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?

The 10x10 challenge is always such an exciting time for me!

I spend more time than I care to admit coming up with new outfit combinations and scrolling through the #fall10x10 and #10x10friends hashtags on Instagram (PS: did you know you can follow a hashtag on Instagram?)

It's so much fun to make new friends, get inspiration from you all and reflect on my relationship with style, community and society in general.

In this regard, the hashtag #10x10representationmatters caught my attention and made my heart explode. There's so much truth and wisdom in the posts published by people who are generally underrepresented in the fashion industry in general and on the little piece of the Internet that the 10x10 challenge occupies.

You know what else made my week? This twinning look!

Before I show you all the wonderful combination I came up with, I'd like to share with you the little jewelry capsule collection I borrowed from friends and local business owners for this 10x10. It features pieces made by/sold by:

• 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.

• Via Raiz, a place where Mexican craftsmanship meets modern design.

Day 1

• Oat Hemp Tee, Jungmaven
• Golden Brown Utility Pants, Everlane
• Natural Suede Day Heels, Everlane
• Luna Earrings, Passage
• Basket, via Via Raiz

Fall is such an unpredictable season. You might have the chance to have a "late summer" or suddenly get caught in a rain storm.

Confession: we still have not turned the heater on a home, and just put on one more layer underneath or on top of others.

To me, this is the perfect transition look. Closed toe shoes, pants, and a basket, the ultimate summer accessory, to make believe that summer is not over yet. Of course, I kept my jacket close by, for the crisper evenings.

Day 2

• Grey Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Mom Jeans (linked to similar)
• Brandy Mules, Nisolo
• Andinium Wrap Necklace, Seaworthy

You see me laughing in the picture because I'm happily surprised about the fact that I can sit somewhat comfortably on a stool while wearing a pair of high-waisted jeans.

Side note: I've fallen in love again with them after I cut the hem raw (you might have caught a glimpse of the process a while ago in my stories).

Day 3

• Black Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Black Crop Pants, Everlane
• Black Clogs, Nina Z
• Simple Hoop Earrings, Passage
• Bucket Bag, Lordag & Sondag via Via Raiz

This combination is way too easy and obvious and I could have kept it for later in the challenge, when it's getting harder to come up with creative options, but sometimes, it's OK to chose the easy route.

I usually follow the rule according to which black does not pair well with navy, but decided to go against it and absolutely love the result.

Message for Octave: Please note that this bag is on my wishlist, wink wink!

Day 4

• Grey Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Mom Jeans (linked to similar)
• Black Clogs, Nina Z
• Paisaje Ring, Rodete via Via Raiz
• Bucket Bag, Lordag & Sondag via Via Raiz

This is my favorite look so far. I love the proportions, the sweater tucked into the high waisted pants, the cropped jeans, the makes ankles, the heeled clogs that elongate the silhouette.

About wooden clogs: As you can tell from the color of the wood I've had these clogs for 3 years now and are my go-to pair when I want to feel dressed up while keeping a casual vibe. I've sanded the soles this summer to give them a fresh look but it did not last long because I always walk in the dirt. That's fine by me.⠀
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A French commercial for kids clothing once said: "À quoi ça sert d'imaginer des vêtements si on peut rien faire dedans ?" which translates into "What's the point of designing clothes if we can't do anything in them?"⠀
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That's my philosophy. Wear the fancy clothes, use the good China. Just don't forget to give them a little TLC from time to time.⠀

Day 5

• Grey Cashmere Sweater, Everlane
• Golden Brown Utility Pants, Everlane
• Black Clogs, Nina Z
• Wiggle Hair Pin, Passage Jewelry

I was really not sure about this color combo, but you convinced me on Instagram that it was a classic, so I'll take it.

A word about Everlane's cashmere crews: The grey sweater really has a different feel compared to the black one (shown in the Day 3 look) even though they are the same size. It translates in the way it falls. The black one seems thicker and with a tighter fit whereas the grey one feels lighter and loser. I love them both, but thought it was worth mentioning...

Pictures by Alba Betancourt shot at Tendue.

Are your participating in the 10x10 challenge? Put a link to your profile or website in the comments? I'd love to follow along!

Pictures by Alba Betancourt shot at Tendue.

If you've been reading the blog for some time, you know I love the 10x10 challenge. I've participated twice - once last fall and once in the spring of 2017.

I did not get to participate last spring and summer, as I've been traveling a lot this year and haven't gotten a chance to properly create capsule wardrobes for these seasons (though I could have posted about what I packed for my trips now that I think about it...).

This fall, I'm very excited to give it another try!

I did a major closet clearing a couple months ago and downsized it a lot! I sold many pieces via a consignment store and made some more money by exchanging the remaining ones for trade at resell stores. And now, I'm in love with my closet again and cannot wait to experiment with old and new pieces.

But let's start with a little reminder:

What's the 10×10 Challenge

For those of you who are new around here, let me give you a quick intro.

The 10x10 challenge was initiated by sustainable style blogger Lee a couple seasons ago and has since been taken by style adventurers all around the world.

The rules are simple:

• Pick any 10 items from your current closet
• Style those items into 10 different looks
• Use 10 days to do it
• Have fun and don’t take it too seriously!

This includes outerwear, tops, bottoms, and shoes. Accessories don't count (yay!).

You can choose to do 10 days in a row, or, like most people seem to be doing lately, do 5 work days, take a break during the weekend, and start again the following Monday for 5 more work days.

My 10 Pieces

As you'll see, I am not taking any risk this time. I'm sticking to a neutral fall palette and focusing on accessories. I have a not so secret love for high waisted pants, so this is all you'll see in this challenge. No jumpsuits, no dresses. I wanted all my tops, bottoms and shoes to be interchangeable so I would not have to rack my brains in the morning to find the right combination.

4 Tops

• Oat Hemp Tee, Jungmaven

• Black Cashmere Sweater, Everlane

• Grey Cashmere Sweater, Everlane

• Blue Vintage Jacket (linked to similar)

3 Bottoms

• Black Crop Pants

• Golden Brown Utility Pants, Everlane

• Mom Jeans (linked to similar)

3 Pairs of Shoes

• Brandy Mules, Nisolo

• Black Clogs, Nina Z

• Natural Suede Day Heels, Everlane

Join the #10x10friends community!

It's never too late to take part in the challenge. Today, I've presented you the pieces I chose for this season but I will only post my looks this Friday and the following one. So chose your picks, have fun and make sure you come back here at the end of the week to see how I styled my 10 items for the first half of the challenge!

Are you in? What’s the weather like in your area? Which items are you the most excited to style this season?