10x10 Lessons Learned

What I wore:

1. Summer oxfords (used, ebay) 10x
2. black floral maxi tank dress (1990's vintage, thrifted + mended) 2x
3. white Sorbetto tank (memade) 2x
4. blush pink linen cardigan (thrifted + mended) 6x
5. navy cotton cardigan (thrifted) 3x
6. pale blue linen Peppermint peplum tank (memade) 2x
7. moon phase Gypsum skirt (memade) 2x
8. copper paisley Gypsum skirt (memade) 4x
9. blush pink v-neck short sleeve tee (thrifted and mended) 3x
10. WILDCARD - silk/rayon Metamorphic dress (memade), chosen Day 6.  2x

Day 1: Blush tee + cardi, copper Gypsum skirt

Day 2: Black floral maxi + blush cardi

Day 3: blue Peppermint peplum tank, navy cardi, moonphase Gypsum skirt

Day 4: white Sorbetto tank, blush cardi, copper Gypsum skirt

(did laundry)  NOTE: I messed up my flat lay here with the navy cardi. 

Day 5: black floral maxi over blush tee with blush cardi (cardi not pictured)

Day 6: green silk side of the Metamorphic dress with navy cardigan

Day 7: copper paisley Gypsum skirt, pale blue linen peplum tank, blush pink cardi (not pictured)

Day 8: navy cardi, white Sorbetto, moonphase Gypsum skirt

Day 9: aubergine rayon side of Metamorphic dress with blush pink cardigan

Day 10: blush tee and copper paisley skirt (with burgundy lace bralette for different look)

NOTE - I didn't wear the cardi on the last day - it was too hot!

Due to very unhealthy air conditions, I didn't get outside and get action shots of my outfits everyday.  I only captured a few on Instagram.  The disposable N95 masks are not the greatest fashion accessory.

Only slightly more fashionable, but way more comfortable is the Vogmask.  I got a cheetah print one, it's reusable N99 with a charcoal layer too, for ozone.  It really sucks that this is a good investment - but it is because some of the fires closest to us are not estimated to be contained until Halloween and that would really add up with the 3M respirator ones. 

So - my photos are weak, but my lessons learned were great.  I wore all my pieces more than once and never in exactly the same way.  I really struggled at times with this challenge and at other times, I felt I could go on much longer with my chosen 10. I had trouble with the heat - not as many interesting or creative layering combinations are possible when it's double digits... but I got into the flow after a couple of days. Part way through, I was having trouble coming up with new combinations and felt like giving up, but I weighed if a different outfit would really make a difference and I decided to press on. I was nervous I would be recognized as wearing the same stuff non-stop at work because I prefer bright and distinct colors/prints.  I think the folks who like jeans and neutrals would sneak under the radar undetected longer than I could.

Seriously - what's the big deal if you wear the same skirt twice in a work week? As long as your clothes are clean, who cares?

But actually - that brought me to another lesson/question of this challenge:  What is the environmental impact of a minimalist wardrobe where you have to wash your few clothes all the time?  I have read that laundering is a huge problem... so there are a lot of suggestions to wait longer between washes.  

And I tell you what?! - I'm pretty sure that, if you have 5 summer cardigans that you bought for less than $5 each at thrift stores and you are able to cycle them through so you only need to wash them every third or fourth time you wear them, you are probably having a smaller environmental impact than wearing the same sweater 6 times in 10 days and having to hustle together a small load of laundry to wash it and really, really wishing you could wash it a second time around day 8 but only having a tank top to make a whole load... so just going stinky-ish for the last couple days.

"not fully loading a washing machine has a higher impact on the environment than operating a fully loaded washing machine (per kg of garment washed)"

I confirmed that I certainly don't need as much as I have - but I truly enjoy and appreciate having more than the bare bones.  Inspired by the experience, I did a big clean out - of both my closet and my sewing scraps...  The reorg is going well - it's bringing favorite garments to the forefront of my closet for a more cohesive wardrobe and visible places for augmenting... and it also prompted me to organize my making supplies to be more efficient too. I was able to streamline my 4 tubs of various scraps and garments to be upcycled into three. In addition to eliminating a whole big bin of fabric bits,  I also got my remaining scraps sorted, with a bin for big yardage for muslins, a bin for garments to be upcycled, and a bin for little scraps for pocket lining, etc - all of my favorite little bits that I really adore and want to use till they vanish completely.  

Th extra scraps that were way too small or for which I didn't really see a good future were stuffed into this ottoman cover, along with a few old garments that weren't worth donating or fixing. I ordered this from eBay thinking it was actually a pillow, but it's just a pouf-shaped bag with a zipper bottom that is ideal for scrap collecting. 

I am going to donate this pouf to my church's library where we are creating a comfy lounge area to watch movies.  I already ordered another one so I can continue to save all my little fabric scraps over time and donate another ottoman pouf pillow.   You could make your own, or order one for about $15-20 on eBay or Amazon (depending on what color you like.)  I found that it was so much easier to round up my scraps when I had a place for them to go... so I would recommend either making a cover ahead of time or purchasing one and having it around to fill as you go, rather than trying to save up enough scraps before stuffing... even if it takes a long time, it's a pretty storage container as you are working on filling the pouf!

Besides the sustainability questions, the biggest lessons I learned came through thinking about the colors that I was wearing a lot and developing wardrobe basics around those colors that can start to tie more distinctive garments together into a wardrobe.  For instance, I had no idea that blush pink is so common through my wardrobe and a color I really enjoy wearing.

Navy, blush, copper, and white were the core of this 10x10 wardrobe.  I also incorporated some pale blue, green, deep plum/eggplant purple, and black. I love intense colors, but I also love how my wardrobe is evolving more cohesively - so I think I am going to continue to think carefully and deeply about color, but also enjoy a bigger make/thrift/mend wardrobe.