Easy Gift: Smartwool Diamond Hat & Scarf

Smartwool has so many wonderful holiday gift options for all ages.  Even a pair of their colorful socks would make an excellent gift or stocking stuffer, there are so many great things to choose from, and their products scream quality.  I love their stuff especially for outdoorsy types because wool is the ultimate choice for travel and outdoor activity, keeping you comfortable by regulating body temps.

Check out their Diamond Popcorn Scarf and matching Hat.  I am madly in love with the Polar Purple, which is a soothing periwinkle purple-blue.  I don't see it on their site at the moment, but a quick google search shows you where to find it.  It's two-toned and looks great and comes in other colors, even basic black. 

This would be a fabulous set for the person you're not quite sure what to give.  You can find Smartwool online or locally at shops like REI, and food co-ops (it doesn't get easier than picking up a gift while you're grabbing groceries).

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Icebreaker Cascade Hood

Need something bright and cheerful to ease the transition into winter?  Icebreaker has come out with a Magenta hoodie that is a great tonic for gray-sky blues.  The Magenta Cascade Hood combines feminine looks with rugged function.  It's Real Fleece, meaning real wool that's soft, cozy, and fuzzy on the inside.  Wool is awesome.   It's a sustainable material that keeps you warm in the cold and wicks away moisture when it's hot, so it's ideal for outdoor activity.  When you break a sweat hiking, for instance, the wool will wick that moisture away from your skin, keeping you dry and warm.  It's also odor resistant, so when you're camping or traveling and can't do laundry for extended periods, no big deal. 

The Cascade Hood has figure flattering lines, and I love the pocket on the front just big enough for an id and credit card.  As for fit--this is where things get tricky.  Icebreaker runs small and tight, so I recommend sizing up.  If you like your clothes a little loose, the way I do, consider sizing up two sizes.  Normally I take a medium in most things, I'm an 8/10.  In Icebreaker that translates to large and in this case, extra large.  Once I figured it out, the fit was perfect. 

Icebreaker makes some fabulous undergarments too--really nice in cold weather, and I spotted some on their site in this fun color.  Sizing for undergarments was true for me (mediums), go figure.  If you purchase directly from Icebreaker, they exchange sizes for you without charging shipping, so it's low risk, and once you find your fit, you'll love their stuff.  Find the Cascade Hood HERE. 

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Ibex Juliet: Autumn Must Have

Ibex has some exciting things in their new fall line.  My favorite:  the Juliet.  It's a top, it's a base layer, it's a jacket.  And it's Soft.  It has a figure flattering cut, and I love how the sleeves come down a little over your hands for that extra warmth.  I'm always pulling my sleeves over my hands, but this does it for me, and I like this better than the sleeves with the thumb holes.  Speaking of sleeves, the right one has a discreet goat logo, you have to look for it to see it.  I love how Ibex is not in your face with their logo, but if they were, it's so artistic and cool looking I wouldn't mind at all.  It's fun to find the goat on their clothes.  The neckline is also very flattering, and adjustable with the zipper so you can get just the right amount of warmth.  It's a full zip for more versatility, if you start getting too warm, just unzip, also giving you a bit of a cardigan option.  It comes in several great patterns (making me want more than one), I'm crazy about the patterned charcoal gray. 

So, aesthetically this is a win, functionally even more so.  Wool will keep you warm while wicking away sweat (great on the trail), and it won't hold odor (great for when you're on an adventure and can't do laundry for a while).  The weight is perfect, very light, but considered mid-weight.  I want more of this weight at 18.5 micron wool, it's perfect, and incredibly soft and cozy.  Ideal for travel, this is perfect for on the plane and will add very little bulk to your bag doing more than its share of jobs.  Ditto for any outdoors activity.  It's a peice that could be considered heavy duty function-wise, but it's heavy on fashion and femininity too.  Just perfect.  If you need something to get you excited about cooler weather, this is it.  Sizing runs true, I'm an 8/10 and medium is a great fit.  Find it HERE.

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Ex Officio BugsAway Clothing

They say this year mosquitoes and ticks are going to be extra bad.  So what if, like me, you are sensitive to chemicals and avoid bug spray like the plague?  You can invest in some of Ex Officio's BugsAway clothing, that's what.

Check out this Halo shirt which incorporates Insect Shield, a non toxic pesticide that is bonded to the fabric fibers.  It's made with Premethrin, which is derived from chrysanthemum flowers.  There is absolutely no smell and you can't see it, but the bugs hate it.  It works on mosquitoes, flies, ticks, ants and no-see-ums, how cool is this?!  The bug repellent lasts through 70 washes, and this shirt also has the added bonus of being UPF 30+ for extra sun protection.

The sleeves roll up  and button to keep them up, and there is ventilation in the back--perfect for hiking and backpacking.  There are two security pockets on the front (I wish these were located somewhere else for women), and it's quick drying and lightweight making it great for travel too.  How have I lived without this stuff?  I can think of so many times this would have made outdoor situations so much better.

Ex Officio's BugsAway line comes in all sorts of pieces for both men and women so you can outfit appropriately for the occasion.  The fit on the Halo shirt is relaxed (I wear an 8-10 top and the M fit generously).  They come in different colors and patterns perfect for your Summer adventures.  Find yours HERE.

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Go Lite this Summer

Are you planning any trips for this Summer?  Or outdoor adventures?  If you like to travel light, and most of us would rather have less to carry, especially with airlines charging so much for luggage.  And if you're headed for the woods, you know that every ounce counts.  Check out GO LITE for some fantastic options in clothing. I've just discovered them, and let me just preface this by telling you I don't think I have never been so excited about travel-outdoorsy clothing.  It's affordable, it's cofortable, and they even list the weight in the clothing descriptions for those that are really conscious of weight for packing. 

Now, what women want to know, are they--flattering?  I've only tried on three pieces so far, but I can answer that with a resounding Yes!  And I'm excited because I find this rare in adventure-wear.  I am not an athletic clothing type, I'm more of an Anthropologie type, and I also like very clean lines and simple cuts.  Yes, I love to get my hands dirty and get out there in the woods, but I want to look cute doing it.  Right?  Don't you?  So much of that type of stuff is cut in an unflattering way, or just looks frumpy and even if no one is going to see me, I still want to feel comfortable and cute out there on the trail.

Also, I have a curvy body type.  I wear an 8 on the bottom and a 10 on top,  Mediums usually do great, sometimes smalls in things like yoga pants, and in athletic clothes, sometimes a large on top.  I don't like my clothes to be tight fitting, I want that comfort but I don't want to look like I raided my man's closet either.  There are little things clothing designers can do to add femininity, subtle things.

Take the Manitou Longsleeve Hiking Top.  The neckline hints at a Mandarin which is not only feminine, but comfortable, it has diagonal lines sewn in on the sides that create a slimming look, and the sleeves come down at a slight point on your hands.  These details are flattering and make you feel like you're not just wearing a boring wicking top.  It also has a reflecting logo on the back and one on the front left side.  Functional, but still cute.  And the cut is generous too.  This is perfect for hiking and backpacking and biking, and comes in a bright orange (the Paprika is brighter in person), which I love for visibility.

The Yunnan Hiking Pant is probably the very first pant in this genre that just fit perfect at first try.  You know it can be frustrating trying on pants like this.  For me, I'm either swimming in them, or to get a length that works, it's too tight everywhere else.  These are the perfect length (I'm 5'5) and they are just right.  They are flattering!  I've had some luck with Patagonia in this area, but overall, I find it very very difficult to find pants appropriate for the outdoors that still look good.  And by appropriate, I mean not cotton, no jeans or any material that will stay wet.  You want wicking material that will dry quickly if you're caught in the rain.  They're also very light.  The photo does not do them justice at all, they are a lower-rise than what it looks in the picture and have a great shape.  You could wear them on the trail and then out to dinner, perfect for traveling and everything else.  I would say they are a Must Have, and I hope that Go Lite keeps this style and offers them in black soon, I want more pairs of these.

And finally, check out this Cayambe Reversible Dress.  You get two dresses in one, it's very flattering, butter soft, and perfect for the suitcase.  I love the ruching at the top and there's a little flounce at the bottom making you feel very feminine.  It's very light, you won't even know it's in your bag.

On top of carrying awesome functional clothing, GoLite is a socially and environmentally conscious company.  They're having a 50% off sale right now, so head over there and see if there's anything that you could use for your Summer adventures.  Find them HERE.

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