Yeah, basically, here's the future, sitting in my driveway. Today is the last day of the present as we have known it. Not sure how to feel about it all.
As one does, I am immersing myself in tasks. The easiest and most immediate task, since I can't force people to start putting stuff in this UHaul trailer before they're good and ready, is packing for myself.
My challenge:
What? She's going to fit a week's worth of clothing . . . in ME??
But yes, my little faux-boho friend. That is exactly my cunning plan.
It is a plan made easier by the fact that I'm already wearing most of the week's worth of clothing, even as we speak.
I'm probably not going to take the jacket, but who knows. Maybe at the last minute I'll stuff it in. It is comfortable, and I find that I am cold, even when the thermostat in the house is set to 76F. But the dress? Yes.
I'm wearing it right now with one pair of bike shorts, which I'll probably rinse, air, and wear again tomorrow. I'm packing a second pair, too:
Both of these pairs are just old cut-off leggings, nothing fancy. But I like wearing them under my Camellia for the smoothing effect, and so that I can sit any way I like on the porch swing and not flash the world as it goes by.
In addition, I am packing:
One nice shirt to wear over my dress. I'll probably wear this in the car so that I don't have to pack or hang it to travel.
One cardigan:
I wore it just yesterday (the color is truer in yesterday's photo). I won't pack the jeans, because it's going to be HOT everywhere we go, and I am sure I wouldn't wear them. I have thought about packing one pair of leggings, probably in light heather gray. Again . . . it's going to be hot. Just not sure I want trousers of any kind at all. But this cardigan is versatile, a great layer for air conditioning, coverage at Mass, etc.
Three scarves:
Wore the top one four days ago as a belt. Thought I'd take a selection, since they pack so small, to serve as scarves, sashes, shawls . . . and just general variation.
One print top to knot over:
Again, for the sake of variation more than anything else. It's going to be so hot that I'm not sure I'll want another layer, but I liked this shirt over my dress the last time I wore it, which was a while ago.
One gauze maxi skirt:
Wore this a couple of Sundays ago and liked the effect. It's nice to have a longer, leg-covering variation, especially one that doesn't add any substantial weight or heat.
Hair accessories: headband/wraps and scrunchies:
Interesting how, when you have one core outfit piece, the little things really come into their own.
On the other hand, I will probably just wear the earrings I'm wearing in the photo above, with my Miraculous Medal, and not worry about jewelry otherwise. Maybe I'll take one more pair of earrings, just in case I lose one, since I tend to feel undressed without earrings.
Packing underwear for seven days, since I will not be doing much washing. My MO at home is to take off what I'm wearing, wash it and hang it on the drying rack, and wear it again when it's dry. I haven't had to do actual laundry, as in a washing machine, for myself, since I came home from my fiction residency some weeks ago now. Mind you, I still do laundry. But my own clothes are at the ready, all the time, without my having to do a load in the washer. I've been getting by with far fewer items, because I wear them in rotation as they dry. But while traveling, I'll just treat myself to seven of each item in question and feel decadent.
As for shoes, again I think I can be pretty minimal. I don't anticipate that we're going anywhere dressy. The sole is coming off my Birk Floridas, and I haven't had time to reglue it, so I think I'm going to leave them at home (sadly). I'll probably just take my tan fake Birks and my blue EVA Birks, wearing one and packing the other. Possibly I'll throw in my teal Crocs, but I don't know that I'd wear them.
All that, plus shampoo and conditioner, plus toothbrush, plus nail scissors and tweezers. I believe that's all I need to get me through a week on the road.
And away we soon will go.
LATER:
Waiting for thunderstorm to blow over before venturing out to Confession:
More silly experimenting with the illusion of not knowing that my picture is being taken. Wearing Camellia over another long floral skirt, with a shirt-dress thrown on over as a duster, for a relatively cool top layer. EVA Birks because it's wet! A whole lotta blue-on-blue –– it's interesting to me how periwinkle/purple Camellia looks next to a teal blue.
LATER: Gosh, that is a silly picture. It's like angels are singing to me from the kitchen ceiling. The San Damiano Crucifix is behind me going, "Rebuild my Church," and I'm like, "No, wait, the light fixture is speaking."
**All clothing items shown here are thrifted, with the exception of the blue marl cardigan and the blue Wool& Camellia dress.