similar to the original pair I was wearing. I tried them on but wasn’t really feeling the vibes. I wanted something more urban… if that makes sense? Clog sandals just weren’t it this time. Luckily, my brand new black Everlane day crossover sandals had just showed up in the mail, and they got the call! I am: obsessed with these sandals, to say the least. I normally would opt for heels when wearing a midi skirt (I wore heels with this skirt in last year’s July 5 years later outfit!) but these flat sandals felt right and fit the vibe I was going for. Effortlessly cool, if you will.
I wasn’t wearing earrings in the original outfit, but in the post I talked about how I needed more simple earring choices! I have a pretty good collection going now. I wore my go-to basic stud earrings from Maison Miru. When I have my hair up, I like having something on my ears!
Which outfit is more your style: the 2017 original with the mini skirt and heeled sandals or the new 2022 version with the midi skirt and flat sandals?
OUTFIT DETAILS
Everlane shirt / exact or similar by Old Navy or Hollister (via ASOS) (review here)
Amour Vert skirt / old; similar or similar by LOFT or French Connection (via Amazon)
Everlane sandals / exact or similar by Saks Fifth Avenue or FitFlop
Maison Miru earrings / exact or similar from Nordstrom Rack
Moorea Seal sunglasses / old; similar by Guess (via Nordstrom Rack)
Dior Lip Glow in rosewood / exact