Oh hi! Is it still time for me to post the second half of my fall 10x10 challenge?

I'll take that as a yes.

For some reason, the daily posting on Instagram overwhelmed me a little and I took a little social media break, and then I totally forgot to do my job and post this recap on the blog.

Well, I guess this is a good time to reflect on that experience and check whether this capsule wardrobe curation was helpful for getting dressed in the morning this past month.

Day 6

• Oat Hemp Tee, Jungmaven
• Blue Vintage Jacket (linked to similar)
• Mom Jeans (linked to similar)
• Natural Suede Day Heels, Everlane
• Geometric Shape Necklace, Passage

Although this one seems pretty obvious with the matching tee and shoes, I really like the 2 shades of blue and the fact that the necklace adds something interesting to the mix.

Do you follow any "fashion rule" like matching your shoes and your bag or not using more than 3 different colors in an outfit?

Day 7

• Black Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Golden Brown Utility Pants, Everlane
• Brandy Mules, Nisolo

It was an "I don't really want to show my face" kinda day. Freelance life, hard to say no to jobs because you never know when you're gonna hit the slow period so you'd better work your ass off now rather than regret it later.

I was exhausted.

But I dug my matching shoes, pants and hair.

Do you too?

Day 8

• Black Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Black Crop Pants, Everlane
• Brandy Mules, Nisolo
• Geometric Shape Necklace, Passage

That same morning, I attended the We Myndful conference.

As predicted, it gave me a lot of food for thought.

This month's speaker was Jaiden Love. Jaiden shared his story, invited us to ask questions, provided answers and tips on how to be more mindful of the transgender community.

One exercise he made us do was to introduce ourselves again to our neighbor, this time sharing our pronoun with them.

It felt weird posting this with a picture of the 10x10 challenge on Instagram, but well, why not. If someone finds this post because of the related hashtag, I think it's worth it. Besides, thanks to the 10x10representationmatters hashtag, we know that this community is and should be more than only linen pants and neutral colors.

You might have noticed this in my Instagram bio, but I'm gonna share it again here. My name's Chloé and my pronouns are she/her/hers.

What are yours?

Day 9

• Black Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Mom Jeans (linked to similar)
• Black Clogs, Nina Z
• Novia Meschica Necklace, via Via Raiz

I thought I'd way until the end of the challenge to bring in the big guns.

I'm not sure I can pull this necklace off, but it was worth a try.

Caralarga is a Mexican workshop that produces handcrafted jewelry inspired by the raw materials of nature. Located in Querétaro, México, the studio seeks to convey the value of the handmade and highlight the natural beauty of each piece.

The word "Mexican" comes from the Nahuatl word "Meshica" and like its name the inspiration behind this stunning piece is rooted in pre-hispanic artisan techniques.

I hope I'll get to go to Mexico some day, learn more about the culture and history of this country, eat all the food and practice my broken Spanish. But in the meantime, I'm grateful for Jen, who brought a piece of it to the Pacific Northwest.

Portland peeps, if you haven't done so yet, head over to Via Raiz right now to get one of those necklaces! You'll thank me later.⠀

Day 10

• Oat Hemp Tee, Jungmaven
• Blue Vintage Jacket (linked to similar)
• Black Crop Pants, Everlane
• Natural Suede Day Heels, Everlane
• Novia Meschica Necklace, via Via Raiz

And here's the final look of the challenge.

I think I like the necklace better blended in the oat tee. I'm not 100% convinced of the black and blue combo, though.

Artwork by Elan B. aka solsoleilsoul

About Overwhelm and Representation

This was the 3rd time I was participating in the 10x10 challenge and, I have to admit that I might not do it again in the future.

It felt a little overwhelming, that constant posting, making sure I'm using the right hashtag, tagging the brands for exposure. I felt like I was participating in the challenge for the wrong reasons, that it was a necessary evil if I wanted to grow my following. I'm not good at this game and am definitely not used to being on Instagram every.single.day!

But I'm happy to have discovered the 10x10representationmatters hashtag which popped up on my feed and rocked my world.

Spend some time reading the stories shared on that space, follow accounts you may not have discovered otherwise. Like, share, learn, let's keep the momentum. Also, check out the slowfashionrepresentationmatters hashtag to keep the conversation going.

It is true that the 10x10 challenge tends to always be more of the same and I'm glad that those hashtags gave exposure and amplified the voice of a multitude of people who are rarely represented in the world of fashion.

My faves: Ali, Alyssa, Candice, Elan, Gina, Jacquelin, Raven, Salina, Sally, Umma.

Shop Small

Since the holidays are now closer than ever, I suppose I could share these discounts again with you so you or your loved ones can support some of my favorite Portland women-owned businesses:

• Passage Jewelry, designs inspired by natural and spiritual elements, handmade in Portland, OR: use code "Chloe20" for 20% off

• Seaworthy, jewelry and home accessories, handmade in Portland, OR: use code "CHLOE" for 20% off on full price items.

Pictures by Alba Betancourt shot at Tendue.

Share in the comments below which look is your favorite: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10?