Wear It Wednesday | Days 1-5 Summer 10×10

So, I jumped into the Summer 10×10 style challenge head first this month. Literally. I frequently fail at style challenges mostly out of a lack of getting dressed. So in an effort to set myself up for success, I planned to participate on only the days of the week. This is key since I rarely get dressed on the weekend for more than an hour or so at a time, just long enough for church & the grocery store if I’m going to be honest with you. 

So, what is a 10×10 challenge, it’s picking 10 pieces from your closet to wear for 10 days. Now, it was 99 or 100+ degrees for nearly everyday of the first 5 days of this challenge. I focused on pieces to keep me cool and comfortable more than anything else. This meant choosing cottons, linens, and cooling cuts.

Without further ado, here are the first 5 looks for this Summer 10×10 challenge:

Piece Highlights from these days:

1. I particularly love this white top, from Day 1, it has lace bib details and is so light & flowy. I’ve had this top for over 5 years and originally bought it from Gap. As an ethical fashion blogger, I know I talk a lot about buying from ethical brands but another aspect of an ethical closet is wearing what you have. And this is going to be a tough top to replace when it comes time to do that.

2. Another non-ethical brand piece in my 10×10 is this A-line navy dress, Day 2. I got this knit piece from Old Navy over 5 years ago. I don’t remember exactly when but I know I used to wear it when I worked at Baylor. Not only is the fabric on this dress buttery soft, but the empire waist is especially flattering to my mid-section and the length falls just above my knees so I don’t look stubby. Not to mention the flattering V-neckline that isn’t too deep.

Can I brag on my accessories? Totally not included in the challenge, aka, not limited but my leather cuffs & leather earrings are from Flourish Leather Co. the great thing about these bracelets is they fit a variety of wrist sizes, I have small wrists and love that these always fit! (I wear a small.) These bracelets are made of soft leather and are lightweight, I work on my laptop everyday of the week and can usually wear one if not a large assortment. And the mini drop earrings, are basically the most awesome lightweight earrings on earth. Buy yourself some & thank me later. The ethical aspect of buying from Flourish is you are totally supporting a ma & pa small business! And if you don’t wear leather, they have vegan options just for you!

3. For this challenge, I only included Sseko Designs shoes, particularly my DYDS my dream sandals. These were designed by me & made by Prossy in Uganda working toward University as she dreams of training to become a doctor. Read more about my Dream Sandals. I wore these sandals for 3 days in a row without shame. In fact, I considered only using this pair for the challenge. But variety is the spice of life!

4. Another ‘non ethical’ piece of my Summer 10×10 are my blue shorts, worn on day 1 & 4, I bought these from Old Navy at least 3 years ago. I haven’t bought a new pair of shorts since living in CA, so at least 3 years ago on these. They are super lightweight and not as thick as denim short but are a soft cotton blend. They do edge on navy but can come across as blue too. I included these over my denim shorts because, I wanted to be more creative with them. I tend to grab my linen khakis or my denim shorts over these just because of the color.

5. I didn’t realize how many pieces I included in this challenge that I’d bought pre-ethical closet. My coral eyelet cotton tank from Skies are Blue (Day 5) is a Stitch Fix purchase. I mentioned before that I prefer cotton, linens, and other natural fibers. This top is 100% cotton and has a loose airy fit perfect for the hot 100 degree days of Central California. Plus I really can’t pass anything up in coral.