Well hello there team! Is it okay that I consider us a team now? I mean, we made it through the year, so that means we’re in it together. The way I see it, anyhow.
The other day we counted down some of my least favorite outfits. My thanks to those of you who told me the outfits I chose weren’t all bad. But whether you liked those looks or not, I’m hoping you’ll find today’s countdown just a little more aesthetically pleasing. Yes, yes y’all! We are going to check out my top FAVORITE looks from 2010. I have to say I had a harder time narrowing these down, which I think is a good sign. I couldn’t choose just twelve or even thirty for that matter. In the end I compromised and thinned it down to twenty. These are in no particular order. I weeded out a few looks that were similar or just not quite as unique as the ones pictured here.
I’ll show you my choices, but you tell me, what’s your favorite Closet365 outfit from the year?
YEAR IN REVIEW: TOP 20 Favorite Outfits
#1
This is a pretty basic look but without even looking at pictures, this one remains memorable to me. It was just a perfect spring combo with soft colors. Simplistic up top with just a little purple tee, but my pretty eyelet skirt carries the rest of the look. It didn’t even need fancy shoes. I just slipped my flip-flops on and then I never wanted to take this one off.
#2
Hooray theme week! My music-themed challenge produced some of my very favorite looks for the year, but the one that I love best is this crazy striped compilation. Inspired by Gnarls Barkley’s “Run” I threw on what I thought would be an obscene amount of stripes and some fun accessories. I expected it to be overkill but braved it in the name of theme week. The result? I loved this outfit more than I ever thought possible. I win!
#3
Oh summer dresses! I knew the minute I saw this one that we would make beautiful music together. I only wore it once for the year as it was kind of hard to top. I just love a pretty print and this dress just wore like a dream. I took a chance with brown accessories and my little tucked blouse but I am pleased with the results. An ideal summer look in my book.
#4
My wordless look. Out of 365 days this year, there were two that I opted not to write anything (You read that correct. I shut up for a total of two whole days, this whole year!) The day I put this outfit together I was hideously depressed and in pain thanks to my hip injury. Sidelined from running, I didn’t feel like doing much of anything but I challenged myself to put together a truly photogenic outfit and just focus on the blog instead of my training. This was the result. A little crazy perhaps but I really adore the prettiness that came from an otherwise crappy situation. Triumph over adversity! And also, I drank a watermelon smoothie that day that was to die for. All was well that ended well.
#5
This might just be my favorite for the year. I’m not really sure why. It’s pretty uneventful as outfits go. A dress and a cardigan. But I just love this outfit because it’s very me. I love a good print and a cute cardigan and I’m pretty sure those two things alone are all you need to get through life. I took a bunch of pictures of myself just twirling in it. When I look at these pictures I see a fashion enthusiast on a good stride. I had just finished up monochrome theme week and was just loving getting dressed in general.
#6
Although the photos for this one didn’t turn out fantastic, I consider this another memorable look in my own mind. It was early fall, so I was elated to be layering. I conceived of adding a button-down shirt underneath this fun thrifted dress and I was not disappointed. This is another outfit with a lot of favorite elements. I like how the dot-shaped earrings tie in with the texture on the dress. I feel very clever when things like that work out. Haha.
#7
Another theme week favorite. This was my turn as Coco Chanel during icon week. The week before Halloween was not one of my favorite weeks in non-blog life but putting together these costumed looks and transforming myself into fun characters totally changed my outlook. I was also really pleasantly surprised by the results. As nervous as I was about translating fashion icons for my every day aesthetic, I felt very confident about the final product. And I had fun with it, which is all that really matters.
#8
Speaking of theme weeks! This example from Nutcracker week reminds me what I loved so much about doing these challenges. Although, I never would have come up with an outfit like this on my own, my Spanish Dancer turn ended up being one of my favorite outfits all year. Love the colors and the fun layers. There is a lot to be said for transforming yourself out of your safety zone. I loved this look all day long.
#9
There are a lot of times when tossing together random elements doesn’t work out so well. And then there are times when it works fabulously. I feel like this is one such example. I wore this outfit in early march and I vaguely remember constructing it on a whim. I just kept adding and subtracting pieces but in the end, I was wearing a bunch of stuff I’d never have envisioned together. I think the scarf is what makes it, but I also love the combo of the big belt cinching a tunic blouse over a mini skirt. And boots of course, for good measure.
#10
Throughout my blogging stint I’ve been fortunate to win a couple of giveaways and gotten some awesome stuff. My Hats in the Belfry cloche hat is one of those awesome scores. This outfit happened on an idle Sunday off from work and then I was so thrilled with the look that I demanded to go out for dinner and show it off. The whole look just won me over with its vintage feel and it was nice and warm on an otherwise hideously cold day.
#11
March was a favorite month for me in this project. This fun look was one of my better innovations throughout the year. Starting with a kind of blah chambrey dress, I borrowed inspiration from another blogger’s look and then made it my own. I felt like I cracked a code, the instant I added the pop of white color under the muted dress and my turquoise beads further saved the day. I still just love everything about this outfit.
#12
Who knew wearing the same dress for an entire week could be so fun? Or inspiring for that matter? At the end of April my theme week consisted of remixing the same red print Fossil dress into seven different looks. I actually loved them all by virtue of this awesome dress. But my Lady Detective look was my true favorite. Armed with some new bangs and some of my favorite accessories, I took to the railroad tracks for a fun photoshoot and felt super chic too boot. Theme week prevails again!
#13
Belt to the rescue! This outfit was one of my favorites because it was the one time I managed to work with an old favorite dress. Although one trip through the laundry ruined the fit of this cute print sundress, I held on to it for one good styling. I wore this outfit thrifting and was stoked at how nicely I was able to disguise the poor fit of the dress. I later gave it away due to its sad size issues but we’ll always have the memory of this one perfect day/look.
#14
The day I wore it, I joked that this outfit made me look like a little French boy, but really I dug this simple spring/summer transition look. On a cool rainy day, I felt chic and cute in my stripes and my little yellow trench. A coat and shorts together still seems avant garde to me, but that’s kind of why I love it. Unusual combos make me unusually happy.
#15
Some of my favorite looks this year came from unexpected places. This strange thrifted dress cost me $4 at a rather sketch second hand store. I went in there after a random craving for the slummy Pizza Hut buffet next door and styled it up several weeks later. The result is kind of fabulous in my estimation. The dress itself is also questionable but proved a nice colorful change of pace one random August day. It pays to take risks!
#16
Ever had a dress that you loved so much, but then it broke your heart. But you gave it a second chance anyway and it was love all over again? Okay maybe not. But such was the case for this blue number. I spent the last week of July re-working old dresses that I bought and wore to weddings. Only this time around I made them work for me. The transformation of the blue dress remains one of my favorite looks for the year and all it took was a little layering and a big belt. I’m so glad we worked things out.
#17
Another case to be made for summer dresses. This little $10 sundress got dressed up with me one July day. I added the white tee for modesty at work but I think it was this addition that really made the look pop. Or maybe it was the red lips. Or the fun shoes. In any event, this pretty outfit earned me a lot of compliments. As much as I hate to pat myself on the back, I have to agree with the critics on this one. Love the look.
#18
If you had told me that one of my favorite looks out of 365, would consist mainly of strange thrifted goodies from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Or that I would channel Twiggy and love it. Or that I could have so much fun getting dressed on on otherwise craptastic day…well, I never would have believed you. But despite all the odds, this theme week look completely won me over. I have yet to figure out a logical purpose for this crazy red jacket but I’m kind of not caring. I would wear this outfit over and over again. Now that I can.
#19
The day I sported this colorful look, I declared it my new favorite outfit and many of you agreed. Well, it held its own against 365 other competitors because I still love, love, love this cardigan/dress combo. There are so many fun elements going on here and yet it looks quite chic if I do say so myself. Proof that you can have fun with color and accessories and still look pulled together. An all around win in my book.
#20
Last but not least. I took a chance on a random blazer and then styled it up with no particular fashion destination in mind. I still can’t pinpoint what makes this look work but the there’s something just so fun and smart about it. I felt sharp and confident in my big ‘ol boots and my favorite houndstooth scarf. I’m excited to wear this one again sometime.
…
So there you go! My top twenty looks for the year. I hope I haven’t forgotten any big hits. Obviously, these are just a few of my favorites throughout the year. They represent a series of successful moments and cover (I think) a diverse range of looks. I learned a lot this year while getting dressed and I’m proud to say that all of these looks are the result of my journey. Getting dressed up every day for a year often left me feeling overwhelmed and in a rush to create but on the days I got it just right, I relished the results. It was one of the gifts of my project and I am grateful for the memories.
Join me back here this weekend as I wrap up my yearlong recap. And stay tuned next week as well. More outfits are coming as well as some exciting new elements for the blog. The adventure continues!
Title courtesy of Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – “Your Long Journey”
