Spring 10×10 Outfit 9

Hi, friends! Day 9 of the Spring 10×10 Challenge has arrived! Today not only am I sharing with you a simple and practical look I put together, but I’m also sharing with you a revelation about what “fashion” means to me (and how it has changed recently). A very how fascinating kind of moment in this challenge for sure! So let’s jump right into it, shall we?

On today’s agenda was an early morning class and a full day of work. I’ve got one more finals project to start/complete for next week, so it’s down to crunch time for me. I’m so ready for summer to be here! Anyone else?

At any rate, I was originally going to wear my white skirt today, but after looking at the rainy weather outside, I thought it would be almost impossible to keep it white for more than a few steps out the door. So jeans day again it was! It was also just one of those days that you know you’re going to want stretchy pants on…you know the ones I’m talking about ladies. Those days when you’ve got knots building up in your tummy and just need to go easy on your waist line. So my high-waisted skirt just wasn’t in the cards for today. And that’s ok! That’s a part of the reason I included these jeans in the mix is because they are a fail safe option for me on any given day when nothing else seems to work.

And a little candid honesty for you today, this morning was the first time during this challenge that I felt like I wanted my full closet back. I just wasn’t feeling it this morning with all the tummy trouble I was having. I so badly wanted to just throw on an oversized tee with jeans and call it a day. But when I set out to tackle this 10×10 Challenge, I knew that it wouldn’t be a breeze–what kind of challenge would that be? So I reminded myself of why I was doing this in the first place (to get creative with my style, to mix things up!, to use a limited number of pieces to do it, and to prove to myself that less really is more!). And after doing that, I felt more confident than ever that I should try to put something together that made me feel good with the 10 pieces I had picked for the challenge. And you know what? I was really happy with how this one turned out.

Just wanted to let you know that while putting together pieces in a fun, fashionable way is one thing… Actually wearing them and having them come together in a way that makes you feel comfortable and confident for whatever activities (or pains) come up in a day is something completely different. (And when you succeed at the latter, what a great feeling that is!) And it’s what makes this challenge so great for me. Honestly, I wanted to bring a little more practically back to the blog for both you and for me. Rather than just posting about pretty outfits, I wanted to write about things I actually wear on a daily basis and how I style them to fit my personality. Anyone can post pretty pictures with the right items. But only some can post outfits that are practical, attainable, and real. And that’s more of what I was striving for in this challenge. I’ve come to realize that fashion is less about the actual pieces you own and more about how you style and layer and accessorize the pieces you already have. What a concept, no?

Anyways…back to the outfit for today. And thanks for reading my little monologue if you did! 🙂 It’s a concept that’s been on my mind for a while now and something that this challenge has really forced me to put into words and action recently. (So thankful for this opportunity to challenge and change my concept of what “fashion” means.)

Since my tummy was on the fritz, I went easy on it and paired jeans with an easy blush pink tee, which unbelievably to me, I’ve only worn once in this challenge so far! I mentioned it before, but before this challenge started I was wearing this tee a minimum of one day a week, so I just figured it would be worn a majority of the time. I’m happy to see that this challenge is forcing me to try new options and get out of my comfort zone though! It’s a welcome break for sure! And a great reminder to not get stuck in a wardrobe plateau when I have a closet-full of other great options to choose from.

I again layered on my chambray button up over the pink tee as a make-shift jacket for the day (like I did in this post on Monday). What can I say? Last week was all about layering my beige cardigan (with a red tank here, with a pink tee here, with a teal dress here), and this week is all about layering the chambray button-up! I didn’t intend for it to work out that way, but it did! 🙂

For styling, I rolled up the sleeves of my chambray and cuffed the hems of my jeans for a look that is ready for those warmer temperatures just on the horizon. (We’re so close I just know it!)

Like the Canadian Tuxedo look I wore for studying and running errands in this weekend, this look would also be a perfect contender for lounge wear outdoors (perhaps on a patio somewhere with drink in hand) on a Saturday or Sunday. A girl can dream, right?! Soon, friends. Soon finals will be over and I can get back to enjoying the beautiful spring weather that has returned after last Saturday’s surprise snow storm.

And that’s my Day 9 look of the Spring 10×10 Challenge. Are you ready for Day 10 tomorrow!? I’m thinking it may be time to bring out the white denim skirt again since temperatures are supposed to get into the 70’s (yay!).

What about you? Do you have a piece (or two) that you continue to layer day after day? Also, what’s your take on “fashion”?

You might like…Weekend Canadian Tuxedo and Blush Pink Tee Love.

Photos by Allen Ream

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Get the Look…

Top: Madewell | Jeans: 7 for All Mankind | Button-Up: J. Crew (short sleeve version) | Shoes: Lucky