Top 10 Remix Challenge: Final Roundup + Linkup

First, I’m going to let you enjoy 24 outfits. Then you’re going to hear my honest feelings about last month’s challenge. (scroll slowly to make it more dramatic…)

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

remixing your closet, outfit ideas, style blogger challenge, closet remix challenge, real life style blog

I made it. April’s over, and that means the Top 10 Remix is over (if you’re totally lost, get up to speed here). Honestly, I am so relieved. The longer it went on, the more I was ready for it to be finished. I know, I know, it was my own damn idea. But that means I can complain about it without hurting anyone’s feelings. (You can complain too. It’s really fine.)

Originally I thought the challenge would be fun…and it was at first. It was fun going through my closet and picking out the things that were most “me.” And it was fun seeing what other bloggers picked for their Top 10.

But after 10 days or so, the whole thing started to feel like a chore. I thought the challenge would make it easier to pick out my daily outfits, but in reality it usually made it harder. Sometimes I would have an idea of what I wanted to wear, but then I would realize that NONE of my Top 10 items could be mixed in to that idea. And since I’m the host of this challenge, I put a lot of pressure on myself to stick to it like I promised.

I also thought this challenge would help me get more in touch with my personal style. Meh. Not really. Don’t get me wrong, I liked all these outfits, but not any more than I liked my outfits in March.

Finally, I felt a lot of pressure (again, all self-imposed) to document every outfit. In a non-challenge month, ordinarily I miss a couple photo shoots due to weather, busy days, or general laziness, and I don’t sweat it. This past month, we started house hunting, there was a lot of rain, I was adjusting to more responsibilities at work, and I was kind of stressed and nervous leading up to that fashion show I hosted mid-month. There were a lot of days I would have rather gone straight home, put on sweats, and poured myself a glass fishbowl of wine, but instead I had to take outfit photos. DAMN ME AND MY GENIUS IDEAS.

Now that I think about it, maybe the challenge idea itself was good, it just wasn’t a good idea for me to do it in April. I don’t know. I’ve lost perspective. I’m looking forward to hearing what my other Top 10 Remix bloggers thought! The final (yay!) linkup is below! Please remember to include a link back to me in any post you add. You rock.



Sporty Spice

chambray dress, gray faux leather jacket, New Balance sneakers, mint Rebecca Minkoff MAC bag

chambray dress, gray faux leather jacket, New Balance sneakers, mint Rebecca Minkoff MAC bag

chambray dress, gray faux leather jacket, New Balance sneakers, mint Rebecca Minkoff MAC bag

chambray dress, gray faux leather jacket, New Balance sneakers, mint Rebecca Minkoff MAC bag

chambray dress, gray faux leather jacket, New Balance sneakers, mint Rebecca Minkoff MAC bag

It took me some serious thought to warm up to the idea of wearing sneakers with a dress, but I’m glad I tried it. I think my skepticism came from memories of my elementary school principal who wore these really dowdy below-the-knee dresses with white running shoes and ankle socks. Every. Day. Even as a 7-year-old, I knew there was something off about that look. I’m pretty sure this lady was a good principal, but all I remember about her is her terrible outfits. Let this be a lesson: how you present yourself matters. You don’t have to define your personal style to a T or spend all your money on clothes, but a little effort might save you from being written about on a blog in 20 years. Food for thought.

Speaking of personal style, this is my last Top 10 Remix outfit! Tomorrow I’ll post the grand finale and let you know what I thought about the whole experience (you might be surprised). If you were brave and awesome enough to do the challenge with me, get ready to link up tomorrow!

similar Dress (& more below) // similar Jacket // Shoes // similar Bag (mint, smaller version) // similar Sunglasses // Ring // Lips “Vivacious”