How My Style Has Changed: Aug 2024 to May 2025
And what getting dressed every day taught me (that i didn’t expect to learn)
When I started this Substack last July, I was quietly frustrated with how I was dressing.
Not in a dramatic, “burn it all down and start over” kind of way. Just a steady background hum of ugh when I opened my closet. I’d try something on, sigh. Try again. Settle. Repeat.
Or worse, shop!
I had clothes. Plenty of them. But most felt like approximations—like I was dressing as a version of myself that used to make sense, but didn’t quite fit anymore.
So I started taking photos. Nothing fancy. Just simple mirror selfies, usually snapped in the Indyx app. Daily, if I could manage it. And then analyzing them online, which was very cringey!
Outfit Audit: What I Wore (and Learned) in Aug + Sep 2024
Welcome to my data-driven deep dive into what I’ve been wearing lately—and let me tell you, it’s been enlightening. Turns out, my wardrobe habits have a lot more to say about my lifestyle (and preferences) than I thought. Turns out, my 8-year-old may have been onto something when she said I’m obsessed with neutrals. Here’s what I’m breaking down:
At first, it felt... weird. Vain. Like I was trying too hard. Who was I to care this much about clothes? Especially on days shaped by school drop-offs and errand runs, where the main question was, Is this functional? not Does this feel like me?
But I kept going. Not to curate—just to collect.
And somewhere along the way, those photos became a kind of map. Not a highlight reel of my “best” looks, but a breadcrumb trail of slow shifts. A record of small choices adding up to something bigger. A shift in energy. In attention. In how I thought about getting dressed in a life that often tells mothers, especially, to be invisible. Efficient. Low-maintenance to the point of disappearance.
July and August 2024: Lightness, Restraint, and a Lot of Elastic Waistbands
That first stretch of photos feels like a spring breeze—floaty, soft, gentle. Cotton tanks. Breezy skirts. Soft trousers with generous hems and forgiving waistbands.
Even when I wore color, it was always hushed. Off-whites, muted beige, greys. Like the outfits were whispering.
Easy, wearable, and above all, non-confrontational.
There was a subtle caution in these choices. The outfits prioritized comfort and approachability, but in hindsight, they were also quiet in a way that reflected a kind of creative hesitancy. These choices weren’t just comfortable—they were quiet. Unintrusive. Safe.
I think I was still trying to get dressed without being seen. It was less about styling and more about getting dressed without resistance.
April and May 2025: Structure and Point of View (and a Surprise Love Affair with Red)
In less than a year, the vibe had shifted.
Tailored pants. Sharp blazers. Sleek long lines. Stronger color stories.
These weren’t pieces I reached for out of habit. They were choices. Declarations, even if I was the only one hearing them.
There’s more tension. A stronger point of view. A belt to break the line. A necklace that punctuates. The layering has purpose, not just function. A sharp blazer with a belt.
Even my off-days feel more deliberate. Like I’m not just putting something on. I’m putting something together.
The risk-taking has crept in slowly. But it’s there.
I’m Just… Getting Dressed More???
One of the most unexpected changes? I just get dressed more often now!
Not always well, but intentionally.
Before, there were full days when I lived in what I worked out in. Or what I threw on for the school run and never took off. And it wasn’t laziness, exactly—it was something closer to, Why bother?
Getting dressed felt optional, performative, or worse, like effort wasted on a day that didn’t “deserve” it.
But documenting changed that logic. It reframed the question. What kind of day is worth getting dressed for? Turns out: pretty much all of them. It’s time to honor all the occasions.
I will always love Kelly’s quote:
I had a realization in the last year; today I’m the youngest I’m ever going to be! So date nights are a chance for me to feel sexy and appreciate my body for what it is RIGHT NOW.
Now, “mom duties” doesn’t mean defaulting to bike shorts and a Uniqlo tank top. It might mean a soft maxi dress in a color I love, and a pair of earrings that make me feel awake. Still washable. Still kid-proof. But intentional.
Even on work-from-home days, I try to start the morning with a real outfit. Nothing fancy. Not for anyone else’s benefits. Just clothes that remind me the day has already begun. Even if it’s just a simple men’s overshirt—thank you
and for that awesome idea!Nights out feel different too. Not just more frequent, but more... intentional.
I’m saying yes to life more (in response to the consistent feedback from everyone I love that they don’t see me enough!). And I’m showing up to those yeses feeling grounded, not like I threw on whatever was closest to the door.
Interestingly, I’ve started wearing more dresses. Not because I’ve become more feminine (or more minimalist), but because they feel like one-piece clarity. Decision fatigue? Skipped.
What’s Actually Shifted: The Specifics
Silhouette: From floaty to defined.
Last summer, my clothes floated. Skirts with movement. Dresses that didn’t touch the body. Airy silhouettes that whispered “easy.” This year? I want anchoring. Sharpness. Structure without stiffness. Cinched waists. Clean shoulders. High-rise trousers. Still comfortable, just more... intentional.
I’m also much clearer on what I prefer: Lower necklines with a point of view that show my collarbone. A defined waist. Long sleek lines or dramatic silhouettes—nothing in between!
Color: From neutral to punctuated.
White, blacks, muted neutrals are still around. But lately, I’ve been using color to interrupt. A red that makes me feel alert. A print that jolts me out of autopilot. Color is no longer background noise. It’s part of the sentence.
Styling: From practical to personal.
Before, I leaned hard on what worked. Now, I play. I add a belt when it’s not necessary. I wear the necklace that makes a t-shirt feel like an outfit. I layer not because I’m cold, but because I’m curious. What else could this look become?
I have to credit
Energy: From “let’s see” to “I know.”
In the beginning, I was trying things on—literally and figuratively. Testing what still fit. What still felt like me. Now, even my simplest outfits carry more conviction. I know what I’m choosing, and why.
What Daily Documentation Taught Me
I didn’t expect mirror selfies to become a form of self-study.
But noticing my clothes every day taught me more than I thought. Not about trends. About patterns.
I learned what I wear when I feel grounded. What I reach for when I’m avoiding something. Which pieces I forgot I loved.
The archive made my closet feel new again. Not because I bought more—but because I saw more.
It also helped me let go of perfection. Not every outfit was a hit. Some were straight-up bad. But even the weird ones told me something about where I was at. That’s more interesting than a perfect grid.
Eventually, I stopped asking, Does this look good? and started asking, How did I feel in it? Did I feel sharp? Settled? Playful? That shift changed everything.
has a great post on keeping an outfit journal!
The Rhythm, Not the Rules
I don’t have a capsule wardrobe. I don’t have a formula.
But I do have a rhythm now. A loose visual language that resonates with me. A way of checking in with what I want to feel today. A sense of alignment that doesn’t rely on sameness.
The goal was never perfection. It was presence. To learn how to show up—to the mirror, to the moment, to the day—with a little more clarity.
And for now, getting dressed feels less like a question mark and more like a comma. A pause before stepping into the day, with a bit more clarity, a bit more curiosity, and a sharper eye for what matters. A pause to remember: I’m here. I’m paying attention.
The outfits will keep evolving. So will I. But I know how to look now. I know how to listen.
And I know how to begin.
If you love reading about wardrobe evolutions, these are some of my favorites!
went from chaotic maximalist to ultra minimalist and looked great in every iteration: rebuilt her wardrobe with intention: did a spring closet clean out:
On a related note,
‘s article on NOT shopping for a fantasy summer wardrobe still resonates a year on:
Love this evolution - especially the shift from ‘Does this look good?’ to ‘How do I feel in it?’ That’s where real style starts. And yes to honoring the everyday through what we wear - I’m finding the same. Documenting what I wear has been a game changer - I’ve now practiced it for at least 10 years (!!).
I wonder also, Xue, how the shift in your closet and styling mindset has coincided with your career progression?
Xue, your posts always make me think more deeply about why we wear what we wear. I loved reading about how your style has changed in the last year, and the vibe shift driving your evolution. What a perfect way to use outfit selfies to learn about patterns in your personal style! I can see the confidence coming through as you got deeper into dressing with intention. Thank you for including me in such amazing company :)