10x10 Clothing Challenge

 

 

I am constantly on the hunt for new methods of organization & simplification.  I really want to be a minimalist--but I love prints and variety and stuff!  So, it's a bit of a challenge. 

I recently came across the 10x 10 method of creating a capsule/ minimalist wardrobe and thought I'd give it a try.  I ended up with 13 items instead of 10, if you count my shoes, but it was still (I thought) a pretty solid little capsule.  One of the reasons I love doing exercises like this, is that it helps me to re-evaluate the items in my closet: what condition they are in, whether or not something fits with my style, what basics I have & what I am in need of.  Here are some of the things I learned:

 

**I made sure to include a variety of items for all the events that I could foresee in the month--or so I thought.  What I did NOT foresee, was the heatwave in mid-June.  I immediately found that my maxi-dress & my pants were too heavy & needed to be swapped out for a midi-dress & some shorts.  

**I also realized that I had only ONE pair of shorts in my closet.  So, naturally, I made myself a second pair.

 

That worked nicely & paired well with the shirts & tank top I had chosen.

**I also immediately found that I needed to soak & stain treat my t-shirt & my tank top.  How things got put away in that condition I don't know.  (Embarrassing.)  In addition, the tank top I had picked out was old & getting shabby, and has been replaced with this new-to-me thrifted tank from Chico's.

The new tank top is actually of a nicer fabric & can be styled a little more formally should such a thing be required (say, under a cardigan or some such for work), which is nice. 

**I wanted to incorporate some of the blouses that I had recently made but the only thing I could pair them with was the khaki pants and maybe the skirt.  I will have to make another, darker, plain A-line skirt.  Material has been ordered.  Patterns are being considered.

All in all, it really did help me to reassess what I have and what I use.  I also found it really easy to have a few staples out on my rack that I can turn to daily without thinking too much about it.  Even though I couldn't bring myself to layer dresses and skirts (not in 100degree CA weather), it never felt boring.  I think this is going to be especially helpful when the school year starts again and I'm back in the classroom.

 

For now, it's time to reassess my sewing projects & to pick a 10x10 for the rest of July.