Another 10×10 Challenge is in the books!
Find the previous Spring 10x10 posts here: Preview | 1-3 | 4-6 | 7-10
I wanted to share my thoughts on the Spring 10×10 with you after I’ve had a little time to mull it over.
On the agenda today is a look at all ten outfits, my favorite and least-favorite looks, and three bonus combos. Plus, I’ll also touch on why this is my last 10×10 Challenge.
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Before we get started, here are the ten items I chose for the Spring 10×10 (I needed a refresher as well; after all, it’s been two weeks!):
SPRING 10×10 GARMENTS
1. Black Silk Tee*
2. Blush Pima Tee
3. Natural Linen Tee*
4. Silk High-Low Tunic
5. Grey Blazer*
6. Black Slim Pants*
7. Blue Skinny Jeans*
8. Sleeveless Shirtdress*
9. Black Leather Loafers*
10. Sand Nubuck Mules [save 20% with code WAYWARD20]
*this item is no longer available and a similar product is linked
SPRING 10×10 OUTFITS
And here are the ten outfits I selected for the ten days (you can see them in more detail here); though there are similarities, there are no exact repeats:
SPRING 10×10 FAVORITE LOOKS
It wasn’t tough for me to pick out my favorite looks; these are the ones I felt most comfortable in and most like me. I don’t think there was anything particularly earth-shattering, but most days I don’t need my world to be shattered. I was pleasantly surprised to see that nine of the ten pieces make an appearance in my four favorite looks.
The one piece missing? The black shirtdress. It’s not my favorite black dress hanging in my closet, but I plan to alter it slightly and I hope I’ll like the way it fits better. If not, it will likely depart my closet for a better home. Here are the four looks I loved the most, and am most likely to repeat at another time:
SPRING 10×10 LEAST-FAVORITE LOOKS
It also wasn’t tough to choose the outfits I didn’t feel good in; the ones that left me feeling bulky and frumpy and not confident. In hindsight, I shouldn’t be surprised that all of these outfits involved my black shirtdress, but I hoped that it would be a success at least once or twice. Perhaps it’s not the most versatile item in my closet, and I should have opted for the same dress I chose in my Fall/Winter 10x10s. Live and learn, right?
Here are three looks that I least enjoyed wearing:
SPRING 10×10 BONUS LOOKS
I tried these out in my head before actually trying them on – and they just didn’t work on my body type. I love the look of flowy, artsy layers, but it just doesn’t do anything for my pear shape. Though they didn’t make the cut, I’m still glad I gave these looks a shot:
SPRING 10×10 “BONUS” LOOKS
I’m extremely grateful for Michael’s patience during these 10×10 challenges; there’s not really much for him to gain from taking all of these photos and he does a fair amount of waiting around while I change clothes. I guess he found some enjoyment in them, as evidenced by all of the snickering I heard from him one evening while hunched over his laptop:
SPRING 10×10 REFLECTIONS
This 10×10 Challenge went by much faster than the previous two I completed. Because I assembled and shot all outfits in advance, there was very little “stress” while getting ready each day. I ended up saving about five minutes each morning since I was no longer taking things out of my closet, changing my mind, and re-hanging them up to grab another item. That being said, I learned that while some structure can be great for me mentally, too much rigidity is not. Toward the end of the challenge I began to feel a little resentment toward wearing the outfit I’d picked out a week prior. Thankfully, laundry was never an issue during the Challenge; wearing a camisole under every top really helped to prevent the need to wash my items, though, at the end of the challenge, everything went in the hamper. I don’t think any of these garments could go another day!
The biggest challenge I faced was one I created for myself: shooting outdoors in public areas in my city. Michael and I shot the Fall/Winter 10x10s in our house and sought a little novelty for this one. We brainstormed locations in town that would be good backdrops for outfit shots, which wasn’t terribly difficult given the up-and-coming art scene here. The hardest part was shooting in broad daylight with lots of people around, and the fact that they could be people I knew (who might then walk up and ask what in the hell we are doing – I should probably point out that we haven’t told anyone we know about this blog).
The idea of appearing vain enough to drag my boyfriend into streets and down alleyways to take photos of me made me incredibly uncomfortable. I think I would feel a little more at ease in a city where I don’t know anyone, but I don’t think it will ever feel natural to me.
An internal struggle ignited on the last day of the Challenge when I decided that I felt unhappy in my tenth outfit, and I chose not to wear it. I simply figured that it wasn’t worth me feeling uncomfortable in my clothes. There’s so much more going on in this world that I should be worrying about – and not this. To me, the best outfit is one that makes you feel good as you are getting ready, and that you promptly forget when you walk out of the door because it feels so naturally you.
WHY THIS IS MY LAST 10×10
I’m not really finding new combinations within my current closet. I’m still using the same formulas that work for my day-to-day life, surroundings, and body type – and that’s okay. I’m still slowly building my closet to where I want it to be, and if that involves new shapes and styles, I can experiment with them on my own time.
I already practice similar mini-capsules when I travel – when I’m home I want to have full access to my stuff. Though I’m confined to a specific space, and not a number, I already practice a similar “challenge” when I travel. I appreciate having a small-ish closet at home, and it doesn’t make sense for me to restrict myself further when I don’t really need to.
It takes a lot of time and a lot of blog space. I want to spend more time focusing on travel here at wayward. Don’t get me wrong – I love clothing and style, but this isn’t a fashion blog. Travel is my first passion, and what I want to spend most of my time doing and writing about. I’ll still share packing lists from each trip, so clothing and outfits will always be a part of this blog, but the primary focus is the destination.
Though this is my last challenge, I still plan to tune in to the feed for future 10x10s. And again, thanks for hosting and bringing a community together from all parts of the world, Lee, Caroline, and Liz!
Now that we’ve had time to think it over, how are you feeling about the Spring 10×10?
I’m looking forward to getting back to travel (in fact – that’s what we’re doing this weekend!); see you Monday!
