Greetings from Trondheim and St. Olav (pictured above with seagull)! We've been on the move, in lots of remote places with no wifi --- and more to the point, after days of hiking, I've had no energy for doing much. You can follow our photographic progress on Instagram, where I've been able to post quickly and easily from my phone in the car.
But I don't post daily style diary updates there. My Insta account has been too varied, and in the last few years, too tied to my literary life to be a good place for obsessing about clothes. Mind you, I am all for obsessing about clothes. I do it continually. But that's what this blog has been for.
So, a little assessment of my travel capsule so far. We're exactly a week into actually being in Norway, having taken off from Charlotte last Monday and landed in Bergen a week ago today. When we arrived in Bergen, it was raining and maaaaaybe 60F, maybe a little cooler. Since then, as we've roved about, temperatures have risen into the high 60s and low 70s Farenheit: very pleasant, in other words. We've encountered brisk chilly winds on mountaintops, and in general mornings and evenings are cooler, but on the whole, the weather has been quite nice. This afternoon in Trondheim felt hot, but tomorrow is supposed to be cooler, with a high of 60F.
So here's what I've worn. And I will say: I've been quite pleased with my capsule so far. It's been easy to decide what to wear. I've worn several things in rotation, and not worn a couple of other things yet, but I suspect that I will wear those couple of other things in days to come.
My capsule, as you may or may not recall, includes the following Wool& dresses:
*Aegean Teal Maggie
*Marine Blue Maggie
*Pacific Brooklyn
*Teal Fiona
*Ocean Teal Willow
*Black Heather Audrey
*Camellia, redyed royal blue
PLUS
3 pairs of Allbirds leggings (spruce green, navy, slate blue)
PLUS
1 green maxi skirt
PLUS
3 sweaters: green Anthropologie merino-blend pullover, teal cashmere pullover, aqua alpaca cardigan
1 silk kimono in blues and greens (mostly worn as a scarf so far)
PLUS
*Birkenstock Mayaris
*Xero Mesa trail runners
*Xero Tari Chelsea boots
*Crocs thong sandals
*Birkenstock Jackson hiking boots
PLUS
socks + underwear
Here is a non-schematic overview of what I've worn so far, in roughly chronological order, though I forget which photo was taken which day.
Obviously there were days when I took more than one photo, and/or changed something about my outfit as the day wore on. So far, two dresses have gone unbroached: Black Heather Audrey and Marine Blue Maggie. Audrey wasn't very practical in the mountains, and Blue Maggie always feels a tad dressy and city-like --- my plan actually is to wear Audrey tomorrow, here in Trondheim, and give the regulars a rest. It's supposed to be chillier, and I think I'll welcome the maxi length, especially since I won't be striding through tall grasses or up steep inclines.
Camellia has served me famously on hikes. She's beat up enough that I don't feel all precious about her on the trail, but she's given me plenty of air flow and freedom of movement, which I much appreciate. I've slept in Agean Teal Maggie a lot, but also worn her at least once during the day. I haven't worn my green Garnet Hill maxi skirt since I got here, but again, that seems like a good city wear option --- and I was glad to be wearing it on the plane, to keep warm and covered up. I've worn all three pairs of leggings, though as the weather's warmed up, it's been nice to leave them off. We'll see what the next few days are like --- but I am very glad to have layering options for my legs as well as my upper body.
I've worn my Xero hiker/trail runners a LOT, with my Birks a solid second. I did wear my leather hiking boots to climb Molden peak several days ago, but I really was wishing I'd worn the Xeros instead, especially on the way down, when my toes could have done with more room. I put my Taris in my husband's checked bag at the last minute and wore them in Bergen when it was cold.
I've worn my Trades of Hope kimono exclusively as a scarf so far, except on the plane, when I used it as a blanket (light but warm, very effective).
I've worn my self-cropped cashmere pullover more than the green wool one, but I have worn both (mostly have worn the cashmere one on the hiking trail). I've worn my alpaca cardigan, also thrown in at the last minute, a LOT.
Anyway . . . this travel capsule has not felt as tight and streamlined and organized as my last-year's capsule. But the weather's been a lot iffier, and I've been glad to have the variety of things I have with me this year, for a slightly longer trip. My dresses have stayed fresh, even Camellia after long hikes, and I've been readily able to wash and hang underwear pretty much daily, so that I don't run out. AND I have a couple of "new" dresses to rotate in this week --- Audrey and Blue Maggie --- for some variety in the rotation I've been doing. I've had clothes for the hiking trail, but in the city I feel perfectly appropriate and not like someone who's just come staggering in unwashed from the back country.
Just sitting here now --- after a lovely evening in a pub we remembered from last year, on the Nidar River, and then wandering around --- looking at the Nidaros Cathedral spire out of the window of our Airbnb apartment.
The weather has been glorious and sunny, but the clouds are rolling in. We'll see what tomorrow looks like when it gets here.