Why You Should Try A 10x10 Capsule Wardrobe
If you’ve wandered onto my YouTube channel any time in the past year or so, you’ll see there’s one subject I come back to again and again: 10x10 capsule wardrobes. I love creating these mini edits of pieces from my seasonal capsules. They’ve come in handy while traveling but also when I just want to refresh my wardrobe a bit without buying anything new. So today I thought I’d walk you through my process of creating a 10x10 capsule wardrobe and share some thoughts on why they’re so great.
What is a 10x10 Capsule Wardrobe?
The 10x10 Capsule Wardrobe Challenge is a concept originally created by Style Bee in 2015 as a way to get more creative with her wardrobe during a 30 day shopping fast. It has since become a regular practice amongst slow fashion and capsule wardrobe enthusiasts alike.
The original challenge rules are quite simple: choose 10 items and combine them in 10 outfits, to be worn over 10 days. The item breakdown includes clothing (tops, sweaters, pants, dresses, coats) and shoes, while excluding accessories (hats, bags, scarves, necklaces, gloves, jewelry). These are by no means hard and fast rules. Personally, I always exclude shoes from the 10 item count in order to have a couple extra clothing options. This is simply because when wearing my 10x10 capsule to the office, I always preferred to have 5 clean top options to see me through the week.
The point of this challenge is not to limit yourself to a set of rules but to get creative with your outfits, get more wear out of what you already have and have fun! The guidelines certainly do help if you’re new to the concept though, so be sure to check out the handy Beginner’s Formula section on Style Bee’s site.
How To Choose Items
This breakdown of items will be different for everyone and for every season. Here’s roughly how I approach choosing my 10 items. I typically stick to the formula of 5 tops, 2 layering pieces and 3 bottoms. This tends to work well for both the warmer and cooler months. For tops I tend to go for a tank top, tee, long sleeve and blouse. For bottoms, I like to include 1 pair of jeans, a pant and one skirt or short. I’m not a big dress wearer day to day but depending on the season I will sometimes switch out one of my bottoms for a dress. For my layering pieces I like to stick with one item of knitwear (a sweater or cardigan) and one item of outerwear.
Ideally you want all 10 of your items to work together seamlessly. So I suggest choosing pieces with a color scheme in mind. If your closet is full of neutrals this is relatively easy to do but if you’re more inclined to color I would suggest choosing a few clothing and accessory items in a similar shade and use the other colors as accents. Building a colorful capsule takes skill but when done right the results are inspiring.
What’s in my 10x10?
Tops: Quince Silk Tank | Orejas Tee | Quince Silk Shirt | Uniqlo Striped Tee (similar)
Layering Pieces: Tradlands Cardigan | Levi’s Denim Jacket
Bottoms: Encircled Wide Leg Crop Pants | Tribe Alive High Rise Pants | Quince Silk Midi Skirt | Re/Done Stovepipe Jeans
Shoes & Accessories: Kate Spade Bag (similar) | Minor History Bag | Tkees Sandals | Sandgrens Clogs | Dolce Vita Boots
Creating Outfits
Now for the fun part! While it may seem like a small number of clothes to choose from, actually putting together cohesive outfits can still seem a bit daunting. I like to start things off by pairing each top with two different bottoms and then adding layering pieces on as necessary. This prevents me from relying too heavily on one item and thus falling into a cycle of outfit repeating (which I’m normally in favor of, outside of this challenge). I also try to wear each item at least twice to make it worth the spot on the 10 item edit.
Here it’s important to consider your lifestyle and any plans you may have over the 10 day period. Have a fancy dinner date planned? Make sure you include a slightly dressier outfit. Need 5 days worth of work appropriate looks? Keep the jeans and tee fits to a minimum.
And if you’re worried that it might take you a bit longer to get ready in the morning, take some time to put together a few looks at the start of the week. This will help you get comfortable with your capsule and get your creative juices flowing!
Adding Shoes & Accessories
If you choose to leave shoes out of the 10 item count like me, then I would suggest sticking with 2 shoes and 2 bags as a starting point to keep things simple. From there I break my outfits into two categories: black and brown accessories. For this particular capsule, I did things a bit differently, sticking to mostly black accessories. But here’s how I typically make the distinction:
Browns & Blues - Brown Accessories
Blacks & Grays - Black Accessories
Creams, Tans & Other Colors - Either
When narrowing down the types of shoes you’ll need for a 10 day period, try to give yourself a variety. Definitely include a flat shoe for comfort, and give yourself the option of an open or close toe shoes (weather permitting). I would suggest choosing one style that can be dressed up a bit more if necessary - a black boot usually does the trick for me. As for handbags, function is key. I’ve made the mistake of including a small clutch in the mix before and ended up getting very little use out of it. A crossbody or tote bag is a safe bet to see you from day to night.
Is It Worth It?
In my opinion, the 10x10 capsule wardrobe challenge is well worth the effort because of what it can show you about your wardrobe and your own personal style. It’s a great exercise for anyone who has felt like they have too many options and yet nothing to wear. It helps you hone in on your personal style - pinpointing those key pieces that define it. It’s a great way to combat the urge to shop by helping you appreciate the pieces already hanging in your closet. It’s helps you take those lesser worn pieces and figure out how to wear them in multiple ways. The list goes on and on. And at the very least, it gives you a fun, creative, feel-good project for an afternoon. My bet is if you try it, you will love it!
So what will you include in your 10x10 capsule wardrobe? Let me know in the comments. And if you need more inspiration, you can check out some of my recent styling videos:
Fall 10x10 - My most recent take on Fall in San Diego.
Summer 30x30 - Expanding on the idea of the 10x10, this will see you through a month of outfits.
Slow Fashion 10x10 - An edit of 10 versatile sustainable and secondhand pieces.
Spring 10x10 - How to navigate the tricky in-between seasons with just 10 items.
Winter 10x10 - Ideal for traveling with bulky knitwear and coats.
Faux Fall 10x10 - My first 10x10 challenge for the ‘Faux Fall’ weather here in SoCal.
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