I'm a Fashion Editor—10 "Outdated" Fashion Habits I'm Leaving Behind in 2023

We all have moments in life when we need to press pause, take stock and realise that, well, things just aren't working out. And while it might be tempting to impose a military-style fitness regimen or puritanical diet purely because it's January, we say stop weighing yourself down with unachievable goals; instead focus on letting go of the things that didn't serve you this year.. 

So, in the spirit of letting go, we've brought you the 11 fashion things we're consciously uncoupling from in 2024. While there were plenty of positive developments in the industry, there's always room for improvement. We try to focus on long-lasting style, that lets you express yourself and feel good doing it. With that in mind, it's time to press reset and get ready for a year of awesome style, with the added benefit of a fresh perspective. From the overuse of packaging to dressing for others, scroll down to see what things we're parting ways with in 2024.

1. "I've Got Nothing to Wear" Syndrome 

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(Image credit: @femmeblk)

Re-style, re-wear, re-use. 

One day you'll open your wardrobe and it'll tell you you have nothing to wear. Oh, and that anything you do own makes you look like a sack of potatoes. Repeat after me: This is a lie. For 2024, we want to stick it to the wardrobe and have a joyful reunion with those items of clothes that haven't seen the light of day for years. Dig them out, mix them up and prepare to see long-lost gems take on a new lease of life.

2. Jumping on Every Fashion Fad

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(Image credit: @dawn.tan)

Timeless styles are the new black. 

To quote Mean Girls: "One time I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip-flops. so I wore army pants and flip flops." If this iconic film has taught us anything, it's that blindly following the crowd is never a good idea. This is the year we're going to try and avoid jumping on the latest fashion bandwagon and instead swim against the tide by buying things we actually want, that we know we can rely on year after year. 

SHOP TIMELESS STYLES:

3. Excessive Fashion Packaging

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(Image credit: @theaudreypeters)

When it comes to packaging, less is more. 

Dear retailers, please stop sending us boxes within boxes within boxes. We ordered a pendant necklace, and it does not need to be delivered in a container the size of a large Chihuahua. It's a pain to dispose of, it's wasteful and no one likes playing a giant game of pass the parcel on a Monday morning. Yours sincerely, disgruntled Who What Wear editors.

4. Dressing for Other People

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(Image credit: @charlottekuhrt)

We go on a lot about neutral hues, but if you love a pop of colour (and it looks this good), embrace all shades.

Do you remember when, aged 5, we'd wear whatever we wanted, regardless of how others perceived us? There were clashing colours, leggings layered under party dresses and sparkly things aplenty. So forget your feed and ignore your mother-in-law's raised eyebrow, because we want to bring a little more of this anarchic attitude into 2024. Call it a revival of dressing however you damn well please.

5. Not Looking After Our Clothes

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(Image credit: @hannastefansson)

It's time to de-bobble your knitwear. 

Despite working in fashion, we admit we're not always very good at looking after our clothes (there's a permanent pile of handwash-only items in the corner of our bedroom staring back at us). If we want pieces to stand the test of time, we have to treat them right: Think of buying mothballs, using lingerie bags in the wash and taking pieces to the tailors when they need fixing. Love your clothes and they'll love you back.

SHOP CLOTHING CARE NECESSTIES:

6. Retail Therapy

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(Image credit: @giasinatra)

Each piece in Gia's wardrobe feels considered. 

We've all been there: You're stressed/hungover/feeling sorry for yourself and need some comforting, so you shop online as a means of coping. The result is a steady stream of redundant parcels arriving at your desk in the following days. Guilt ensues. Rather than treating shopping as a way to assuage our stress, we're going to be more mindful of why we're buying things, and if they will work hard in our wardrobes. 

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(Image credit: @bubblyaquarius)

Feel free to skip the mini skirt trend when temperatures are sub zero. 

From wearing bikinis in sub-zero temps to naked dresses, in the past year, Instagram was guilty of championing a number of trends that, for many, simply did not translate into real life. While we're all for a bit of fashion escapism (we're always promoting an each-to-their-own kind of mindset), perhaps neon latex only works in IG photos, and not for the office?

SHOP COLD-WEATHER ESSENTIALS:

8. Fashion FOMO

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(Image credit: @nlmarilyn)

Of course, we wish we had Marilyn's entire wardrobe, but instead of FOMO we will just admire from afar.

It's a tale as old as time: Girl meets Instagram, girl sees fashion blogger, girl feels insecure about her lack of designer clothing. Don't get us wrong—social media is great for so many things, but even the most seasoned fashion editor can fall victim to fashion FOMO when presented with a conveyor-belt of immaculately dressed individuals. Our mantra for 2024? I must stop comparing myself to other people.

9.Spending All Our Money on Coffee 

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(Image credit: @astyleedit)

Lauren has styled this bag for every season since she bought it, proving it's a worthwhile investment.

Budgeting is difficult—but also a necessary evil if we don't want to end up on a diet of potatoes and cabbage for the last few days of 2024. If we're wanting to buy less but better quality, we need to think more about which things are really worth investing in and which ones we could easily save our pennies on. One flat white a day for a year equates to £789. Just think of the possibilities…

SHOP WORTHWHILE PURCHASES:

10. Chasing Labels

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(Image credit: @symphonyofsilk)

Shoe size is the only reliable size. 

Intuitive shopping is what we'll be aiming for in 2024. We all know that clothing sizes change from shop to shop, so we're going to try and ignore the number on the label and instead pick the things that make us feel good and are most flattering on our figures—regardless of whether they're our usual size or not. After all, clothes should fit you, not the other way round. 

Up Next: 6 Cool Winter Outfits That Will Earn You So Many Compliments

This story was published at an earlier time and has since been updated.

Florrie Alexander
Acting Affiliates Editor

Florrie embarked on her fashion journey while studying French and History at university. Whilst studying in Aix-en-Provence, she began to write her dissertation on the history of fashion and the influence of Haute Couture, and landed her first role at Harper’s Bazaar. Following this, she interned for various publications including Elle, Grazia and Marie Claire before joining the fashion team at Conde Nast Traveller. There, she contributed to international photoshoots, styled pages and covers, and produced engaging digital content.

During a freelance period, Florrie honed her skills in editorial work in various digital and print publications including Vogue Italy and Departures magazine, as well as styling e-commerce photoshoots and personal shopping. Florrie actively pursues an in-depth understanding of fashion and jewellery, and after styling a jewellery cover shoot at Conde Nast Traveller chose to complete the De Beers Diamond Foundation course. Florrie first joined Who What Wear UK as a freelancer before becoming the Commerce Writer, blending both editorial and commercial content. Now, as the Acting Affiliates Editor, she monitors current trends, new-in styles, wardrobe heroes and how best to style them. In her downtime, Florrie can be found in her hometown of London, usually with a coffee in hand.