What was I on in Summer 2024? A Style Retrospective
(adapted from ehf).
This summer was a weird one in terms of clothes, especially post-fit battle. While there was a #topic-of-the-day about looking back on ones fits, I had (many) more thoughts that I felt were better served in their own thread. My intentions are mostly selfish, to have a reference of how I felt now that I have some distance and some lessons learned, but I figured I'd put it here in case you're like me and have difficulties with introspection or benefit from some structure in reflecting on these things.
The fits: https://imgur.com/a/summer-2024-fits-part-1-rtRWJOm https://imgur.com/a/summer-2024-fits-part-2-AllRklJ
Earmarked inspo from https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1237796156126265496: https://imgur.com/a/summer-2024-inspiration-MytHOcL
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what's the context of your album? what do you do for work? how old are you? where do you live?
The albums comprised every fit of mine from just before Memorial Day to Labor Day (the ostensible 'start' and 'end' of summer), excluding repeats, loungewear and activewear. It does include theme waywt posts and the week I spent living out of a tote bag.
I'm a data analyst that works remotely (went in office once a month). Currently 35 and in DC, an area which had a ridiculous heat wave this summer.
what are your favorite fits from this summer?
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1251689717909553225
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1256288158723735585
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1260393943825383436
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1264993977812389949/1265088572529184842 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1265408721006100672
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1267156073362620436
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1269406418436358247
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1272929895097438382
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1273645645609308182
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1277356965634248780
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1279115765081178237
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1279589804643717250
HM
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1257441546375139418 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1259574185190096898 (1) https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1275956738964721821 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1274775265117208576
god this one rules. I always love seeing what you're doing with your fits - they're creative and thoughtful. I especially take notes on your fits with tailoring bc you often nail a particular chill and approachable vibe w it that i want to emulate.
Discord is AWFUL with formatting but to get into it more
1. Probably the first instance where i figured out how to adapt my chosen style to the summer weather; there were some clunkers before and after (as will come)
2. 'Seinfeld-coded' is probably the easiest way to describe my style, and this is the most emblematic version of that. I tried many times to wear NB with tailoring and this was one of (the only?) good attempt lol.
3. Okay it's hot :gigachad: Along with figuring out my personal sense of style came reconciling how I'm perceived by others and that included being 'sexy'. It's still weird to write out but was easier to dress
4/5. Two sides of the same coin, and the results of a lot of effort in trying to wear a tie without a suit in a way that was intentionally cool looking. The difference in vibes due to the silhouette and reception was interesting. 4 in particular is great because I don't think it's as good with a jacket.
6. This was a decidedly 'fun' look which at this point I was sorely lacking. Being able to reuse the hiking boots in a way that made sense was also a plus, even if it's caping off @Elvander
7. Conversely, this was one of the few truly 'serious' looks I managed this summer and I'm pleasantly surprised, as usually I default to some sort of quirk.
8. My favorite look of all 94; everything makes sense and honestly I'm kicking myself a little for not saving it for Fit Battle if I dare. Also how I discovered my appreciation for gold jewelry.
9. I never saw myself as a boot or raw hem person and yet the two together are magic. 70s influences were strong in August
10. Easy sleazy fit. The 90s were also a major inspiration, albeit more literal than the 70s vibes.
11. Another 70s take, plus an homage to @Shrimp my Ride; I'm always wary of doing homages for fear of offending but this threads the needle between our respective styles.
12. Another 90s take and homage; probably my favorite graphic tee fit.
Thanks! While one of my main goals was to find ways to not wear tailoring as much, I did find a wider 'range' of acceptable ways to wear it, especially with graphic tees and/or shorts. I think honorable mention 1 took the least amount of effort of any fit, which is a testament to how I've become pilled lol
what are your least favorite fits from this month?
It's easier to batch some of these into themes imo:
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1244782937602523250 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1257125379924168704 - not terrible fits but I was trying to force a more overtly (ugh here it is again) risque way of dress.
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1249040337188425859 (^) https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1250867056065122396 - bucket hat 💀 more than that, on both of these days (and a few others around it) I was really burnt from some of the discourse online/on MFAD (this was close to the time of the streetwear totd where I decided to just argue people in thread :dre:) and it showed.
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1252999486670635028 - good fit, but an attempt at validation via past successes (^)
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1255207079619072062 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1264576807156449322 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1263496871037632555 (^) - not so great attempts at NB + tailoring; I found the first shirt kinda hard to style in hindsight.
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1258447273550155878 - "good" fit but a case where I was definitely trying too hard to get those pants into a fit with little regard to how that worked
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1262829522169102377 - first attempt at tie sans jacket - odd proportions, colors and kilties usage; an instance of 'good idea with a bunch of shit added onto it' but we got there in the end
It's worth noting the (^) were instances of intentionally re-wearing things from Fit Battle to see how they fared 'in reality'
fits i'm still mulling about (feedback welcome if desired)
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1252374064400568320 this DB probably is the bane of my existence, being on the wrong side of the 'oversized vs too big' divide and 6x1 hence why i only wear it opened. the super high rise and half open shirt was a way to counter the exaggerated length/shoulder; part of me thnks the issue is wearing a tank top and socks, the other part thinks the jacket is cursed
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1270084600454053981 - this feels a little too precious to me; top half is good, bottom half is good, together though :thinkbutt:
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1278375951411187752 - sometimes i think 'oh this fit is dumb (positive)' and other times i think 'oh this fit is dumb (negative)' i do think shoe choice is an issue but my other options aren't great (aldens are too dressy, sneakers make it imbalanced, maybe the white suede loafers?
are there any items you found yourself over-relying on? any you want to use more?
+ white button downs; both in the fits with tailoring and without. for a while i considered getting rid of many of my other colored shirts, thinking that more of the interest in the fit would come from the pant/shoe/top layer/accessory choices
+ (dark blue) levis 550s; probably the perfect 'neutral' jean, especially since i now have a pair of raw hems and a pair of whatever you want to call those girbaud jeans in rotation
+ chambray shirt, especially with said 550s; there were many days in which i did not post fit because i wore those together
+ khaki andrews shorts; given the crazy heatwave i wore shorts a lot more often. i eventually bought a second pair of longer khaki shorts to swap out
+ beige 'bug' shirt: i am shocked by its utility, even before considering its functional purpose in backcountry. another instance where i wore it a lot (often with the andrews shorts)
+ alden 681 black penny loafers -> allen edmonds nashuas tassle loafers; aldens just fit the vast majority of fits (even the ones where i'm wearing brown loafers the aldens could've slotted in easily) and because of this i chose to wear the nashuas more often
+ black/navy blue baseball caps, medium brown rope belt, all worn so often they are starting to get damaged :zach:
- -most andrews pants; too hot to wear imo, and in most cases shorts would've been preferred
- -vintage boy scout pants (olive) fine in very specific circumstances but harder to integrate
- -andrews yellow shorts; less versatile than expected (duh) but still fun enough to keep
- -solid blue ocbds; white outperformed expectations, my blue/white uni stripe reads as solid blue from a distance and is just cooler, and the chambray shirt is a fun alternatve
- -striped 'western' shirt; harder to pair in early summer; probably would've loved it with the boots/raw hems but c'est la vie it's gone
what patterns do you notice in your fits? is there anything you'd like to change? anything you'd like to do more of?
still firmly pro-high rise, wide-fit pant, which informed most of my fits. i found myself wanting to wear blazers even when normal people would've balked due to the heat.
(what i suspect happened is my initial style once i knew what i was doing was ivy and the sort, and as spring and fit battle progressed i was veering away from that in an effort to explore, which led to me wanting to double down on the take ivy energy, not realizing summer is the worst time for it :xd:)
beyond that, lots of draping, lots of deep Vs (either through unbuttoned shirts/collars or the shape of the lapel), and a decent amount of kerchief/scarf.
in terms of motifs, it shifted from 'goofy things with tailoring' to a table tennis match between the 70s and 90s to assert for dominance; the 70s through lots of jewelry, single and double denim, bandanas and certainly this https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1276543247405027490, and the 90s through oversized tailoring, ties without jackets, graphic tees, and especially this https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1274394724836315187
i didn't wear the vest as much as i'd like but it feels like a good midlayer, similarly it quickly became too hot to wear my orange coach's jacket but thankfully that's what fall is for. beyond that, i think the battle between the 70s and 90s is going to continue so i look forward to my fits being wildly different from one day to the next
also not a wardrobe motif but I did more DIY stuff, mostly dyeing or painting but a little bit of alterations as well, and that's proably the biggest alternation
best buys
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1252013023959187618 JUST the rrl shirt; the only (?) TTS button down i own, not quite the weight of an OCBD (positive) and no button down collar
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1259599600352886825 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1267943941848830024 camera bag (which does not house a camera lol), and cross colours tote, which is my daily rider
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1263979289393762384 given the price and the amount of enjoyment derived from dyeing them these have probably the best return on investment
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1264627858735890513 (the necklace and coverall); dressing like damb unlocked my jewelry era, meanwhile i look forward to making that coverall absolutely ridiculous in some way
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1277036914863636540 everything pictured; 90s influences abound with this one
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1279931081587425340 JUST the t-shirt, which, despite being probably 50 years old is the softest thing i have ever felt aside from a shaggy dog sweater
worst buys
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1252013023959187618 uh...everything other than the RRL shirt because i sold them all lol
- https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1279931081587425340 specifically the corridor shirt; like many i fell victim to corridor's wacky sizing
inconclusive
https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1270726410176299052 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1135916565183856660/1274166583627091968 haven't worn either yet because heat wave but i am excited
overall, are you happy with your album? what would you change?
Kinda. Probably the biggest issue is in the pictures themselves I'm enjoying the fits less than when I first started - I felt some pressure to live up to the idea that I was 'good at dressing' post fit battle which made it harder to ask a question in #questions-and-advice or the former #styling-suggestions and also led to me pandering in #waywt. It was and still is hard for me to deal with positive validation in general (hence why i tend to not respond often in waywt) but we're getting there 🫡
There weren't as many bricks as in the past, and i'm pleased in the variety of fits; given the oppressive heat it would've been easier to wear shorts every day.
I stayed relatively close to the inspiration I set out earlier - lots of tank tops and big pants together, some monochrome and blousy fits, more jewelry (though i did not earmark that as a goal), less stuffiness - but I think this is a case where had I stuck closer to this more consistently I would've had a more enjoyable process in dressing. The act of getting inspiration helped too, as I narrow in on a style(s).
The other aspect of this was my attempt to re-wear everything from fit battle. while i didn't spend much money I did buy some things primarily for the competition but I wanted to see/hoped to find if they were versatile enough to wear in normal circumstances, similar to charlie. I managed to get everything in at least one extra time (aside from things already re-worn and the waterbottle holder from here https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1219673819908669500/1231457087230447766) and some several more times (rugby shirt, pajamas). from sustainability and experimentation standpoints this was successful, but I think some of the bricks were a direct result of shoving a certain pair of pants or certain accessory in. I probably won't do this again (watch me make clothes next time :xd:).
have you learned anything from this experience? would you do it again?
yes - from a 'wearing clothes' perspective it's definitely gotten easier, and i can see fits towards the end of summer that came together fairly easily whereas in the past it would've required a lot of angst or second-guessing ex https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1262512691143245905 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1271159910272466975 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1273334790199709747 https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1278815469905903791
the other thing, and it's something i didn't realize until writing this, is i'm still only eight months removed from this https://discord.com/channels/1116793467654381685/1116800072093532191/1262512691143245905; having a willingness to learn from others, to experiment with things and to challenge some of the assumptions i've held previously has been key to getting 'better' at dressing - those only that only come through time, experience and being able to reflect on both. if you're someone who feels 'stuck' with what you're dressing, this might be a way to remedy that, whether it's proactively (by taking fit pics with the intent to review after a month, several months, year, etc.) or retroactively (by collecting the pictures and seeing what comes up).
That was a lot of words, hence why I didn't want to unload in-thread - if you read through this thanks 🙂
will read through this tomorrow when im not dying of headache !!! looking forward to it
Earmarking this for a later read.