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If I Lived in Stowe, This Is How I'd Dress for Fall
My brother texted me a photo of Stowe, Vermont, in full fall color. So here is the wardrobe I would wear if I lived there, built from a town where Thursday's forecast is 85 and thunderstorms.
My brother lives in Stowe, Vermont. This week he texted me the photo above with no caption. He didn't need one.
The National Weather Service has Thursday in Stowe at 46 degrees around breakfast, rain showers likely in the morning, a high near 63 and about 40 that night. Bradenton gets 85 and thunderstorms. I read both forecasts twice, then opened my closet, which had nothing helpful to say.
The snowboarder problem
I grew up in Greenwich and learned to snowboard on New England ice, so a photo of Vermont in October doesn't read to me as foliage. It reads as a countdown.
Stowe's ski resort sits on Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest peak at 4,393 feet, just over the summit ridge from Underhill State Park. The lifts aren't turning yet. I am not counting the days. I am, of course, counting the days.
The wardrobe, hypothetically
A Vermont fall day asks you to dress for 46 degrees at breakfast and 62 at lunch. That is a layering problem, and I love a layering problem.
A waxed cotton jacket. It shrugs off drizzle and looks better the more you use it. It is supposed to look like it has stories.
A cream fisherman sweater. Chunky, cabled, a little too big. In Stowe it's practically a coat. In Bradenton it's a decision.
A flannel shirt, open over a white tee. The layer that comes off at lunch and gets tied around your waist at the farm stand.
A quilted vest. Warm core, free arms. Ideal for holding a coffee and a cider doughnut at the same time, which is the whole point of October.
Real wool socks. Thick enough to change your shoe size. Which brings us to the boots.
Bean Boots. L.L.Bean's Women's Bean Boots, 8" are $150 on its site, Maine-made and, in its own words, weather-ready. The fit note says to order a full size down from your usual. My wool socks would like a word.
A ribbed beanie. For warmth, mostly. Also for the morning your hair has opinions.
Meanwhile, in Bradenton
The good news for anyone here who wants to try the look: L.L.Bean's only Florida store is in Sarasota, at University Town Center on North Cattlemen Road. You can try on the boots without a plane ticket.
The Suncoast version needs some edits. The flannel becomes a linen button-down. The fisherman sweater rides in the car for restaurant air conditioning, which is the only Vermont weather we get. The boots wait for a trip north. The beanie sits this one out.
My brother will send another photo next week. I will reply with the beach. Neither of us will admit who is winning.
