At the end of every year, I always love to take a look back at the last 12 months and see what I’ve done, whether its seeing which books I’ve read this year and writing them into a recommendation roundup, or setting goals for my 26 before 26 bucketlist.
In 2022, my wardrobe finally got the outings it deserved after two years of elasticated waists and sweatpants, and I’ve never felt more myself since cracking back out the leopard print and leaning into dopamine dressing.
To close 2022, I’ve scrolled back through the Instagram archives and dug out my 22 favourite outfits of the year – from midis and gowns, to skirts and statement coats. There are some strong themes in my wardrobe, including leopard print, a lot of pink, and a good, chunky accessory, but there are also some outfits here that are completely fresh where I’ve tried something a little different, and loved how they turned out.
So to celebrate a year of fun with fashion, here are my favourite looks of 2022, to inspire your looks in 2023.
One
I wanted a fabulously seventies themed look to go and see ABBA Voyage, in London, and this dress from Girls on Film was perfect. It’s from Dani Dyer’s collection, and is currently down from £35 to £17.50 in the sale. The geo-print midi ties at the neck and can be worn as such, or brought around to the front for a neck-tie effect. I styled the dress with my brown vintage boots and Urban Outfitters coat, the Cloud and Clay earrings from my Staffordshire gift guide, and a padded headband to brind it all together.
Two
Lime green and bright pink is such a vibe, and a colour palette I’ve carried all the way through 2022. This v-neck vest was from Lula, in Leek, while the trousers were just £5 from Everything5Pounds. These chunky boots, also from Lula, have more than earned their keep in my wardrobe this year, paired with a very old handbag from Primark to finish the look. It’s not the only time I’ve worn these 90s style popper trousers with pink, either, having opted for a pink silk blouse for the Trentham 90s festival in summer, too.
Three
Can we here a little commotion for this Karen Millen dress? I really thought this would be one of those dresses that I only get to wear once, but I actually got the opportunity to wear it twice this year, first at the Bat Out Of Hell opening night (below) and again at the locally held Your Heroes awards. The caped dress brings nothing but DRAMA and I adore it. It’s a beautiful quality material and a really figure flatturing shape, so I’ll be looking for more excuses to wear it in 2023, too.
Four
Almost this entire look, worn for a meal out at The Block House, was thrifted, secondhand or charity shopped, with exception from the shoes, which were from Lula. I purcased the old Topshop dress from a charity event at Staffordshire University, and the long brown coat from my local charity shop for around £7. The little Topshop bowler was also around £5 on Depop a couple of years ago, and it goes so well with this neutral, autumnal fit perfectly.
Five
Another ABBA inspired look comes in the form of this insane Warehouse jumpsuit that I got secondhand, but brand new with tags, on Depop after having spotted someone in it on Instagram and falling madly in love. Originally it was around £60, but I paid £25, and it’s stretchy, comfortable and the untimate outfit to boogie to Dancing Queen in. I wore it with a pair of unimaginably high black platform boots from Everything5Pounds and felt like the fourth member of Donna and the Dynamos for the opening night of Mamma Mia at the Regent Theatre.
Six
I inadvertently find myself matching outfits to events, and so, this black and red look surfaced for the Red Hot Chili Peppers gig at Old Trafford in summer. It was one of the hottest days of the year so I opted for my trusty okd Primark bakerboy to keep the sun off my head, with a black bodysuit, thrifted skirt originally from New Look and a leather dress from Nobody’s Child that I often wear as a shacket, for when temperatures dipped in the evening. I’m 99 per cent sure I wore my black Dr Martens with this outfit, too.
Seven
I originally had the full suit to this Topshop blazer, but lockdown was unkind to my waistline and they no longer fit, but I still get to wear the jacket, which I still utterly adore. This is an outfit I wore to work, which included a Miss Selfridge bodysuit, my Levi Ribcage jeans and a cowprint hat from Nasty Gal. I tied in the western vibe with the snake belt buckle and my black Wrangler leather boots for a bit of height, too.
Eight
This dress was MADE for Christmas. Truly. I got it for the bargain price of £13 in the Black Friday sale, and it’s since been reduced further to £6, but is only available in very limited sizes on the Little Mistress website.. The velvet skater number offers a beautiful bust detailing and big velvet bow that ties at the neck. I wore the dress with some gold glittered tights that cost £9 from Accessorize, black Dr Marten boots, a red ruched headband from Manchester brand Rommy, and a pair of earrings from Staffordshire independent Cloud and Clay.
Nine
Originally bought from Waiste, this handmade leopard print lace up dress cost me around £60, and has been a dream to wear for gigs and festivals in 2022. The cotton dress is really comfortable and cool to wear, and is nipped in at all the right places making it a great statement piece that does all the talking. The mini shift dress has a shaped back, v-cut neckline and the most incredible red lace up detail to the front. Here for a Primal Scream gig, I paired it with some big 70s sunglasses from Sparrowhawk Vintage, a black fedora from Missguided and a pair of Dr Martens.
Ten
What says ‘summer’ more than a dress that is the outfit incarnation of an Aperol Spritz? This orange mini dress with the biggest, most volumnous sleeves was £15 from Primark, and was destined for cocktails after work. It has a square neckline and some cute folded detailing on the bodice, huge sleeves and a bow tie at the back, which is wide enough to wear with a bra, too. On this occasion, I wore it with my old white square toe books from Primark, accessorised with an Aperol at The Oast House pop-up bar. Bliss.
Eleven
Getting me festival-ready was this Stradivarious hero animal sequin slip dress from ASOS, which cost £29.99. The flattering slip dress has an almost hidden animal print beneath the sequins, and a split hem for the ultimate festival glam look. For Tramlines Festival, I wore the dress with my Dr Martens and DIY glitterball headdress, which I’d made with supplies from Amazon and a hot glue gun, as well as a black belt with a chain featurefrom Nasty Gal. Later in the year, I styled the dress with a roll neck for a Christmas party look, so I’m thrilled to have got more than one seasonal look from it.
Twelve
Another festival outfit was this one from Bingley Weekender, and what a bargain it was. This Neon Rose dress was £10 from a shop called HUK at Manchester’s Afflecks Palace, which sells discontinued lines and seconds from well known brands, for a lot less. It’s a heavy denim and is super vibrant, styled with some free sunglasses from the festival and my Dr Martens. I adore the oversized look and collar of this dress, but Jake does say it reminds him of the 90s icon Mr Blobby.
Thirteen
I’ve been after a good black velvet blazer for about six years and had never come across one I really loved until I found this Stradivarius number at the Trafford Centre and I’ve worn it all through December with various outfits, but this is by far my favourite. I paried the blazer with a glittery high-neck top purchased in a H&M sale, some H&M glitter flared trousers that I got secondhand on Instagram, a little crossbody bag for £8 from Primark and my vintage leather Wrangler boots from Sparrowhawk, in Newcastle. To complete the outfit, I wore my velvet hairband from Amazon, and discoball earrings from Sour Cherry in Afflecks Palace, in Manchester.
Fourteen
This slinky dress is from Karen Millen, and combines a ribbed roll-neck top and flowing satin midi skirt designed to look like a co-ord, offering a minimalist monochrome look. It’s extremely comfortable to wear, leaving arms totally free so you can wear it even on the warmest of days. Meanwhile, the skirt – while fitted – has a beautiful fluidity to it, cut on the bias so the fabric falls really nicely. For a stay at The Hilton Garden Inn, in Hanley, I paired the lime number with some cream boots from the charity shop, and a Dorothy Perkins bag that’s now a good few years old.
Fiveteen
This is a bit of a co-ord that isn’t a co-ord, in that, the top and trousers are from two totally different shops. The top was from Stradivarius at the Trafford Centre, while these nearly shade-matched trousers were in Primark for £13. I paired this look with a black macrame shopper from Primark, sunglasses from vintage shop Sparrowhawk, and my Dr Marten sandals, which I finally caved and bought at the start of summer. They cost about £80 as I got a newsletter sign up discount. If you’ve been toying with getting a pair, totally do it – they’re really comfortable and really make my summer looks feel more me.
Sixteen
This Oliver Bonas dress is super easy to go from day time chills to evening cocktails and was perfect for a day trip mooching around Padstow harbour. Decorated with pink blooms and an almost-animal print, this statement piece does all of the talking. It features a shirred back, tie waist, button front and flattering square neckline with floaty angel sleeves for a feminine finish. I wore the dress with white leather trainers from Tu at Sainsbury’s and accessoried with a neutral macrame bag – exactly the same as my black one – from Primark, and a red scrunchie headband from Manchester-based independent, Rommy.
Seventeen
This animal print piece is an absolute go-to for any occasion. It’s from Lula Boutique and the fit is absolutely gorgeous, with a plunging v-neck and sassy leg slits. Lightweight and floaty, it’s perfect for the hot weather. I styled the midi with my greasy finish Dr Marten boots, a faux leather belt harness from Shein, and a black leather-look beret, as well as a black crossbody bag that brought everything together with all-black accessories for a bit of an alternative vibe.
Eighteen
I’m totally obsessed with this leopard print dress from H&M, which I snapped up in summer for £24.99. The cut is so different from any of the other dresses in my wardrobe, offering a voluminous shape and gigantic puff sleeves for the most incredible silhouette. The sleeves also have a concealed elastic cuff, so you can wear them longer, or shorter and puffier, if you desire. The fabric itself is quite stiff, which is ideal for maintaining the inflation on the sleeves, too. I wore this look with the same beret, bag and harness as above, as well as those chunky ‘Spice Girls’ platforms from Everything5Pounds again, but the dress looks incredible on its own, too. It’s a real statement number.
Nineteen
Another lovely Little Mistress number in the form of this Statue of Liberty inspired piece. This duckegg blue dress has a drape to die for, and I adore everything about it from the strong shoulders and flared sleeves, to the ruffled hem and cut-out detail. The tones of this dress lends itself well to pearls so I wore a faux pearl headband and my Vivienne Westwood choker, with a black patent bag and black knee high heeled boots from the charity shop. The dress looks equally as cool with a coachella vibe with a fedora and Dr Martens, too, though.
Twenty
Pink AND leopard print in one outfit? Yes, please! This showstopper trench was originally from Topshop but I paid just £4 for it in the charity shop. For this dopamine dressing look, I went for my Saturday by Megan Ellaby Hazel top and a patterned beret from Primark, which cost me £6, tying in the pink and red elements of the look. Jeans definitely felt like the best option to balance this look, with my comfortable Dr Martens that I wear with almost everything, as well as a black camera bag from Primark that’s perfect for fitting all of the essentials in.
Twenty One
A trip to the pumpkin patch requires a fantastically seasonal look, and what could be more fitting than a neutral knit and pleated silk skirt? This lambswool jumper is from Uniqlo and cost around £30, and I’m desperate to get a few more in other colours, too. I French tucked it into my New Look elasticated skirt, paired with my chunky zip up boots from Lula, and my cream Dorothy Perkins bag. Keeping that cosy, country vibe, I added a wool fedora from Primark that cost £9, topping off the neutral outfit.
Twenty Two
Last and certainly not least, we have another Little Mistress dress and it is phenomenal. I’d been lusting over this golden orange velvet dress for a while, and my friend’s wedding was the perfect opportunity to wear it. It has an incredible bodice and angel sleeves, and it is one of those pieces that makes me feel a million dollars, and it’s such a stunning quality. I wore the dress with a padded headband from Matalan and a gold clutch and black heels, although shoes didn’t matter a great deal as the floorlength dress hid them entirely. This is a real dress of dreams and I can’t wait for another opportunity to wear it in 2023.
Wedding vibes ✨? pic.twitter.com/seei5XircH
— beffshuff (@beffshuff) October 22, 2022
