Outfit vs. Aufzug
Both Outfit and Aufzug refer to a set of clothes worn by a person, but they carry very different emotional tones. While Outfit is a neutral or positive term used to describe everyday fashion, Aufzug is almost exclusively used negatively to describe a ridiculous, inappropriate, or bizarre set of clothes.
Outfit
The word Outfit is a direct loanword from English and is used to describe a set of clothes in a neutral, positive, or fashionable context. It is the standard, everyday term for what someone is wearing and emphasizes the stylistic choice or coordination of the garments.
Sie trug ein sehr elegantes Outfit für das Vorstellungsgespräch.
(She wore a very elegant outfit for the job interview.)
Sein neues Outfit besteht aus einer blauen Jeans und einem weißen Hemd.
(His new outfit consists of blue jeans and a white shirt.)
Ich muss noch ein passendes Outfit für die Hochzeit meiner Schwester finden.
(I still need to find a suitable outfit for my sister's wedding.)
Die Sängerin wechselte ihr Outfit dreimal während des Konzerts.
(The singer changed her outfit three times during the concert.)
Für das Training im Fitnessstudio ist ein bequemes Outfit extrem wichtig.
(A comfortable outfit is extremely important for working out at the gym.)
Aufzug
In the context of clothing, the word Aufzug translates best to the English word getup and always carries a negative, derogatory, or astonished connotation. It implies that the set of clothes is highly inappropriate, bizarre, ridiculous, or visually offensive.
In diesem lächerlichen Aufzug kannst du unmöglich zur Beerdigung gehen.
(You cannot possibly go to the funeral in this ridiculous getup.)
Was ist denn das für ein seltsamer Aufzug, den er heute trägt?
(What kind of strange getup is that he is wearing today?)
Mit ihrem bunten Aufzug zog sie alle Blicke auf der Straße auf sich.
(With her colorful getup, she drew everyone's attention on the street.)
Mein Vater lachte laut, als er mich in meinem Halloween-Aufzug sah.
(My father laughed out loud when he saw me in my Halloween getup.)
Sie wurde wegen ihres unangemessenen Aufzugs nicht in das vornehme Restaurant gelassen.
(She was not allowed into the fancy restaurant because of her inappropriate getup.)
Summary
In short, use Outfit when talking about fashion or everyday clothing choices in a neutral or complimentary way. Reserve Aufzug for moments when you want to criticize someone's clothes as being inappropriate, weird, or funny, much like calling it a bizarre getup.