The difference between a good outfit and an outfit that has “sauce”

Throwing my 21-year-old self under the bus to show you how to add some sauce to your outfits.

What gives an outfit sauce?

A couple of months ago, a video by Xander Torres popped up on my feed in which he talked about the difference between “wearing a good outfit” and an “outfit that has sauce.” He focused on menswear (and dragged Drake through the mud), but the core point of his argument can be applied to fashion of any kind. The video stuck with me because I think—while seemingly vague—it is the best articulation I’ve heard of something I’ve felt for a while when it comes to getting dressed.

I know that the concept of “sauce” is pretty illusive, so I’m going to do you a solid and throw my younger self under the bus to illustrate my point. Let’s start by taking a look at this photo of a young and impressionable 21-year-old Alexandra, who looks to be enjoying a beverage on the roof of the Standard Hotel (intern hotspot circa 2015).

This photo was taken the summer before my senior year of college, when I was living at home with my parents in Brooklyn and spending my days working amongst high-schoolers at Brandy Melville (stories for a different day). At first glance, you might think, “Oh, that’s sort of cute, it’s not that bad!” Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. Here’s why:

Looking at this now with the gift of wisdom and hindsight, this reads as an outfit that was put together by someone lacking any sort of personal style or perspective. I look like someone who walked into Brandy Melville, picked out a couple of things that seemed to go together, and put them on—and honestly, that is probably exactly what happened. Anyone could have put together the exact same thing, and that, my friends, makes it boring. There are no elements of individuality. The top and skirt match almost too well. The pieces themselves aren’t BAD necessarily, but it doesn’t feel like me. It feels generic and unoriginal, and is therefore, sauce-less.

Now, let’s take a look at this more recent photo. Excuse the floppiness, I was on vacation and 3 margaritas deep, okay?!

This is something I threw together on a recent trip to Puerto Rico. While seemingly similar to the first, this outfit is made up of 100% vintage or secondhand pieces that I’ve thoughtfully added to my closet over the years. I didn’t buy them because they were trending or to recreate something I saw online, I bought them because I liked them and they fit in with the rest of my wardrobe. Most importantly, they look and feel like my clothes.

This outfit has the right amount of friction. The pieces don’t go together perfectly, instead they compliment each other in a way that works. The black bra under the floral silk top creates dimension, and the stark white linen skirt plays with different textures. This outfit (especially compared to the first) feels lived-in, and that’s because it is. It feels effortless in a way that doesn’t look like I was trying too hard to create (or recreate) something “perfect.” Looking like you’re wearing your clothes, and not the other way around, is key. Don’t just put something together that you think looks “right,” put something together that feels like YOU.

Moving on…

These days, you can open up TikTok or Instagram or Pinterest at any time and be inundated with fashion content about what the “cool girls” are wearing, what new things to buy, or what is currently trending. Using social media for inspiration is totally fine (I do it too), but the issue is that most people take it a step further. They see these photos or videos and immediately add everything to their carts—or worse, the Shein dupes.

This is sad to me for two reasons: 1. It removes any individuality whatsoever from your outfit and 2. It lacks critical thinking. It has become so easy to consume (Link in bio! TikTok shop! Amazon favorites!), that we don’t actually THINK anymore about WHY we like something. What is it exactly about those shorts that you like? Why are you drawn to that specific dress?

More often than not, I find that when you consume fashion in the context of social media, it’s not actually the outfit that you love, but rather, a particular element of it that is speaking to your individual style. When you do the work to understand what those elements are, that is when you start to build a wardrobe that is singularly and only yours.

Trial and error is important. Trying things in different ways gives you perspective. It allows you to understand why you like that one pair of jeans with a certain shirt, but not the other, arguably identical pair. It helps you figure out what you feel most comfortable in and what falls short. In order to put together an outfit that has sauce, you have to really know and love your clothes inside and out. Which also means *ding ding* not rushing to buy something every time you pin a new photo on Pinterest.

Admittedly, I think a large part of it is getting older and better understanding who you are. You couldn’t pay me to be in my early 20s again, and not just because of my sauce-less wardrobe. I was constantly concerned about how I was being perceived that there was no room for any exploration or discovery with the way I dressed. Once you release the shackles of caring what people think about you and start dressing for yourself, you’ll be surprised at how much more sauce you have, almost instantaneously.

Play dress up with your clothes! See what you can come up with, have fun with it. Find joy in the process of getting dressed. Start paying attention to what you like and what you don’t, and the things that make you feel most confident. Sauce comes from living in your clothes, so, go out and live in them!