There are 5 visible differences between 2012 and 2014 outfits. The solution (*) is below, the XL reflections if you fancy reading them follow.

The first photo is what I wore on 25th May 2014. Sometime during that day I remembered that I wore - and posted - the identical outfit on almost the same date, but 2 years ago. My first thought was not to post the same thing twice, but the more I thought about it the more I was sure I should. Posting outfits has long ago stopped being just a diary of what I wore and accidentally became a way of chronicling my life through one of its aspects. So, the outfits which appear the same and technically are - to me are not. Because I’m wearing them with different states of mind.

On personal note, 25th May 2012 was the day when we completed the sale on the only house our son knew as home, we drove off its driveway for one last time and set on a journey to the big unknown - therefore every detail is easy to remember. On our way we stopped at the friends’ house for two nights and I clearly remember the morning after I woke up - the first day of the in-between real homes phase which still lasts and will soon end: I slept through for the first time in weeks, I had a shower, put on the fresh comfortable clothes and life was good. 2 years, a new culture and several amazing new people later, life is still good. Hard at times, stressful too often, frustrating more than I dare to admit, but good. Because whatever happened in the meantime was a result of our choice - and that’s a blessing one must not forget.

What does it all have to do with the outfit?

2 years of living in the in-between phase taught me a lot about myself, the priorities, what matters and why it matters. The learning continues. Translated into what I wear, I am more than ever aware which compromises I’m ready to make when it comes to clothing; I am less preoccupied with difference but more with comfort and character of my clothing; I am faster at dismissing half-solutions and maybes because life simply is too short to waste time on mulling things over unnecessarily; I’m enjoying playing with my wardrobe more than ever, but my joy now comes less from the imaginative combination, and more from the right thing - right colour, right fabric, right hem, right cut, right line; with each right purchase I’m closer to my ideal of spending more on the right thing because I’m not rich enough to buy cheap things. The more I think about living with little, but right stuff, the more I’m attracted to the concept of finding the very core of my wardrobe - essential silhouettes and individual pieces that I can wear over and over again without thinking about it at all.

I mentioned in Claire’s thread my experiment with using Flavia as my muse and Claire asked me if Flavia triggered the desire to wear the same great outfit over and over again. Btw, for those who remember that series, I must mention again that Flavia did not wear what looked like expensive clothing, but the key was it was the right clothing for her - and I was just happy to be literate enough in style matters to be able to recognise her signature outfit and then watch how she worked it every single day. Strangely, I now have difficulties remembering the outfit itself - but I remember that Flavia looked like herself. While Flavia was catalyst, I actually have to go back much further in the past to realise I learnt a lot form my mum who probably had 1/5th of wardrobe I have now (and I call mine reduced), but she always looked perfect! I figured out that I don’t remember mum's specific outfits either, but much more that she looked groomed, polished, in my eyes always a lady. We lived modestly like most people around us while I was growing up, yet mum had several items which were true investment pieces, e.g. once she bought a coat - she had THE coat for years and years and it was perfect in every way. I guess that’s what I strive for - wearing good things and looking like myself, whatever that myself is. The learning continues.

And while learning, I like to wear the same stuff that works because I am soaking in the feeling of what that right stuff (not looks but) feels like, making sure that very feeling can be replicated with everything else that’ll take up space in my wardrobe: the fabric against my skin, the ability to move unrestricted, the freedom to not compromise with anything but simply put things on, the tool to let me express what I want to express with the clothes IF expressing is what I’m after. Because, you know, sometimes I just want to wear clothes and leave it at that.

Thank you if you read everything. I have had a lot of reflections these days because of the outfit posted below and the fact things are rapidly changing in my day-to-day life again and the day after the Big Outfit Repeat it was the anniversary since my mum passed away too.

I'm happy to hear your thoughts and comments if you want to share any.

(*)Solution: (1) the bag is different, but I still wear the old one too, (2) the shoes have been replaced, but happen to be by the same maker (3) it’s different pair of jeans, but I still have the old one too, (4) I have found my nude lipstick in the meantime and (5) the hair has a bit less volume, but that’s styling thing.

But, technically, it IS the same outfit.