I almost decided to scrap this post, but I put a lot of work into finding the photos and making the graphic, so here we go.

The first year of the pandemic had a profound impact on the way I dress in that it took those last vestiges of 'business casual' that were hanging around in my closet and firmly relegated them to the donate pile. Then 2021 came roaring in with much the same feel as 2020, although thankfully it included more outside-of-the-house events, even if those rarely involved large groups of people. Still, my daily style morphed once again and found a balance between casual but ready to be among people again.

Where 2020 saw me working primarily in lounge clothes and graphic t-shirts paired with sneakers, 2021 found me putting together actual outfits...many of which did include graphic t-shirts and sneakers. Ironically, only five of the outfits included in this post feature a graphic tee and/or sneakers, despite how they've seemed to take over my wardrobe.

So, I looked back through all my outfit pictures and tried really hard to narrow it down. I generally like everything I wear, otherwise I wouldn't take a picture of it! That said, a lot of my warm-weather outfits are shorts and a t-shirt, and those I rarely take photos of because there's nothing to say about them, so you'll see none of that in this roundup. Those outfits are practical because of where I live, but not necessarily my favorite.

In the end, I couldn't decide between these 25 outfits. So, out of 365 days, these are the 25 outfits I'm most likely to recreate.

Then all of you guys loved when I layered it with this oversized sweater and my Chelsea boots. So, yeah. If you needed a sign to buy this tank, here it is.

I always find myself admiring people who can pull off a monochromatic look but was always scared to try it myself...until this past year when I fully embraced it. This simple sweatshirt and leggings outfit was honestly thrown together without much thought but once I added my favorite buckle boots, I fell in love.

And that inspired me to try other combinations. This one feels a little less monochromatic to me, probably because of the leopard print in the middle, but still. This tunic top is so good, though.

This all-green look was one of my favorite cold-weather ensembles, despite both my dad and husband telling me I looked like a librarian. I'm honestly not sure if they meant it to be a compliment or an insult, but considering my fall-back plan in life has always been to be a librarian, I'm not mad.

This outfit I styled showing options for leather leggings is one of my favorites that I still plan to wear in real-life one of these days. The weather warmed back up and leather leggings were out of the question. But I love the almost 50s vibes this outfit has. Something about it makes me picture Rizzo from Grease.

Speaking of Grease, this kinda has that vibe, too, now that I'm on that train of thought. Anyway, I love this outfit so much. The skirt is not the material I was expecting, but that's actually not a bad thing for where I live. It just means I can wear it year-round instead of just in the winter. It is more form-fitting, so if you're between sizes, go up.

I'm not sure why I like this outfit so much. Maybe it's the bold shirt? I don't know, but I felt really put together this day.

I never knew I needed sequin leggings in my life until this year, and this pair is surprisingly really good considering I didn't pay very much for them. They've got a thin liner so they're not scratchy. If it hadn't felt like summer on New Year's, I would totally have worn this...but with flats instead of heels.

Chelsea boots are the simple boot I didn't know I was missing from my closet. I've never really been a fan of the silhouette, but when I realized the trend just wasn't going away, I knew I needed to try a pair, and I have not been disappointed.

This was, hands down, my favorite Christmas outfit, and you guys seemed to agree in my social media poll. I'm going to figure out more ways to style this skirt to make it feel less Christmas-y though.

I can't wait to wear this outfit in real life. This skirt is so dreamy, and who knew a bodysuit was actually a good idea? Not me, I swear. But this is undeniable proof that they have a place in pretty much every closet.

I love this outfit, even if this skirt and I have a push-and-pull relationship. It's so pretty but I honestly spend all day fighting with the waistband. The elastic somehow gets folded up inside there and then the waist lays wonky, especially if I've been sitting for awhile. I still can't deny how much I like the skirt, though, waistband notwithstanding.

This outfit, for whatever reason, made me feel like a lady boss like no other outfit has. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I felt like I was in charge of everything while wearing this.

And we're going to end with what is arguably the best sweater I bought. It's a longer length, so I can wear it with leggings if I want. But it's just such a pretty green and is so soft and comfy. I've worn it pretty much every chance I've had since I got it. And these brown Chelsea boots have quickly become a staple in my closet. They've got a little bit higher heel compared to the black pair and the shaft comes up a little higher, but they've got comfy insoles so walking in them hasn't been an issue.