Vol. 19
Hello & welcome to all of you who made your way here from Claudia’s fantastic What's in my NOW? newsletter. I am honored to be featured in her thoughtful corner of the internet this week, and I greatly appreciate you each taking the time to visit me here!
I hope that you’re able to enjoy the spookiness of the day today (my three year old has been looking forward to Halloween all year and is going as a lion 🦁 for the second year running). We’re expecting snow today, in typical Montana fashion! I am hoping that the school parade full of toddlers in costume, trick or treating with friends, the annual neighborhood barrel fire, and general excitement of the day will be a good distraction from the chaotic, anxious, and heavy feelings I’ve been experiencing throughout this election season. Check out the end of today’s letter for last minute voter resources. 🗳️
May your candy bowls be full & your jack-o-lanterns be free from squirrel nibbles! 🎃
[You Get-sy] Rec of the Week
Hilary Oliver’s Uniform Go-to’s
Missoula is full of super athletic outdoorsy people, and Hilary Oliver is certainly among them! Although we’ve been introduced to one another through mutual friends, we don’t cross paths frequently, and I’m hoping that changes! Hilary writes with honesty and vulnerability about being an athlete, a mom, and a human in our world. We’ve connected over a shared love for how clothing can help us to express ourselves, especially as new parents, while remaining true to your outdoorsy roots. Her newsletter is a true joy to read, and I look forward to taking my time with it each time she publishes.
This week Hilary shares a snapshot of her current personal style and the workhorses and favorites that she finds herself wearing every day. I am so grateful to her for taking the time to share her personal style with us today, and I hope you make your way over to her page to read more of her beautiful writing.
I’m a writer— I dabble in creative writing (essays, sometimes for magazines like Outside or Adventure Journal, a few short film scripts, a novel manuscript) but day-to-day I do copywriting for brands like HOKA and newsletters and posts about climate and democracy for a philanthropic org. I live in Montana with my husband, Brendan Leonard, who’s also a freelance creative, and our two-year-old. We both work from home, biking our kiddo to childcare four days a week—we got a cargo bike, and I’m pretty into it because I can wear flowy pants or skirts on it and carry a ton of stuff in the enormous basket.
Trail running, backpacking, camping, gardening and riding bikes make me happy—and I’m always inspired by people breaking the outdoor-uniform mold and wearing something interesting outdoors. Function and comfort is so important to me, but especially after becoming a mom, expressing myself in what I wear is something I really enjoy. I’m a hack sewist, but have a couple me-made pieces I really like (like my rust-colored corduroy Toaster Sweater). My sewing time has gone the wayside the past couple years, though.
Most days you can find me in baggy linen pants or workwear and wool. I’m so in love with big shapes so I’m psyched the ’90s baggy trend is back. (I inherited my sister’s Doc Martens from when we were in high school in the actual ’90s and am thrilled that combat boots are in, too!) Workwear/outdoorwear with maybe a little feminine spin is my favorite. They’re the things I always go back to. Since it feels like sweater weather about 75% of the year in Montana I’ve been gradually growing my wool sweater collection—it’s nice to have variety, though I often wind up styling monochrome looks.
Here are Hilary’s recommendations!
These linen blend culottes on sale from Banana Republic have been in very heavy rotation—I love their extra billowy shape.
People say linen is just for summer—whatever. I just layer leggings or wool base layers underneath. I got a pair of Not Perfect Linen wide leg pants this summer, and I think they’ll be great with wool sweaters this fall. (Climate change = more linen)
Lucky thrift finds— vintage Carhartts, and these jeans from Duluth Trading Post.
Wool sweaters from Finisterre (so soft, practical and affordable compared to many other quality wool options), Patagonia, and Toad and Co.
Wool undershirts from Duckworth, Ibex, or Icebreaker.
Just got a pair of Mountain Hardwear Rockrydge pants, and they’re light and a bit summery but I LOVE the shape.
Inspired by TOGS, I’m currently eyeing these Arc’teryx pants, but they cost a pretty penny, and I’m on the hunt for some winter-worthy secondhand wool trousers, too.
I try to frequent a couple thrift joints in town (Sports Exchange and Gathered for Good) because I’ve been lucky to score a couple awesome vintage wool sweaters, an oversized corduroy overshirt, and a reversible tweed wool shirt jacket.
After my feet spread a half size postpartum, I’m having to rebuild my collection—such a bummer! But Vans Authentics and Slip Ons, La Sportiva Boulders, and Birkenstock Bostons are currently getting the job done since I do so much toddler chasing around the neighborhood. I’ll have to fork some over for a new pair of daily boots this fall—so I’m on the lookout for something cool and comfortable!
Huge thanks to Hilary for taking the time to share her the ins and outs of her current style! I really identify with the struggle of finding clothing for what seems to be an ever changing postpartum body, but especially the struggle of finding new footwear!! If you enjoyed what you read here, please visit Hilary’s Substack over at Hilary Oliver and on Instagram.
If YOU are interested in sharing your seasonal uniform, please reach out to me through email or the Substack platform. I’d love to hear about it!
Until next time, thanks for reading! xo
Hopefully by now you have already voted or have a voting plan in place, but if you need more information, here are some voter resources to check out. I’m happy to help in any way that I can, so please do reach out if you have questions.
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