Questions answered: my first 10×10 challenge

Ok, crash course for anyone who doesn’t know: the 10×10 Style Challenge was created by Lee Vosburgh (@leevosburgh) as a way to get a taste of capsule wardrobe life and embrace slower fashion. You choose 10 items of clothing for 10 days, wearing them in different combinations to keep it fresh.

Trying it for the first time, I expected to be challenged by it (you know, it’s in the name), and to fall back in love with my wardrobe.

What I didn’t expect? The dissipation of wardrobe anxiety. It just…slowly dissolved away. The self-doubt turned into excitement, looking forward to working with my favourite pieces in different ways.

I didn’t expect a resurgence of confidence and self-assurance. I didn’t expect a sense of radical simplicity and slower living.

If you ask anyone who knows me, they’d say I function at a permanently hyper-speed frequency. I feel better when I can get things done. I get excited and talk fast. I’m a passionate snowflake. So I’ve never felt like I could use the label ‘slow living’ in my life, even though that’s what I’ve been working towards for so long.

The 10×10 challenge gave me both joy and calm peace at what I was wearing each day. And anticipation at the next 10 pieces I’d try, and fall in love with over again.

I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t talk about the good, the bad and the ugly, so here goes:

Plan the order of your outfits intelligently. With only 10 items, having clean clothes becomes a BIIIIIT of a challenge. Like when I realized I was wearing the same shirt two days in a row, in different layering combinations…maybe not the ~freshest~ vibe.

I’ve also realized a few things about why I wear and don’t wear some items in my closet. The great black skirt I found in a thrift store, that felt right but just slightly off? Paying such close attention to how I styled it multiple ways made me realize that it needs to be hemmed just a LITTLE bit shorter to work with my height and style. Hot damn. I would have never realized that had I not just spent days focused on it.

Because when you have a giant closet, you’re not going to think twice about WHY you’re not wearing it, you’re just going to move on to the next thing.

You also have to be prepared to discover items that maybe AREN’T the best for your wardrobe. You’ll find out why you haven’t really been wearing that sweater. Or the limits of one particular piece. Or the value of how versatile another one is. The grey sweater I know has potential, but I never wear? I get it now. I didn’t understand what to pair it with, because the v-neck is higher cut than I’m used to, and I found myself permanently adjusting throughout the day – unless layered with a button-up top where it became a subtle detail instead of a main feature.

Ultimately, my first 10×10 has left me feeling curious. Challenged. Peaceful. And for the first time in my life, more slow and intentional.

I mean, it’s a TON more work actually taking photos of everything and sharing with you all, but the process of planning combining pieces is super fun and something I look forward to.

Any questions? Always happy to answer below. P.S. catch all of the 10 looks on my Instagram @petraalexandra.

xo
Petraalexandra