One of my favorite bloggers Lee Vosburgh of Stylebee.ca frequently hosts a "10x10 Challenge" in which she invites her readers to mix and match 10 items for 10 different outfits across 10 days. I've always followed these challenges and have found some amazingly inspiring women and wardrobes as a result but I've never participated - until now.
This year, in an effort to continually challenge my creativity I'm participating in the challenge and sharing my outfits every day (or close to it!) on Instagram and in today's post I'm outlining the pieces I've chosen and why.
Along with details on each piece including how long it's been in my wardrobe and roughly how much I paid, I am also sharing my reasoning behind including it in this challenge. Ultimately, many of these reasons won't come as a surprise because many of these items are my tried and true wardrobe staples that I have waxed poetic about countless times before.
THE PIECES I CHOSE & WHY
- BLACK V-NECK CASHMERE SWEATER | everlane | gifted | retails for $100 | First up is my current go-to sweater. This beautiful v-neck was recently gifted to me by Everlane and I couldn't be happier with it. If you've been following me for a while then you know how much I love cashmere and Everlane's pieces are some of the best around. Each sweater is beautifully constructed, ethically sourced and incredibly soft. Even though I quite a few cashmere sweaters in my winter capsule - a navy crewneck, black crewneck, black turtleneck, ivory turtleneck & ivory crewneck - I selected the v-neck for this challenge because I've been loving the more open neckline and wanted an alternative silhouette to my crewneck tee.
- BALLET FLATS | Chanel | Purchased for $300 at a second hand shop in Paris | size 36.5 - I love these shoes and found them unworn at a lovely little second hand shop in Pairs - the week Jason and I got engaged so as you can imagine, they are one of my most treasured possession! Even though they're finally starting to show their age I will likely keep them forever and wear them far too often to not include them in this challenge. I have them in my usual size and I find them to be some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever owned.
- WHITE BUTTON DOWN | BROOKS BROTHERS | $98 BUT YOU CAN GET THEM ON SALE | SIZE 2 - I've owned and loved this shirt for about 5 years now and with proper care it still looks great! I love the versatility of a crisp white button down and for me it's an absolute wardrobe staple so it was a no-brainer to include it in this challenge.
- GIRLFRIEND JEANS | LEVI'S | $60 | SIZE 24 - Because I work from home, I'm lucky enough to be able to wear jeans whenever I want and I wear this pair by Levi's constantly, so naturally I had to include them. I picked them up years ago when they were first released and absolutely love everything about them from the slim cut to the color. At the time that I purchased them though, I found that they ran very big so definitely double-check your measurements against the jeans if you're interested in picking them up. I typically wear a size 26 in jeans and needed to size all the way down to a 24. Once I found my size though they were perfect. I also find the length to be just right for my 5'4" frame.
- STRIPED BOATNECK TEE | J.CREW / $29.50 / SIZE S - A striped tee is an essential that I wear year-round and this black and white, 3/4 sleeve one from J.Crew is a favorite. I've had this little tee for over a year now and it's just as lovely now as it was the day I bought it. I love the slim cut, lightweight cotton and flattering length and find that it makes a wonderful piece for layering. Thanks to it's endless layering possibilities it was an obvious inclusion for this challenge. Plus, I can easily pair it with any of the bottoms I've selected as well.
- BLACK ANKLE BOOTS | MARC FISHER "YALE" BOOTS | $179 | SIZE 6.5 - The other pair of shoes that I selected are my go-to black ankle boots from Marc Fisher. I love these boots for their comfort and versatility and love how easily I can wear them with most of the items in my wardrobe. Plus, I find that they're just the right shoe for keeping me warm but not too warm during the colder months here in Charleston.
- BLACK SILK SHIRT | EVERLANE| $88 | SIZE: XXS - One of my favorite tips for getting dressed in the morning is to mix different textures and materials for a high-low feel so when I set out to select my winter 10x10 pieces I knew I wanted to include a silk shirt. I ultimately chose this black option from Everlane because I love how it drapes loosely on my body and the silhouette looks lovely with all of my bottoms and shoes.
- SLIM, MID-RISE ANKLE JEANS | EVERLANE | $68 | SIZE 26 - Next up is a new item to my wardrobe. The Everlane mid-rise ankle crop jeans in the medium wash are perfection and I've worn them constantly since I got them so they were an obvious inclusion. After reading countless reviews online I picked up my usual jean size 26. All-in-all, I think they fit beautifully and the ankle crop is the perfect length for my 5'4" frame. Also, the mid-rise is ideal for a shorter frame like mine and I love how they appear almost high-rise on me - they come up to just under my belly button and do a beautiful job of cinching me in. If I had to pick one criticism, it would be that they seem to loose their shape slightly quicker than I'd like and become a little loose (thanks to the 100% cotton/2% spandex composition). If I could do it over I may size down.
- SLIM-FIT BLACK CREWNECK TEE | J.CREW | $32 | SIZE XXS - Another crucial layering piece for me is a slim-fit tee and this black one from J.Crew is a personal favorite. I've had this top forever and it hasn't lost it's shape, is still true black and fits me perfectly. Like most J.Crew items though, I find that their vanity sizing is a bit extreme so I have this in a size xxs which is closer to a true size small - slim but not skin tight.
- BLACK PANTS | H&M | VERY OLD | SIZE 4 - Last but not least, I had to include my favorite black pants from H&M. I picked these us when I was living in the city and have worn them constantly since. I love how easily they can be dressed up or down and the elastic waist looks put-together but is just as comfortable as a pair of sweats. Their versatility combined with their comfort made them an obvious selection for this challenge.
And that's everything! Those are the 10 items I've selected or this season's #winter10x10 challenge. I'm so excited to test my creativity and see if I can come up with any new and exciting ways to combine some old favorites and I can't wait to share the final looks with you. Until then, thanks so much for stopping by!
