So the news is . . . I think we're going to Norway. My husband has been wanting to go to Norway for years, and he's decided that this is the year. Not only are we going to Norway, but we're going to Norway really soon. Like in three weeks or something. I'm not exactly sure, because he is making the plans, not me, but as far as I understand how things are developing, this is what those plans are.
It's a welcome thing for him to be making the plans. Not that he doesn't do a lot of that normally --- I'm good at some kinds of planning, but tend to get bogged down in anxieties about time, money, complications . . . I used to be our travel planner, especially when we lived in England, but in the intervening years I've either lost the knack, or have a hard time getting my head out of what they call a "scarcity mindset," I guess, even when in fact we're not living in scarcity. That's one reason why I do a lot of small things: spin my wheels over my own clothes, for example. I'm afraid to spend big money on a trip, so instead I spend small money, repeatedly, on secondhand clothes. For better or worse, that's my mojo. So I'm glad he's just taken this whole idea into his own hands, and all I have to do is show up.
Show up with clothes, which is the main thing I'm focused on, since I don't have to think about the itinerary. It's going to be fairly chilly where we're going: into Trondheim, out of Bergen**, renting a car and driving along the coast to see the fjords. We'll probably stake out three or four Air BnB bases along the way, rather than spending the night somewhere new every night --- one thing I did tell him was that I'm too old not to know where I'm sleeping. It was fun to play fast and loose in our twenties and thirties. Sleep on a train platform? Hey, why not? But now I know why not. As much as I've got plenty of get-up-and-go left in me, I'm too old for that. Anyway, we hope to do at least one day cruise out into a fjord, as well as driving and seeing things on land. We'd thought about doing an actual cruise, but decided that a) it was too expensive, and b) we'd rather not be tied to a boat all the time.
Anyway, depending on where we are, temperatures will range from the 60sF on down to pretty cold. So my goal is to pack for that range, with layers, in a carry-on bag, because I'm not doing this checked-bag nonsense and risking being separated from my wardrobe for twelve days. No. Thank. You. My husband looked at me as though I were nuts, but really: I don't want to take a ton of stuff.
I'm thinking I'll take 4 dresses, focusing on dresses with sleeves: Brooklyn, Fiona, teal Maggie, Willow. If I choose those dresses, which all would honestly be good for warmer as well as colder temperatures, then I've got my color palette set: teals ranging from green teal to blue teal, plus periwinkle.
It's a core palette that pleases my eye.
In warmer weather, obviously, I can wear these dresses all on their own, just as I do at home. In fact, I've got no problem with planning to wear dresses for the entire trip, because that is how I normally dress, for everything.
But in chilly weather, I'll want something on my legs. Enter some leggings:
I think I'll plan to take these two solid-color pairs, because they both go with everything, uncomplicatedly. (I'll have to try the red with the periwinkle Willow, but just eyeballing them, I think it works --- the periwinkle is a blue enough purple not to be jarring with cherry red). The blue pair are a merino blend, while the red pair are cotton, but quite thick and soft. I'll add a third pair, whose arrival I'm still awaiting --- I went ahead and bought another relatively inexpensive merino-blend pair in a cool black/gray Fair Isle print, that I think will be fun to wear and, again, will go with all these dresses just fine. So I plan to take those three pairs of leggings, plus one pair of merino tights (which I didn't add to this picture, but you'll see in a minute).
Add to these base outfits --- any dress + leggings combination, which gives me twelve different outfits without my even having to think hard about it --- more layers for warmth, both outer and inner:
The green merino-blend pullover and the alpaca cardigan will go with any of these possible outfit combinations, as will the cashmere/merino/silk tank, which I will take for a cami under my Brooklyn and a warm base layer under anything. I'll also take these charcoal-gray merino tights, because they're in good shape and are warm on their own, or under a pair of leggings if need be.
Add some socks and underwear. Fortunately we won't be moving every night, so whether we always have laundry access in an Air BnB or not, I can hand-wash and things will have time to dry before I have to pack them again.
And shoes --- I'll definitely take my Tari boots, probably with added gel insoles for better support for walking. I'll probably take my Birk Balis, because it might at some junctures be warm enough for sandals, and i know I can walk a long way in them. And my husband advises hiking boots, so even though those are a heavier item, which takes up more space, I plan to include them --- fortunately they're good for rain as well. I might even wear them on the plane, even though they'll be clunky, just to save myself having to pack them. Then I'd already have good thick socks on for the long flight.
AND for outwear, I have this black gore-tex hooded, fleece-lined coat that somebody left at our house years ago. Even if I hadn't left my beloved puffer jacket at Marly's the last time I was there, and said I'd get it from her in the fall, I think I'd land on this black coat as my choice for this trip, since it sheds water as well as cutting the wind.
AND I'll pack one light, warm scarf. Not sure which. I want something shawlish in wool or cashmere, that I can drape over myself on the plane and then wear as a scarf with everything. This wool pashmina, bottom left, is probably the likeliest thing I own. As much as I'd love to buy a really nice scarf/shawl . . . I really don't need one. This one is 70% pashmina, 30% silk, so it's perfect. That's settled.
What do you think? Does this work? I really want to keep my capsule small and tight. So often, on trips, I've packed the whole closet and then not worn it. This time I am really trying to think of cohesive outfits with some variety and some allowance for clothes to get wet, or be drying from the wash, or just airing out between wears, or whatever. I don't want to wear the same outfit every day, but realistically, I won't make every single possible outfit that I could make out of these components.
I will also add a bamboo dress as sleepwear*, and probably a belt, though I'll be wearing my belt pack a lot instead of carrying a purse.
Meanwhile, although I would like to pack for Norway all day every day between now and the time we leave, I do have dog-walking and work to do. I've written about a thousand words of fiction this morning, which feels really good. Something new is starting to take shape and be interesting to me, as I write scene after scene. But I also still have another essay to do, some editing work to attend to, some emails to answer . . . all of the things. And although she's learned to sleep late, Dora is bound to be getting antsy in her crate.
So, wearing today:
Here's my new Brooklyn, for a second go-round before the end of the month. Again, I really do not regret canceling my order for a skirt in this color, in favor of a dress in this color. And I'm glad I got this particular dress, despite my reservations about the design. I find her so comfortable, flattering, and easy to wear.
(Note that I now have this portrait feature on my phone, and BOY HOWDY am I making use of it. Let's blur all the things! But me!)
Trying Brooklyn out this morning with the cashmere/merino/silk tank pictured in my travel capsule above, as an underlayer even though it's not at all cold. It's not too hot, and I did okay earlier in the week in two light layers of wool, so I'm not anticipating dying of heatstroke today, either. This tank is very thin and lies much more nicely on the skin than my pink Eileen Fisher merino tank does --- that one really serves best as an outer layer or on its own. This one is also quite soft. Anyway, I thought I'd try it as insurance against any gaping in the crossover bodice today.
I also just like the greener and bluer teals together. I bought another Kosher Casuals crop tank in pretty much the same color as this tank, but with a higher scoop neck, and I think that will probably be my go-to for church in this dress, when I really do want to be sure I have reliable, appropriate coverage for the setting. It's also just shorter, and there's less of it, which will be nice in hotter temperatures. But this tank is a nice alternative outside that sphere, and should provide a good warm base layer when it's cold.
It's also a touch of blue for the month's challenge, though I'm wearing blue glasses and blue earrings as well. AND I'll probably wind up in my blue belt pack, too, since this dress has no pockets, and I like to have things about my person.
Looking back at my Audrey, last worn on Monday, does make me consider including her in my travel capsule. She would be a perfect travel dress for a hotter climate. If I were going to Rome this summer instead of Norway, I'd be inclined to pack almost nothing else but Audrey and a linen shawl to wrap in when going into churches. As it is, I'm thinking I a) won't want to do a lot of walking in a long dress, especially if by "walking" we mean "hiking," and b) my limited packing space is probably better served by dresses with sleeves than by sleeveless ones. With reluctance, at this stage, anyway, I'm excluding Audrey. We'll see if I have any extra room, though . . . She'd be good for the plane, if I weren't thinking that I'll need to wear my hiking boots to travel. Most likely I'd wear Willow with navy leggings, and socks and boots, because that would probably be the least dorky outfit to walk through airports in. Have my pashmina and my coat both folded at the top of my bag, easy to grab on the plane when I want to cover up with the pashmina, and on the ground in Norway, when I'll probably want the coat, too.
But speaking of walking, I now need to walk the dog. Yesterday I achieved almost 6 miles; today I think I'll take it slower and easier, but we still need our good morning ramble before the morning gets away entirely.
LATER:
Having walked and gardened a bit, I have also tried on a new-to-me linen piece which arrived today. It was an incredibly good deal on Poshmark (yeah, yeah, I can incredibly-good-deal myself into the poorhouse, I know . . .), and fills a real niche: a more structured top layer to wear in warm weather for church, weddings, conferences, etc., when I don't want to wear a cardigan.
It's a great light neutral to wear over these intensely-saturated dresses in the summer and into the fall, when I'll want to feel autumnal when it's still 90 degrees Farenheit. I like the long line and drape over my dress here, but I think it'll look good with literally everything in my closet, including skirts. I don't have any trousers at this writing, other than leggings (which really aren't trousers for me), but if I did have any, this duster jacket would be good with those, too. The linen is good and heavy and nubby, more substantial than a shirt, but unlined, so more fluid than a traditional blazer. I could see wearing it even in the depths of winter, with layers. But I think it will really shine as a summer piece.
So I have a couple of needed undergarments and this last pair of leggings on their way, and that's it. That's my wardrobe done. A lot of building-year stuff, I guess . . . that's one way to rationalize it, anyway. But really: I bought a lot in the year leading up to my no-buy (which wasn't, but whatever), and this is another push. The trip is a good excuse, anyway, for going ahead and lining up my winter legging wants/needs, because I know I'll be glad I have good leggings for travel. I'm glad to switch out lower-quality items nearing the end of their useful life (by converting them to bike shorts to wear under dresses) for a smaller batch of high-quality things that I hope are going to last me a long time.
Yeah, and now I'd better get to work (see "poorhouse," above).
*What if I brought my Camellia to sleep in, instead of a bamboo dress? Then she could double as an under-layer in the daytime, or even a jumper over another dress, or just BE a dress by herself . . . I don't want to bring Sierra, because I think the combination of heavy/bulky knit and sleevelessness isn't want I want for this capsule. But I could consider Camellia as a way to fill the sleepwear slot, BUT ALSO.
Also, I feel pretty confident about these clothes as appropriate for the weather. This is basically just a formulation of what I have worn in the winter here, when the temperature range is about the same as what we're expecting in Norway in the early summer. I don't think I'll get too cold. On the other hand, I've been wearing versions of my projected outfits lately, and even if it warms up a good bit, I don't think I'd ever be too hot, either. If it's really warm enough, I can go the bare-legs-and-sandals route. This should be fine, given the fiber content of all the things I've chosen. Should be perfect, in fact, or as close to it as I'm likely to get.
**I stand corrected. We're flying in and out of Bergen, doing a big loop up to Trondheim and back. Twelve days, inclusive of flights. My husband is a genius.
ALSO/UPDATE: It's really kind of cool here today. I'm glad I'm wearing this cashmere tank under my dress. I actually put on the alpaca cardigan, too, because I got cold while working.
AND reflecting on this whole packing process, which I will be doing obsessively and losing sleep over between now and the Ides of June, because that's just what I do . . . the thing that keeps occurring to me is that I'm truly just planning to dress the way I always dress for the things I always do, in variable weathers and temperatures. I already walk miles every day in the clothes pictured above and the footwear listed. I already put on and take off layers as temperatures fluctuate. So I'm going to be doing that on another continent --- give or take a few contingencies, it's just my regular life in a different landscape.