Another 10×10 Closet Challenge is officially on the books! I wore my last outfit over the weekend and I’m happy to be back in my whole closet!
A quick recap: a 10×10 is a style challenge created by my friend Lee over at Style Bee. It involves pulling ten items from your closet and wearing them exclusively for ten days, effectively building ten outfits. It’s a fabulous way to explore your personal style and stretch your creativity.
Reality.
My 10×10 sort of evolved into a 12×10. We hit some seriously cold weather that left me reaching for a sweater and boots to add to my mini-closet. I tried to hold off, but in the end it was just too cold! Looking back, I should have made sure to include more cold-weather items. I was faced with trying to wear cropped pants and clogs in 40-ish degree weather. I probably could have replaced my oxfords with ankle boots and one of my white tee’s with a pullover sweater. Overall I enjoyed my 10×10, but I started to feel a bit bored in the middle. I think it was due to the weather constraints, which precluded me from wearing some of the outfits I’d planned. I found the best part to be the pre-challenge brainstorm. That is when I felt most excited and invigorated.
My biggest takeaway from this 10×10 challenge was appreciating the rest of my closet. I have a new appreciation for boots that might be a season old, and sweaters that might be pilly and harder to style. I’m thankful to have access to lots of beautiful garments to wear to keep me warm!
Simplify, cont.
I feel a little bit overwhelmed when looking at my entire closet once again. (I had the door closed and all my 10×10 clothing on a rack during the challenge.) Fall is particularly hard for me because the layering options are many, from short sleeves and cardigans to long sleeves or pullovers. The weather can lend itself to mules and cropped pants, or full-length pants and boots. The fall possibilities go on for days!
My next goal is to get the bulk of my wardrobe into the Cladwell app to help me brainstorm outfits. It reminds me of going out to dinner. It’s always hard to pick a place out of the blue, but when someone suggests something, it either sounds really good, or suddenly the perfect alternative pops into my head. Using the app helps me avoid the blank stares at my closet.
Looks 6-10
6 | WEDNESDAY:
Wool-Blend Shirt (S), c/o Power of My People (use code SEASONS&SALT to save 20%!) | | Denim Jumpsuit, Reifhaus | Boots, Loeffer Randall, no longer available (similar) | Tirhas Saddle Bag, c/o FashionABLE
I felt pretty good about this combo and was quite cozy once I added the boots. The top is warm, but it is slightly on the bulky side for tucking under a jumpsuit. But I loved the overall look when the two pieces were put together.
Style Score: 8
7 | THURSDAY:
U Neck Tee, Everlane | Long Cardigan, c/o Vetta (use code: SEASONS for 10% off) | Jeans, Levi’s 505’s via Etsy | Oxfords, c/o Everlane | Bag (Similar)
I loved wearing these jeans over and over during this challenge. Consider me smitten! Worth the $15 I had to pay to get them taken in at the tailor. When it comes to jeans, they really don’t make them like they used to. I love that these are fitted but still totally loose and comfortable. No sausage legs here!
This cardigan is super sleek, and I love the long lines it presents. However, wearing a coat over it was a little tricky. It still peeked out from even my longest rain jacket. After fussing with it and trying different jackets, I decided to just roll with it and not overthink it.
I have a love-hate relationship with these shoes. I’m asked regularly if they are comfortable. And the answer is yes and no. I think they might be a half-size too small for me and that might be the root of some of my struggles. The leather is very sturdy and it squeezes my feet. I love the color and how rain-friendly these are so I’m going to see if I can break them in a little more.
Style Score: 8 // Just okay, not my favorite, but not bad either. Missing a third color element (like this scarf).
8 | FRIDAY:
British Tee, c/o Zappos | Wide Pants, Everlane | Clogs | Bag (Similar) | Jacket, Reformation
These pants are pretty drafty when combined with exposed ankles. Thankfully, I was indoors most of the day, but I got a stiff breeze around my legs when I wasn’t. This is the big reason why these pants only work in select weather for me, and I tend to favor Kamm pants instead (which have a longer inseam).
Style Score: 9 // I love the black and tan combo here, but feel like I could have used a necklace to round out the look.
9 | SATURDAY:
Sweater, old Everlane (similar) | Jeans, Levi’s 505’s via Etsy | Clogs | Bag, Cuyana
This day was so tricky for me. We had soccer in the morning, so I opted out of my 10×10 all together so I could wear boots and a big sweater to stay warm. We came home and I changed into this for awhile – adding the sweater for warmth – and then later I swapped the clogs for my tennis shoes for a little more warmth. Some days it takes me appox. 3,999 outfit changes to find exactly what I want to wear. I know I’ve hit the right one when I stop thinking about what I’m wearing once it’s on.
Style Score: 7 // Functional, but slightly boring. Looked cooler when sneakers were swapped in!
10 | SUNDAY:
Wool-Blend Shirt (S), c/o Power of My People (use code SEASONS&SALT to save 20%) Also love this one! | Jeans, Levi’s 505’s via Etsy | Clogs | Bag, (Similar) | Jacket, Reformation | Necklace, Pursuits of Happiness
Another day of changing until I hit the right spot. Turns out I ended up with a ‘repeat’ outfit. At first I felt like I was letting you guys down by repeating a look in this 10×10 but, the reality is, this is just what I wanted to wear. I decided to prioritize feeling good in what I’m wearing over making a new outfit just to wear something different. A great reminder that there’s no shame in being an outfit repeater!
Style Score: 9.5
Overall my looks weren’t as ‘exciting’ as I had planned on them being. But, on many days, I just wanted to be comfortable and dress simply (which is my favorite way to dress!).
Did you do a 10×10? I’d love to hear how it went! And if you are looking for more closet challenge action, I’ve included a few links from some fabulous ladies down below! Feel free to add your link in the comments.
Further 10×10 Reading:
Style This Life
Un-Fancy
Style Bee
Capsule Closet
Truncation
This Mom’s Gonna Snap
Wayward Blog
The Lovely Laura Life
The Thoughtful Closet
This post is not sponsored but it does contain affiliate links. Thank you for shopping via Seasons + Salt and making this blog possible!
I know exactly what you mean when you say you know you’ve found a good outfit when you stop thinking about it while you’re wearing it. I’m in the process of trying to get everything in my closet to that point! Also, I love all these outfits. Your style is so effortless yet unique. I’m a fan!!
Thank you Katie for the kind words! I think the most helpful thing in getting me to the ‘not thinking about it’ point is formulas! Simple schemes I repeat when getting dressed: loose (vintage) jeans + fitted tops – or – slim fit jeans + generous-sized tops.
I also have the Everlane blush oxfords and was in the same boat of the love/hate situation until I had them stretched at the cobbler. That gave them the little extra length needed without sizing up. In my case I knew if I sized up to a nine they would feel too big but 8.5 plus a little stretching did the trick.
Thank you for this Ellie. I am going to try and get them to the cobbler this week!
I think you look great in jeans+shirt+layer! Sometimes simpler is better. I really appreciate you noting that you enjoy the beginning of the process – the planning. If I plan an activity but the execution fails or doesn’t go how I want, I consider that a failure. But I shouldn’t! The planning is also part of the process and I want to appreciate that more. Thanks for the food for thought!
Yes, right back at you! That is good food for thought. I didn’t quite think of it like that, but you’re totally right.
Hooray for simple dressing! I love all of these outfits. I’m jealous of your too-cold weather because I am OVER the heat in LA. And thank you for the shoutout!
Well, we can swap places in January when I’m going bonkers from the rain. ><
Aww, thank you for the mention! I’m definitely learning a lot about my style by doing this (and what gaps are in my closet).
I especially love your looks with your leather jacket. I can’t wait until I can break mine out! You’ve definitely inspired me to style it with colors other than black.
Yay, that’s so awesome! It’s been fun following along with your outfits Krystal!
Today is my last day and it just became an 11 x 10! Haha! (It was 37 degrees out this morning!) I decided to not guilt myself over “cheating” and pulled for my cashmere sweater for the sake of being warm — and not pulling on every top layer I included in my 10 x 10 over one another. Lol. (Although I kind of want to see what that would have looked like now…?) As always, I love all of these looks Andrea. : )
Totally, I started to go the guilt route at first, and then, I steered myself away from being such a hardcore rule follower. It made for a much better experience. :) Thanks Laura! Loving your looks too!!
Shoot! I mean 12×10 too!
So good to back to the full closet indeed! It’s a tough challenge to deal with weather changes with only 10 items… Also, last look is the bomb!
– X Marloes
Thanks Marloes!! I’ve been enjoying your looks so much! And I know we can probably always relate to each others’ weather. ;) And… thinking of you because my daughter has a dutch girl in her class this year! They literally just moved over from the NL, and the two girlies are fast friends despite the language barrier. So sweet!
I do love these challenges for what they do for the rest of my clothing… suddenly the rest of my closet becomes exciting! If nothing else is accomplished, that’s a huge win in my eyes. Also, I giggled a bit when you talked about the coldness of 40 degree weather. It was 45 here the other day and half of the people I ran into at story time were still wearing summer dresses and shorts. I guess we’re called hearty Minnesotans for a reason (though I’m a bit of a cold weather baby :) )
Oh, that’s too funny!! I will say, I’ve heard people say it feels colder here because the air is always damp from the rain. Not sure if that’s possible though??