Review of the Ten Item Wardrobe

I thought April and my 10-Item Wardrobe would seem long, but the exact opposite happened.  April flew by, saw some chapters of my life close and new ones begin, and all the while my trusty 23 10 pieces waited patiently for me each morning.  Before I share my “review” of the 10-Item wardrobe, let me share my outfits from the month!

Notice anything?  I went the whole month without wearing the exact same thing twice!  And it wasn’t even hard.  I can see why Jennifer L. Scott and Nadine Riopel are using their ten-item wardrobes for a season rather than a month – it’s enough clothes to last a season.  Other benefits:

• it was easier to choose what to wear in the morning, less cognitive energy went into deciding what to wear, reserving more to deal with other matters like insurance adjusters, scheduling appointments and buying a new vehicle.
• I had a lot less laundry to contend with, which is a double bonus for time/energy and the environment (imagine if we ALL had that little laundry to do!).
• I spent more time enjoying my scarves and accessories.
• I got my money’s worth out of these thrifted pieces – great cost-per-wear on all these items after only one month.  I would certainly include higher-priced quality items in multiple seasonal wardrobes.
• I understood my style better.  I’m trying to define my style and, if you’ve ever tried to do so, you understand it’s harder than you’d think.  I know what pieces I loved from the 23 I selected, and what pieces from the rest of my wardrobe I really missed!  That gives me more clues about my personal aesthetic.

All in all I think I selected good items for my style and my wardrobe needs though next time I might swap out the floral blouse for a different print.  I also had to make a mid-month decision that leggings were like layering tanks and tees and therefore didn’t count!!  I needed some comfy post-whiplash pants for at home.  Chic or not, an additional pair of casual pants might have been in order for the variable Canadian “Spring” weekend weather!

Though my 10-Item Wardrobe challenge is done, it remains an appealing concept.  Minimalism is not my strong suit (!!) but I like the idea of having a closet, no, a LIFE full of things that have value for me.  I will work towards that, towards uncluttering my home and life – not so much to be chic, but to have more peace and margin.  As for my closet, well, lucky for me it can handle a thrifting-style-blogger’s collection!  There’s room for improvement – making more discerning thrifting choices, rotating pieces out of my closet sooner when I discover I don’t LOVE them or have had enough wear from them…  Or maybe I’ll get into May and decide to go back to 10 (or 23) at a time!  Who knows what adventure is heading my way!  Meanwhile, I encourage you to try a 10-Item or capsule wardrobe for yourself!  Smaller wardrobes have many benefits – read this article on 8 reasons for a capsule wardrobe.  I also encourage you to try thrifting or secondhand shopping for yourself and your family – secondhand shopping is part of the slow-fashion movement, it is one step towards a more sustainable wardrobe! 

And to conclude my review, my favourite outfit from the month…

What was your favourite outfit from this 10-Item Wardrobe?!  Did you give it a try?!!  What did YOU like about it?  Any tips for others embarking on a capsule wardrobe journey?!  I’d love to hear from you!