Last of the Summer Challenges 2019: #BasicallyUnworn10x10 & #NoMakeup Challenge
Over the past two weeks, I participated in the last two Instagram challenges of the summer: @thevillagelook’s #BasicallyUnworn10x10 Challenge and @littlealotamy’s #NoMakeup #Littlealotbeauty Challenge.
Challenge Details:
The Basically Unworn 10x10 Challenge:
The Basically Unworn 10x10 Challenge was an adaptation of Style Bee’s original 10x10 Challenge and targeted clothes that you hadn’t worn all summer long. The idea was simple: pick 10 items from your summer wardrobe that were “basically unworn” and style 10 different outfits over the course of 10 days! This challenge allowed me to take a deeper look at why I wasn’t wearing certain garments anymore, as well as style individual pieces that I had accidentally forgotten about (😬).
Little A Lot Beauty’s No Makeup Challenge:
Amy’s No Makeup challenge ran from Aug 26 - Aug 30 and was created to promote natural beauty. On Instagram, where images are perfectly styled and curated, it’s easy to feel like we need to hide our imperfections. The Littlealotbeauty challenge was a breath of fresh air and a welcome reminder to love ourselves as we are.
Because the challenges overlapped, I’ll be sharing the outfit images with my bare face and then reflecting on my overall thoughts on both challenges afterwards.
What I Wore:
The 10 pieces that I chose were:
Halter-Neck Bird of Paradise Floral Print Dress | H&M 2016
Long-Sleeve Chambray Top | H&M 2016
Long-Sleeve Green “Positivity” Crop Top | H&M 2016
White “LA” Cropped Muscle Tank | Stolen From a Friend 2016
Long-Sleeve Grey Adidas Crop Top | Thrifted 2016
Green Jeans | H&M 2018
Coral Strappy Crop Top | Forever 21 2014-2016(?)
Faux Leather Skirt | Forever 21 2011
Light Blue Denim Shorts | H&M 2016
White Long-Sleeve Button-Down Shirt | H&M 2014
What I Learned:
The Basically Unworn 10x10 Challenge
This challenge made me realize that emotional attachments play a big part in my wardrobe decisions. I thought I had done a thorough job of clearing out pieces that were no longer serving me, but NOPE, this challenge was a wake-up call.
On Outgrowing Clothes:
One theme that kept coming up was that I was holding on to garments because they represented a component of my previous identity.
For example, I realized that I wasn’t wearing the crop tops anymore because they no longer fit with my style. I originally bought them for dance class (I was dancing regularly in 2016) and a part of me wanted to hold on to them because dance (and street culture) was such a big part of my identity.
Similarly, while I genuinely love that leather skirt, during this challenge, I realized that I hadn’t worn it in ages because I no longer felt comfortable wearing short skirts. I recognized that I was no longer willing to trade comfort for looking fashionable.
This challenge was a reminder to give myself grace in growing. We’re constantly changing as people. Our bodies change; our styles change; and that’s okay. You’re going to outgrow some clothes and when it’s time, it’s okay to let them go.
Style Creatively:
The best thing about this challenge was that it gave me an opportunity to see and style clothes differently. I was able to layer the crop tops over the dress to create an outfit that felt comfortable but still cute. 👌🏻 During this challenge, I also fell in love with that halter neck dress! When I first bought it, I knew I would wear it often, but prior to this challenge, I had always worn it simply as a dress. It’s so much more versatile than I imagined it to be!
Again, a huge thank you to The Village Look for hosting this challenge. If you haven’t done a 10x10 or 30x30 challenge yet, I highly recommend it. It gives you an opportunity to style clothes differently and also takes your mind off choosing garments for a few days. For more on 10x10 challenges, check out my previous looks for the Spring 10x10 2019 challenge here!
Little A Lot Beauty’s No Makeup Challenge:
I’ve somewhat shared this on Instagram, but honestly, I felt like a fraud when participating in this challenge. 😞 I’ve been going makeup-free for basically two years now, so this challenge wasn’t a huge stretch for me.
I never struggled with skin issues and makeup for me was never a means to feel more beautiful. It was simply another tool for self-expression and creativity (much like style).
That being said, I’m grateful that Amy hosted this no makeup challenge and am so proud of all the people who pushed themselves to be vulnerable during those five days. Redefining beauty and questioning why we behave the way we do is such an important conversation to have. To be able to show a bare face on a visual and open platform like Instagram when you’re accustomed to wearing makeup everyday requires a lot of courage and I’m so proud to be part of such a brave community.
Did you participate in either of these challenges? What were your biggest takeaways?
G
