For the first several months of this year and most of last year, the extent of my outfit planning consisted of me asking myself, Which matching sweatsuit do I want to wear today? It was nice for a while, and then I started to feel like jeans were some kind of torture device whenever I forced myself to wear them. Fast-forward to now, slowly but surely, I'm becoming acclimated to wearing my outside clothes again. While I won't be getting rid of my soft clothes, per se, I do feel the need to take a long break from certain items in my wardrobe that worked overtime for a good 13 months.
On that note, let's discuss what I'm taking a break from but also what I'm wearing again, wearing still, and/or wearing for the first time. As the country begins to open up again and we're reuniting with friends and family, there's no time like the present to do a little post-pandemic wardrobe refreshing. Scroll to shop along with me in case you're in the same mindset.
On Hiatus: "Ugly" Sandals
Keeping: Platform Shoes
I guess you could say that platform shoes do, in fact, fall under the "ugly sandals" category, but the platforms of 2021 hit different.
On Hiatus: Sweatsuits
Keeping: Chic Knit Sets
For starters, it's a little too warm for a full sweatsuit these days, but I also spent far too many hours in these fleecy, soft outfits over the past year. That said, there are many chic, elevated knit sets on the market, and I won't be retiring them anytime soon.
Shop the matching Cropped Swing Tank ($145).
Shop the matching Ali Bike Shorts ($88).
On Hiatus: All Neutrals All the Time
Keeping: Tiered Dresses
During the pandemic, more often than not, I just stuck to wearing neutral basics because it's easy and I couldn't be bothered. Now that I'm out and about more, I've been reaching for more colorful dresses (pretty tiered ones, in particular).
On Hiatus: Fuzzy Slippers
Keeping: Crew Socks
Getting to wear fuzzy slippers day in, day out has certainly been a treat, but I think it's time to retire them at least until fall. But another foot-friendly trend that I'm continuing to wear is crew socks with everything from sneakers to sandals to loafers.
On Hiatus: Baggy T-Shirts
Keeping: Oversize Button-Downs
So I'm admittedly wearing a baggy T-shirt as I type this, but I'm cutting back—I swear. After wearing them almost daily last summer, it's time to change things up. But an oversize top that I'm not taking a break from is button-downs, which are exceptionally versatile and timeless.
On Hiatus: Tie-Dye
Keeping: Baseball Caps
I think I wore enough tie-dye for a lifetime during 2020, so it's time to make room for some other things in my wardrobe. Another trend I wore a lot of last year was baseball caps, which I love too much to ever part with.
On Hiatus: Bike Shorts
Keeping: Sweatshorts and Gym Shorts
As someone who's on the short side, I don't find that bike shorts suit me very well, especially those with an inseam longer than six inches. On the other hand, sweatshorts are easier for me to wear and are even more comfortable, so I won't stop buying them.
