10x 10 Style Challenge

       We all know how much I love clothes- if there was an alternative name to this blog it might be "I Love Clothes"! Not just any clothes but clothing made to last with intention and integrity- items that stand the test of time, fads and trends- so no fast fashion here friends. Much of my closet consists of handmade items or things that I have saved up for and then proceeded to wear for many many years- I would rather spend my time in the garden that in the mall.

     Since moving back to the Okanagan however my closet has felt a little flat- I just do not wear half of what I did in the city. Much of my city wardrobe looks like I stole it from Tia Russel ala the petulant niece in Uncle Buck- if you are under 20 and reading this reference *might* be retro enough to make sense. At any rate I have been feeling a lack of direction in my day to day accoutrement and so when the seasonal 10 x 10 Style Challenge popped up I thought this might be just the ticket!

     What is the 10 x 10 challenge you may ask- consider your entire closet- including shoes and outer wear- now pick 10 things and wear them for 10 days. First of all you will literally be the only one who even notices- no one else cares what you are wearing. Second of all you will carefully consider your level of entitlement- that a capsule wardrobe is even in your wheelhouse. You just used the word wheelhouse. 

    Creating a capsule wardrobe is an incredibly entitled exercise in living- the fact that you (and I mean me) even have time to worry about your clothes means you have less pressing things to worry about- like feeding your kids. Clearly capsule wardrobes are for bored housewives- but they aren't- not really. So after carefully examining my status in society and use of second person prefix I now explain.

    Right now when I look in my closet it is filled with a few favourite pieces of clothing and guilt- a lot of guilt. That guilt looks a lot like clothes I own and never wear- and when I imagine future Sharilyn she isn't wearing any of those clothes. My idea is that after going for 10 days wearing my favourite most comfortable items of clothing I will be able to let some things go. This might be the same thing I do to my kid's school projects- hide them in the closet for a week and if no one notices throw them out.

    While I won't be throwing away perfectly good clothing I will most likely pass a few things on to friends I know will love them- I will likely cut some things down into Spring outfits for my daughter- and I might dip my toe into consigning at a local store. I will not send these textiles out into the great void of second hand clothing- I will recyle responsibly.

    What made the cut you might be asking? Well obviously my new Veronika Cardigan that I just finished knitting and wear all the time- this is SO me! My old standby Eileen Fisher jeans- I love this company- did you know E.F. has a sister site that sells gently used E.F. goods? Love it! I have a self drafted peplum top I sewed last fall and lived in all winter and my trusty Elizabeth Suzann- Harper tunic- I wear this probably twice a week already.  Plus of coarse my Rains rain jacket- Hunter boots and white Converse sneakers- yeah I'm a bit basic!

    If you made it this far and are still reading yipppeee! You can follow along with the fun over on good old Instagram. If you want all the deets and to possibly consider your own 10 x 10 Style Challenge you can check out the brains behind the movement over on Style Bee. So ultimately as much fun as I am poking at the idea of a capsule or minimalist wardrobe I really admire people who live with less- I aspire to live with less- and to do so stylishly.  What I hope to get out of the next ten days is some freedom from that guilt hanging in my closet- I think it's time to let go- I'm ready!