It’s been about a month since I hosted the 10x10petitestyle challenge and I finally have sometime to sit down and reflect back on a few things I learned about trying a capsule wardrobe.

The best part of the challenge was definitely getting to know other petite ladies in the Lovanie community and I was blown away seeing how engaged so many of you were throughout the challenge. Plus, I personally got so many inspirations for my own outfits in the future. We ended up having over 100 IG posts using the hashtag #10x10petitestyle and many more photos tagged on IG stories. Thank you so so much!!

I was a total newbie to the capsule wardrobe concept let alone the 10x10 style challenge in general and it was admittedly difficult to pick out the 10 pieces and I had to use quite a bit of imagination to think through all the different outfits. In the process of doing that, I also realize that I may not have as many core versatile pieces in my own closet as I’d like.

But that’s the thing about conscious fashion. I truly believe that everyone can define their own path towards creating a more fulfilling wardrobe and living a more sustainable lifestyle. Just like a lot of things, it’s baby steps that count :)

So here are the 5 things I learned from my first ever 10x10petitestyle challenge…

1) Know your color palette

Starting with a few colors that I wanted to focus on i.e. beige/cream, rust, blue, gray really helped me pick out the pieces in my closet that I could potentially create outfits that would go together well. I think that we all have specific colors that we tend to gravitate towards. For me that’s definitely white/cream (I have so many in my closet!) You can make this concept easier to get started by using the color palettes that you’re already familiar with and then you can get more adventurous later and expand from there!

2) Invest in high quality versatile pieces

When deciding what outfits I should be putting together, some pieces are just more versatile than others. For instance, the long grey turtleneck or our Lovanie Chloe Blouse can be styled in many different ways. The grey turtleneck can go with a sweater dress, white jeans, blue denim etc. It made me realize that to have a more conscious wardrobe in general, investing in high quality versatile pieces is key.

3) Don’t forget about shoes and accessories

Based on the original 10x10 style challenge, shoes do count towards the total number of 10 items, but accessories do not. I think you can get pretty creative with your looks by accessorizing with earrings, necklaces etc. Also shoes are a very important part of petite women’s styling tips. In a few of my outfits, I match the shoe colors to the pants colors (white), which help to elongate your legs and can make you look taller.

4) Layers layers layers

This challenge made me realize that don’t think of your top as “just a top”. I’ve used the Chloe Blouse as a jacket and the grey turtleneck as a warm layer on top of a sleeveless dress during these winter months. I also found that adding a cardigan as the main outerwear piece as part of your capsule was perfect, because it kept me warm even though we’re just lounging at home.

5) Get inspired and try something new!

As I mentioned above, the best part of this challenge came down to the community that got involved! It was super fun for me to go through all the posts with the #10x10petitestyle hashtags and look for inspirations from all of you. There were so many cute outfits that you put together from just 10 pieces.

Can’t wait to hear what you experience has been. Let me know in the comments below!

Love xo,

Nics