Fall 10 x 10 Challenge

I have a small capsule wardrobe and enjoy wearing my favourite outfits on repeat. While I can get dressed in three minutes flat in an outfit that makes me feel great and ready to take on the day, I do have mornings where I feel rather dissatisfied with my options. With a closet of mostly neutrals, I sometimes crave colour; and with an abundance of somewhat androgynous pieces such as blazers, trousers and loafers, I can, at times, find myself wanting something more feminine or pretty.

After the success of this summer’s 10 x 10 Challenge, during which I discovered some new go-to outfits created from pieces I already owned, I was excited to participate in last month’s Fall 10 x 10 Challenge. Created by Lee Vosburgh of stylebee.ca, the 10 x 10 Challenge is an exercise in becoming more creative with your current closet by creating a microcapsule of 10 items that you style in different ways for 10 days. You can read more about the Style Bee 10 x 10 Challenge here.

Working with fewer items encouraged me to explore new outfit combinations and reminded me to shop my closet before buying anything new. Below are my 10 outfits; read on for details and reflections on my Fall 10 x 10 selections.

THE FALL 10 x 10 CHALLENGE REFLECTION & WEAR COUNT

Blazer |Everlane | Wear Count: 5/10 Days

Blazers are my number one closet staple. They make any outfit feel more smart and put together and are a great layering piece, especially for someone like me who is always cold. I really love Everlane’s oversized blazer as the longline fit works well with my tall frame and gives off an androgynous vibe that complements my overall wardrobe. While only included in two of the images above, I wore this blazer on several days of the 10 x 10 Challenge, often as outerwear on cooler autumn mornings.

Chelsea Boots |Frye* | Wear Count: 6/10 Days

I’ve worn these Frye Dara Chelsea boots rather relentlessly during the autumn and spring months since adding them to my wardrobe two years ago. Although not pictured in the photos above, I often threw on these boots when heading out the door and they paired perfectly with all of my Fall 10 x 10 looks. I especially like how they look quite effortless and cool when styled with slightly cropped pants. I wrote a review all about these boots in 2017 which you can check out here; since then, I’ve trekked several additional kilometres, but the boots still look just as great as on day one and are becoming more comfortable with every wear.

*I believe Frye has discontinued the Dara Chelsea boots, but they can still be found around the internet, including on Amazon. Frye’s newest version, the Melissa Chelsea boot, also looks like a lovely, well-made boot.

Denim Shirt |Everlane | Wear Count: 3/10 Days

This denim shirt has quickly become an all-season staple in my wardrobe. I love the oversized, boxy shape and how it’s so easy to wear on its own with jeans, layered under a sweater or as a jacket over a T-shirt. During the Fall 10 x 10, one of my favourite looks was wearing this shirt with the front tucked into jeans; I liked how this gave the shirt extra volume and created an interesting silhouette.

Black Jeans | Levi’s | Wear Count: 3/10 Days

My black 721 Levi’s high-waisted skinnies are quite possibly my most-worn jeans. They fit me perfectly and have just enough stretch to be super comfortable. As they offer this style with a range of inseam lengths, they are also long enough, which is difficult for me to find at slightly north of 5’10”.

Loafer Mules | Everlane | Wear Count: 10/10 Days

Loafers are my footwear of choice for both the office and weekends and Everlane’s loafers are my absolute favourite. They add the perfect amount of polish to an outfit and are also extremely comfortable. I also have a weakness for mules and shoe tassels, so you can imagine that it was love at first sight when I first set eyes on Everlane’s Tassel Loafer Mules. I wore these mules every day during the Fall 10 x 10 as my indoor shoes; when the weather wasn’t too cold, I also braved cold ankles and ventured outside for quick commutes between my car and the next building.

Tuxedo Shirt | Everlane* | Wear Count: 3/10 Days

I wear my white button-ups several days a week. They are just so classic and always make me feel confident and ready to take on the day. This tuxedo shirt style from Everlane adds a twist to the typical white shirt which makes it feel a little special. I also love the extra length, which makes it ideal for layering under longer sweaters. During the Fall 10 x 10, I really liked how this shirt looked paired with my blue skinny jeans as it was the perfect combination of “fancy” and casual.

*This tuxedo shirt from Everlane is no longer available, but I’ve linked Everlane’s Oversized Poplin Shirt above which has a similar long length and is something a little different from the typical button-up. 

Sweater | VETTA Capsule | 3/10 Days

The Oversized Sweater from VETTA is one of my newest wardrobe additions. As it has buttons as well as a detachable turtleneck, it can be worn several ways (as a sweater buttoned down the back, as a cardigan and as a turtleneck). As it’s like three sweaters in one, I almost felt like I was cheating by adding it to my Fall 10 x 10 selections. My favourite way to wear this sweater is with the buttons down the back, layered over a collared shirt; with some of the buttons undone, I adore how the shirt underneath peeks out, adding a little extra interest to an outfit. This sweater is hands-down one of my favourite wardrobe pieces as it’s just such a gem in terms of maximizing outfit possibilities in my rather small closet. Made of 99% organic cotton and knitted in the USA, it’s also a winner when it comes to sustainability and ethics. Looking forward to wearing this sweater for years to come!

Trousers | COS* |4/10 Days

My wool trousers, purchased two years ago from COS, are probably the item I wear to the office the most. As I’m tall, I have a very difficult time finding trousers that have the right fit, especially when it comes to length and proportions. I try to take really great care of these trousers and hope they’ll be in my wardrobe for many more seasons. During the Fall 10 x 10, I particularly liked pairing them with my cashmere cardigan for a classic all-black outfit.

*My wool trousers are an old style from COS. Above, I’ve linked a pair from the current COS collection if you’re looking for a similar look.

Blue Jeans | Levi’s* | 3/10 Days

I live in these 721 high-waisted skinnies on weekends. Like the 721 Levi’s black skinnies above, the fit is perfect and I would be happy to wear them every day. With countless washes, they are slowly beginning to show their age, so I recently picked up Everlane’s Authentic Stretch High-Rise Skinny jeans to give my beloved Levi’s a break; stay tuned for a future review of Everlane’s denim here on the blog.

*I bought these jeans several years ago and can’t recall the exact wash, but there are several current colour options on the Levi’s website.

Cardigan | COS* | 3/10 Days

My mom gifted me this cashmere cardigan about six years ago. It’s super soft and was one of my most-worn items for years. During the past few seasons, while editing and curating my wardrobe, I had been wearing this cardigan less and less. It just didn’t seem to fit with my newly-defined wardrobe and style. I decided to add it to my picks for the Fall 10 x 10 as I wanted to give it one more shot to see if I could  incorporate it into my current wardrobe. I’m so glad I did, as I’ve come out of the 10 x 10 Challenge with several new favourite outfits, most of which star this cardigan! I love wearing the cardigan on its own with high-waisted jeans; such an easy weekend look. Inspired by some scrolling on Pinterest, I also tried wearing this cardigan backwards with the V in the back. The slight dolman sleeves of this cardigan make it perfect to wear backwards and I adore how this look is elegant, feminine and slightly “dressed up”; I’m thinking about wearing this outfit to a holiday party this year with some heels.

*As mentioned, my cardigan was a gift several years ago, but linked above is a cardigan from COS which looks like a cozy classic. Sézane’s Gaspard jumper also looks lovely if you’re looking for something similar. If anyone has suggestions for cardigans from sustainable/ethical brands, I would love to hear about them; please add them to the comments below. 

FINAL THOUGHTS

As with the Summer 10 x 10 challenge, I enjoyed this exercise in discovering new outfit combinations using items that I already own. Having a small closet, I’ve noticed how much I love all of my wardrobe pieces and how comfortable I am wearing my favourites on repeat. I feel like I’ve slowly edited down my wardrobe to include only items that make me feel great and which are truly “my style.” The 10 x 10 Challenge is also an excellent option to explore those pieces in your wardrobe that you’re not ready to part with but for which you’re no longer reaching as often as you’d like. During this 10 x 10 Challenge, I was so pleased to rediscover a new love for my old cashmere cardigan and can’t wait to wear this piece more moving forward. I’ve let this be a reminder to me to shop my closet and reimagine existing pieces before buying new. After all, when it comes to creating a slow closet, using what you already own is the most sustainable option.

Thanks for reading and have a wonderful week!

M.