The Pieces That Sold Me on Wool

For years, I thought wool belonged in one place.

Sweaters.

That was about it.

Then work started sending me all over the country.

Early flights.

Cold conference rooms.

Mountain destinations.

Boat rides that started warm and ended colder than I expected.

Without realizing it, I stopped looking for heavier clothes.

I started looking for smarter fabrics.

The more I traveled, the more I noticed the same thing.

Whenever I came home from a trip thinking, "That worked really well," the piece I was talking about usually happened to be made of wool.

Not because I was trying to build a wool wardrobe.

Because each piece solved another problem.

One at a time.

The Layer That Replaced Several Layers

The first piece that completely changed my mind was a 400g merino wool quarter zip by MERIWOOL. My first one was purchased before a trip to Iceland. It performed so well I bought two more of them for our 14-days in Norway, Finland and Sweden.

When the weather turns cooler, this is almost always the first thing I pack.

It keeps me warm without feeling bulky, so I don't find myself piling on extra layers every time the temperature drops.

I've worn it on airplanes, walking around town, sitting outside on chilly mornings, and even on the boat when the wind picks up. When I was a runner, I would wear it for a shorter run.

What surprised me most wasn't the warmth.

It was how comfortable it felt directly against my skin.

Soft enough to wear without another layer underneath.

Comfortable enough that I forget I'm wearing wool at all.

And when I'm traveling, I don't feel like it has to go straight into the laundry after one wear. Merino naturally handles moisture and odor so well that I can wear it again without giving it a second thought.

That alone has made packing for colder trips much simpler.

The Vest That Changed My Fall Travel Wardrobe

If you've read LME for a while, you've probably seen this vest before.

Because I wear it...a lot.

The Marcella Erica long vest is made from 100% soft Italian virgin wool, and it's become one of those pieces that instantly makes an outfit feel more intentional.

Whether I'm walking into a conference, heading to dinner, or grabbing coffee before meetings, it always makes me feel polished without looking overdressed.

The oversized pockets are genuinely useful while traveling.

When I want a more structured look, I tie the waist.

When the temperature drops, the higher neckline gives me just enough extra warmth to stay comfortable outside.

It's one of the few pieces I pack that can completely change how an outfit feels without changing the outfit itself.

The Jacket That Became Part of My Airport Uniform

When I bought the Quince merino wool bomber, I pictured myself wearing it on airplanes.

I didn't expect to reach for it almost everywhere else too.

Now it comes with me running errands.

Over leggings after the gym.

To grab coffee on Saturday mornings.

On travel days.

Some jackets feel like an outfit decision.

This one feels like muscle memory.

If it's cool outside, I usually grab it without thinking.

It's sporty enough to work with athletic clothes but polished enough that I never feel underdressed walking into a restaurant or hotel.

That's a surprisingly difficult balance to find.

The Hat That Made Me Forget Baseball Caps Were Seasonal

If you'd told me a few years ago that I'd own a wool baseball cap, I probably would've laughed.

Now I wear one most of the fall.

That extra layer of warmth makes more difference than I ever expected, especially on crisp mornings.

Without oversized logos or bright athletic branding, it also looks far more elevated than most baseball caps.

It's one of those little details that quietly changes an outfit without asking for attention.

The Sleep Shorts That Replaced My Bamboo Set for Winter

At home, I still sleep in my bamboo set almost every night.

When I travel during colder months, though, these merino wool boyshorts take its place.

They're noticeably warmer, which makes chilly hotel rooms much more comfortable.

They're also incredibly practical.

If I need to wash them in the hotel sink, I can squeeze them between two towels, hang them in the morning, and they're dry that evening when I need them again.

That kind of flexibility matters when you're trying to travel with less.

The Socks That Ruined Every Other Pair

I don't like socks.

At all.

Which makes this recommendation carry a little more weight.

These are the only socks I actually look forward to wearing.

Made of merino wool, they're incredibly soft, surprisingly thin, and much warmer than they look.

They're the first pair I reach for when sandal season ends, and whenever I'm traveling somewhere colder—Canada, Finland, Norway, Sweden—they become my base layer underneath heavier wool socks. The heavier socks are men’s, technically, but ordering a small/medium size fit me just fine.

I even wear the thinner socks to bed in hotel rooms because they help keep my temperature comfortable without overheating.

If a sock can make someone who hates socks change her mind, that's probably the highest compliment I can give it.

The Blanket That Came on a Snow Day Golf Cart Ride

About a month after I moved to the coast, we had one of those storms people will probably talk about for years.

More than twenty inches of snow.

It was completely unexpected.

Most people stayed home.

I wrapped myself in my Molithe wool blanket, climbed into my lifted golf cart, and headed into town.

By then there were already several inches of snow covering the roads, and it was still coming down.

I stopped by to visit my favorite bartenders at the local hotel, wandered around town, and spent the morning exploring streets that were almost completely empty.

It felt like I had the entire town to myself.

That drive is still one of my favorite memories since moving here.

Not because of the snow.

Because it felt like the moment I realized this little coastal town had become home.

Well, and the snow. :)

I Didn't Mean to Build a Wool Wardrobe

Looking back, I wasn't collecting wool.

I was collecting pieces that kept solving the same problems.

Packing lighter.

Staying warm.

Feeling comfortable from the airport to dinner to the boat.

Getting more than one wear before laundry day.

Eventually, I stopped noticing the material.

I just noticed that the clothes I reached for most often all happened to be made from it.

I thought wool was just for sweaters.

I couldn't have been more wrong. -LME

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