Fall has finally hit Austin. For those of you that haven't been here before, Fall in Austin means temps of 15 C (low 60s) in the mornings warming up to the 20s (low 70s) midday. You really only need a sweater in the morning although Austinites dig out fleece pullovers and mittens and talk about how El Nino this year is going to make it a really cold winter. I love it. I almost skipped to the bus stop yesterday morning when I realized I would be able to start wearing my favourite sweater.
There's a dude at work who keeps telling me that the winter wind in Austin is the coldest in all the land. I told him that until he's stood at the top of a mountain at minus 18 C with the wind blowing 60km/h while it snows sideways, he has NO IDEA what cold is. He continues to insist that the Austin wind is the coldest. As far as I'm concerned, he can think that for as long as he likes, because now is the season that I can begin to wear my winter uniform.
At our knitting meetup a few weeks ago, there was some laughter that we'd all turned up in the same general outfit. Cute sneakers with no socks, jeans and a black tshirt. I don't know about you, but that's my Saturday uniform. It's comfy, it's casual and it's perfect for knitting in a coffee shop. My winter uniform is not much different. It's the same basic outfit but I add a black sweater and a scarf. Because it's only been cool enough for a sweater for one day, I haven't got any recent pictures of the uniform but I dug through my archives and discovered (with some surprise) that this has apparently been my uniform for some time. This is the finished object shot of Wavy that I knit in December 2004 where I'm wearing the black sweater. Worse than that, I found a picture of the same sweater with a scarf from a visit to Boston in December of 2003. At least the scarf is different. Gah!
I'm excited about the change in the weather but I'm horrified that I might have to get a new uniform. How many years is too many for a $15 sweater from (Canadians please begin to roll your eyes) Suzy Shier paired with a handknit scarf?
umm, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. you could maybe get another color or two in the sweater but i love the look. and i LOVE your wavy. it's perf for texas cold.
Posted by: meg | October 20, 2006 at 11:09
I love the sweater--don't give it up until it literally falls apart. I just had to recently part with my black Gap cardigan from 1997 (the buttons were falling off and the hem was unravelling--plus it was badly faded). But I replaced it last weekend with an almost identical black cardigan that was on clearance at Old Navy for like $12! I bought one in teal too. I hope they last for 10 years! You need to knit yourself a black back-up cardigan.
Posted by: Kristin | October 20, 2006 at 11:51
As a big fan of the color Black, I say go with it! Black is the best accessory for those colorful handknits, ya know.
Houston has hit fall, also, but in the most bizarro way - 90 degress one day, 65 the next, and it will be back in the 80's tomorrow. I'll take it, though!
Posted by: kelp! | October 20, 2006 at 12:29
The classics always stay in style! And it's nice to have clothes that work together so you don't have a whole bunch of outfits that you can only wear this top with these pants or what have you. Cute pic, btw!
Posted by: jennifer w. | October 20, 2006 at 12:35
I'm with Kristin; hang on to that sucker until it screams "Uncle!". My favorite sweater is a black pullover that I got at Target ages ago! I love it to pieces and it looks it!
Posted by: Susan | October 20, 2006 at 14:26
This may actually drive me to the mall, I need a new winter uniform sweater. I retired my last black zip hoodie sweater after years of dedicated service.
Posted by: Abbe | October 20, 2006 at 14:28
beautiful scarf! how funny would it look if we wore all our hand-knits at the same time?
Posted by: high-strung | October 20, 2006 at 14:36
I'd say that dude at work needs to expand his horizons. I doubt winter winds are cold at all in Austin. I've never been to Canada (if I had only stayed at my job working for RBC for another year, though, I'm sure I would have eventually visited Toronto). I can say, though, that the wind at the top of Breckenridge Mountain in Colorado was wickedly cold, and so was the wind in Chicago in November. That was the only time I ever had uncontrollable shivers, which took about an hour indoors to finally go away. Brrrrr.
I like your uniform and I think you should embrace it!
Posted by: katie | October 20, 2006 at 14:49
Oh, and I love your Wavy!
Posted by: katie | October 20, 2006 at 14:49
It's time to knot a black cardigan. Or, to change it up a bit (CRAZY! I KNOW!) you could knit a CHARCOAL cardigan. Keep people guessing, you know.
Posted by: Susan | October 20, 2006 at 14:51
Your uniform works for you so keep it. Just update the shirts every so often and things will stay cool. And as to that guy thinking Austin's winter winds are the coldest, how about sending him on a nice long trip starting with DC in the winter and than working him up north. Somehow I get the feeling that he was born and raised in warmer climes.
Posted by: Mia | October 20, 2006 at 15:54
Tell your friend that he also hasn't experienced West Texas winds either! Austin doesn't come close to comparing! :)
Posted by: Jessica | October 20, 2006 at 16:08
Thank God fall is here! I'm so tired of wearing short and I'm ready to break out my favorite sweatshirt. It's 15 years old now and still going strong.
Posted by: Elizabeth K | October 20, 2006 at 22:11
Hey there Caro...I hope you have gotten your package for the One Yard Swap. USPS said they delivered it on Oct. 13th. Have fun!
Have a great weekend.
Posted by: Sherrill | October 21, 2006 at 09:28
Um, hi...Chicago? Not called the Windy City for nothing! But I must say, hallelujah! for us getting out the nineties. Sheesh, what a relief.
Posted by: Olga | October 22, 2006 at 22:40
I'm new to wearing black. Until the gray started appearing in my hair, it just didn't work. Now I have a wardrobe of the stuff. Wavy is lovely and so are you. Sorry I missed the meetup - I'm shooting for the 28th.
Posted by: Julia | October 23, 2006 at 10:37
yeah mr. austin texas sounds like a bit of a cold weather whimp. i hardly think an austin winter wind could even come close to a january boston wind off of the atlantic, let alone what you describe.
nice uniform by the way. i've been wearing the scarves for a few weeks now.
Posted by: maryse | October 23, 2006 at 11:53
Look how pretty and fall-y you are! A. Love the red hair. (This is new, right? Last time I saw a photo of you, I swear your hair was brown.) And, are you losing weight?
Posted by: Kelli | October 23, 2006 at 17:47
You and me both girl (and from the looks of it, most of your loyal commenters, too)! I had to get a new black hoodie after my other one literally blew out all its seams. It appears I loved it a little too long time. With my waning green Abercrombie cargos (also over five years old), threadbare USMC t-shirt (ill-advised dating experience in college) and smelly old On Your Feet slippers, I'm one hot mama in the fall/winter months.
Oh yeah, and your Austin friend is out of his mind. Coldest wind? In Austin? C'mon.
Posted by: finnyknits | October 26, 2006 at 17:27
Has many inches has your hair grown since the last time I saw you? We really need to meet up! I hope you're doing well!
Posted by: jenny r | November 13, 2006 at 17:40