I Lived in the Midwest for 22 Years—Here's What I'd Never Wear Again

Two things you might not know about me 1. I’m from Kansas and 2. I didn’t graduate college with a fashion degree. Yet right after college I landed my dream internship at Who What Wear and moved across the country to Los Angeles. Fast-forward to present day, and I’ve now been with the company for over six years and well, have seen (and worn) dozens of trends come in and out of style during that time. Today I’m slightly shifting gears and focusing on my pre–Los Angeles style and reminiscing on the trends I wore in the Midwest that I’d probably never wear again. I’ve always considered myself to have a great sense of style (hence why I chose the career path I did), so I’m not here to roast my fashion choices totally, but I would just like to point out what feels dated to me and the new trends I’d wear instead.

From college frat parties to the standard sorority night out where everyone coordinates the same look (see photo five), I’m sharing a few of my Midwest fashion moments that make me reminisce about living in Kansas. Keep reading for a peek inside my Midwest style and to see which items I’d ditch and what current trend I’d wear in its place.

Plaid Flannels

Since moving to Los Angeles, I’ve swapped my plaid flannels for lighter fall prints like tiger, modern florals, and polished plaids.

Matching Rompers

While I’m not completely nixing rompers out of my wardrobe, I’d have to say this is probably one of the last times I went out with a group of girls all wearing rompers (and yes, it was planned). I find myself wearing matching two-piece sets or jumpsuits over rompers these days.

Chunky Wedges

Here’s me graduating from high school wearing a pair of super-clunky metallic wedges. I’ve always been a “heels over flats” girl, though I’ve swapped my chunky wedges for strappy sleek sandals. 

Obvious Fast-Fashion Finds

I’ve always been able to sift through fast-fashion stores like Forever 21 and Zara to find the best deals. While I still shop those mall-brand stores, since my time as a fashion editor, I’ve learned about more affordable brands like Storets and Pixie Market to name a couple. 

Elastic-Back Belts

After looking back at my college date-party photos, it turns out I wore and owned quite a few elastic-back belts. Today I’d swap that look for a vintage-style chain belt like one of the below.