Those of you following this blog probably remember that I started this 10 x 10 Challenge because of a friend who reached out to me. My friend, Eowyn, also did the challenge with me throughout those two weeks.

A quick note about Eowyn: she came to me about a year ago saying that it was impossible for her to find professional clothes she liked and could afford. We went to the thrift store, and found her a whole wardrobe that day. Since then I’ve seen her make many fashion choices that are brave and inspiring. When she reached out to me to do this challenge I was so nervous – but also very excited. I wanted to see what she calls “Closet by Carley” in action. I wanted to see how she wore all the lovely pieces we painstakingly chose together. But mostly I wanted to see her in the clothes that had been making her so happy.

What follows are Eowyn’s thoughts on the challenge, edited only for clarity.

“Generally speaking, I identify as a minimalist. I find that limited items prevents me from getting overwhelmed, keeps my budget generally managed, and also I see minimalism as a way to reduce waste. So when I first stumbled across the 10 x 10 Challenge and the idea of capsule wardrobes, this seemed a natural fit for me.

In the past 10 years, I’ve tended toward mix and match clothing featuring solids and simplicity. This has been a huge advantage when traveling as well, as I usually only need what appears to be an overnight bag even for two to three weeks of travelling – except that one time that customs was suspicious of my limited baggage.

That being said, I wanted to try this challenge for different reasons. I wanted to stretch outside my comfort zone in some big ways:

• Patterns
• Modern and more “trendy” fashion
• Brighter colours
• Using layering as more than just temperature regulation

With all this in mind, I set to my choices (pictured above):

• orange jumper (Amazon)
• lavender tank dress (Amazon)
• red leather jacket (Thrifted; added week two when I realized the relentless nature of the rain and unlikely use of a sheer mauve top)
• high-waisted white pants with leopard and cactus print (Thrifted)
• coral and navy striped tan cardigan (hand me down from Carley)
• turqoise velvet jeans (Thrifted; added week two when it was apparent that I wasn’t going to wear those cute strappy sandals I just bought)
• black and white crop top (Thrifted)
• light blue denim tank (Thrifted)
• navy blue ruffled tank (Thrifted)
• black lace-less oxford heels (Thrifted)

Thus my weekly wardrobe choices were significantly simplified to the following:

— What I Learned —

• Fashion is something I have always thought of as unnecessary and beyond me a little, but I really appreciated dressing intentionally.
• The last day (bottom left, second picture set) I wore things that layered pretty much for pragmatism only and I found this to be my least favorite outfit. I discovered my go-to fashion is frankly quite boring.
• Layers! I truly enjoyed layering with the jumper and dress (such as with the jeans) over the articles to shape them into a top or bottom instead of a whole outfit piece, even adding depth to the jumper by layering items beneath the jumper. I will definitely be doing this more.
• Accessories – you can reach change a #lewk by having a cute hat, belt, or scarf. I do this well in the winter when it’s cold, but I should do it more in other seasons.
• Sensory issues – I have sensory issues with clothing. The length, the feel, the weight can all be problems. Layering items definitely allowed me to compensate for some of those things in new ways.
• Minimalism doesn’t have to be boring. When wearing my typical tank/jeans/shawl, I was bored by cozy. Yet I was able to make new outfits every other day that honestly piqued my mood and made me excited.
• Pattern mixing – this is still hard for me. I really wanted to wear the leopard pants with the black and white top, but I just didn’t have it in me to be so loud. I settled for the panted under the dress to act as leggings and still this was a lot for me. But I would do it again. I found that patterns really spiced up an outfit to create interesting ensembles.

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— Some Additional Thoughts Worth Considering —

• Fashion is a privilege – I think it is worth noting that everything in my wardrobe was thrifted, gifted, or less than $15. A long history of limited funds is a large portion of why I have always felt fashion unattainable and thus not worth exploring. This challenge really highlighted the ways in which income affected my fashion and I suddenly understand how certain brands can deeply alter a person’s sense of self. That being said, I think it’s important to note that it can be done. Knowing how to look for brands in the thrift store (and show a lot of patience) has single-handedly provided me with a professional wardrobe I wouldn’t otherwise have had access to.
• Minimalism still works for me – I am all about the minimalist wardrobe. I love having a few items that I can blend together into interesting combinations. It’s practical, cheap, and requires a certain problem solving attitude.”

A big thanks to Eowyn for taking the time to write up all these thoughts, and for allowing me to share them here with you.

Have you tried a 10 x 10 challenge yourself? Wanting to try one? Leave a comment below, I would love to hear about it.