After reading Wear No Evil (my review's right here in case you missed it), I decided to test some minimalist/conscious/sustainable fashion experiments. 

First up: a 10x10 challenge (got the idea from Style Bee)

I wanted to try a capsule wardrobe in the spirit of making the most of what I already own, but wasn’t quite ready for a month or three month long commitment, so decided on ten pieces to create ten outfits for ten days. Most of my wardrobe is colorful, but I wanted to try using some basic pieces in mostly neutral colors to see how it felt. I knew all the pieces would go with each other, so I could create multiple combinations without much thought. 

Baby steps folks, baby steps. 

Here are the chosen ones (WARNING: I already told you that I'm obsessed with J. Crew):

T-shirts: J. Crew Factory* (eco-friendly alternative Pact)
Striped top: J. Crew* original sold out but this one is nearly identical (eco-friendly alternative Everlane*)
Sweater: J. Crew* (eco-friendly alternative Everlane* couldn't find the same color, but similar style)


Black pencil skirt: J. Crew* (eco-friendly alternative People Tree)
Long black skirt: Downeast (eco-friendly alternative Amour Vert)
Cardigan: LOFT* (eco-friendly alternative Everlane*)


Blue jeans: J. Crew Factory*
Black jeans: American Eagle* mine are super old, but these are similar (eco-friendly alternative Everlane*)

I've been doing this for two days so far and here are my thoughts:

I love not having to glare at my closet until an outfit magically appears or trying something on and realizing I look ridiculous. I prefer to do as little thinking as possible when getting ready for the day. However, the items I chose are very casual and low-key, and, although I often enjoy a simple outfit, sometimes I want to dress up a little more. I am relying on accessories (especially colored scarves) to help liven up each outfit combination.

Note: Most capsule wardrobe enthusiasts tend to include shoes, jackets, and coats in their total. I chose not to for a couple reasons. One, we are having the weirdest winter weather. It snows one day, it's warm the next, cloudy and chilly the next. I didn't want to plan on using my pea coat only to have it start hailing. Two, I don't like to do any more laundry than I have to. Plus, the cardigan I added instead is extremely warm and cozy and functions as my outwear on our milder winter days. 

Come back next week for part 2 where I'll share the outfits I wore and my final thoughts! 

Stay amiable,  

Amy

P.S. Most of the eco-friendly alternatives I found are equal to or lower in price than the ones I purchased. (Granted I bought most of my pieces on sale, and most of these conscious brands don't have spontaneous 50% sales.) Sweaters, jeans, and the long black skirt were the hardest to find comparable prices for. I can't speak for quality, but so far it is possible to find reasonably priced sustainable fashion, at least for basics.

P.P.S. I also decided to see how many times I wear certain items of clothing as per the idea of 30 wears from Livia Firth. Check out my Instagram later today for #30wearswednesday.

*Links are through Shopstyle. At no cost to you, I sometimes make a small commission when you click on these links. It helps keep this blog up and running (and me sane). All links would be made regardless of receiving commission.