Yesterday in the mountains: my daypack with my friend Paul Pastor's moth pin --- that is, this particular pin isn't Paul's, but it came as a promotional goodie with his book of poems, Bower Lodge, released last year from Fernwood Press. I keep it on my daypack always, and it's a lovely reminder of Paul, and a prompt to pray for him and his family, deep in the Oregon woods.
I also like this daypack for itself. It was a cheap Walmart purchase some years back, but I love the funky fabric. Since I started wearing wool dresses, I REALLY like that I can wear this daypack hiking and not have my dress sustain wear or pilling from backpack friction. I generally pack in this daypack for travel, too, a move made easy by having a simple wool-dress-based wardrobe to begin with.
Wearing today, for Mass and beyond:
Base layer: Wool& Maggie dress, microfiber Snag tights in "Rainy Day" (purchased last year), and Xero Tari boots. The high today is supposed to be 68F, but it's cloudy and, right now, only about 50F: good weather for lightweight tights.
To walk the dog:
I popped on my lambswool pullover (thrift-store purchase last year) for a warm top layer, which it was. I definitely didn't get too hot on a short, brisk walk.
For Mass:
Off with the pullover, on with this beautiful shawl, a labor of love from my friend Anna-Kate. It's a merino-acrylic blend, and insanely heavy, almost more a blanket than a pashmina. I know I'll be wearing it a lot as the weather gets colder, but even on an iffy transitional day, I think it's a good choice, not least because I can adjust how much of me it's covering at any given moment, to be warmer or cooler as needed. I'll see Anna-Kate at Mass, and she will be gratified that I'm wearing her creation, so this is by way of giving back a little, too.
I did put my hair in a ponytail to get it out of my way and create a more balanced silhouette. When the clothes are more, the hair really needs to be less.
It is fun to wear tights again. Last year I got far less wear out of my microfiber Snag tights than my merino ones, but in transitional seasons, the colors and patterns in the microfiber tights are fun. I don't think I'd buy any more in this fabric, but as tights go, they are very comfortable and provide some lightweight coverage on a cooler day. It was great to get up, put on my clothes, and walk the dog in my Sunday outfit, without having to change anything about my base between the dog-walk and Mass. Just switch out the top layer, and off we go. Meanwhile, what I'm wearing on my core body, my legs, and my feet --- all of it works for all the things I need to do today.