winter 10x10: recap + lessons
The winter 10x10 challenge is over! I have to be honest, I was ready to have full access to my closet by day seven. I had to make a few substitutions here and there but overall feel good about completing this season's 10x10. I was feeling uninspired by my wardrobe and this challenge definitely gave me a fresh appreciation for the pieces in my closet.
10 PIECES
drapey tee (thrifted)
thermal long sleeve (borrowed from Brandon) from Gap / similar women's style
turtleneck sweater from Madewell / other colors
boxy sweater from Madewell (on sale)
stripe mockneck tee (old) / similar
sweater dress from Madewell (on sale)
dark wash maternity denim from Motherhood / similar non-maternity
overalls by Madewell / this season's version / similar under $50
chelsea rain boots from Hunter
LESSONS
I started the winter 10x10 feeling stuck in a style rut. Not like the one that prompted me to join in last spring, this time a rut due in large part to my baby bump. I'd spent the better part of a year only wearing high rise denim with cropped or tucked in tops and had grown very fond of that silhouette. But as my bump's grown, I've had to experiment with wearing longer tops. It's been mostly fine but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had more than a few moments of complete frustration while getting dressed.
Pregnancy is weird that way! I'm not just talking hormones, but the way I see myself in my mind's eye hasn't caught up to what I see in the mirror. I can feel my baby kick and tumble and see my belly expand day to day, yet when I go to get dressed I still want to squeeze into my favorite overalls, even if they don't zip up anymore!
Doing this challenge weirdly helped me figure out what was missing in my maternity wardrobe. I think planning my outfits out in advance cleared out some brain bandwidth. And paying attention to how I felt while wearing the outfits I dreamed up while cozy in bed also helped me get clear on the silhouettes I'm drawn to right now.
And that's probably my biggest takeaway from this season's challenge. That and don't accidentally put your wool sweater in the dryer.
If you find yourself constantly scouring Pinterest or Instagram looking for outfit inspiration because you aren't digging your current clothes, I highly recommend doing your own 10x10 challenge. Plan some outfits that feel inspiring, replicate ones you keep pinning, and see how they feel. You might be surprised to find that your favorite outfits — the ones you feel most confident in — are the simpler ones. And maybe all you really needed was to play around with color combinations.
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