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The "Everyday" Sweater For Weekend Adventure

What helps me feel my best during the workwork is even better for weekend adventure.
February 17, 2022
By Lia Klinchik

Weekend Adventures With Oliver Charles

Introducing a 5-part blog series about using the weekend as an opportunity to explore.

Discover what you should keep in your bag for impulsive adventuring, simple, healthy recipes you can meal prep, and day trips on the California coast.

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The workweek can be crazy, but getting away on the weekend can work wonders on your productivity, happiness, and health.

My weekend adventures are usually planned with just a few days notice. A busy work schedule doesn’t leave me a lot of time to put everything together.

I like to have my essentials with me at all times, so I don’t find myself putzing around.

Some of these objects I’ve just always had around, others, like my Oliver Charles sweater, are new additions to my pack.

In all, I have 6 weekend adventure essentials you need to know about.

1. My Go-To Oliver Charles Sweater

Let me tell you how and why my sweater came to be an essential for weekend adventure.

Over the past few years, I’ve realized that if I'm going to adopt an adventurous lifestyle on the weekends, I'm going to need to figure out what to carry, and not carry, to be prepared. I wanted to shift my closet from quantity to quality items only.

Recently, I completed the 1-week sweater challenge, which reinforced this point that I can simplify my choices and wear the clothes I love all the time.

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition
OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition
OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition
OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition
OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition
OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

I didn’t necessarily go into the challenge assuming I’d adopt the OC sweater into my essentials.

I didn’t even know people used yak wool as a material for clothing, let alone how it’d perform.

I was skeptical about whether or not the Oliver Charles sweater was something I could fit into my everyday life - something I'd want to throw on whenever, feel confident in how it looked on my body, and be adaptable depending on the trip I was taking.

Ever since I moved to California, it seems like every weekend is a new place. And truthfully, I don’t have endless funds to throw in all directions!

After wearing the sweater for a week, I was pleasantly surprised, mostly by the sweater’s ability to regulate body temperature.

I wore my Oliver Charles sweater on a weekend trip to Joshua Tree, and on our way back, we stopped at a friend’s house for a beer.

This friend happens to model for clothing companies. We were inspecting the sweater and discussing its 3D-knit. Whilst doing this, we discovered something!

In the underarm area of the crew neck sweater, the pattern of knitting is different. The holes are bigger, which allows for more breathability and venting.

To be honest, this blew my mind. What an incredible idea! And it just adds to the list of reasons the Oliver Charles sweater is unique.

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

I never thought I’d feel so strongly about a sweater, but it’s hard not to when the product is thoughtfully created.

And the founders of the company are passionate and proud of their product - it’s contagious!

It’s even better knowing that what I purchase benefits the people and the planet.

I know this is a big claim, but my Oliver Charles has made my life easier. I don’t have to think twice about it. It fits into my wardrobe with ease and is cozy, sustainable, versatile, AND high-performance.

Keeping it around has only made my life easier. I simply feel good in it.

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

2. Notebook And Pen

I’m an avid journaler, so for obvious reasons, that’s why I like to keep a notebook and pen around.

But other than that, instead of pulling out my phone to take notes, I like to reach for my notebook. When I’m traveling especially, I spend less time on my phone.

There’s something about smooth black ink running onto a crisp, blank page that satisfies a soul need.

I enjoy the ritual of it, getting up to watch the sunrise and jotting down the little sparks of poetry in my mind.

Or cuddling up with my journal, a cup of tea, and my headlamp at the end of a hard hiking day that makes me feel complete. It’s a way of reflecting and remembering.

And it’s lovely to look back on, even more meaningful than photos.

Journaling is a way of processing experiences, recalling dreams, and guiding towards purpose.

Right now, I carry with me a neat little handmade journal my best friend gave me, but I also like this waterproof journal called, Rite in the Rain.

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

3. A Book

Most of the time, there isn’t any service! This can be because there are mountains blocking cell signals or because you’re in the middle of nowhere.

On road trips, you will undoubtedly run out of music and podcasts. The silence can be peaceful! So get out the old book.

Reading is one of my favorite pastimes. There’s so much out there to learn that isn’t on Google.

Books allow us to expand our vocabulary, gain perspective, and explore topics that interest us in depth.

Here are some of my current favorite reads for weekend trips for us nature-loving folks:

  • Voices in the Ocean, by Susan Casey, is a book that will have you seriously passionate about protecting the waters.
  • New and Selected Poems, Volume One, by Mary Oliver, is a lovely collection of poetry. Mary Oliver paints pictures so vividly that you can feel her love of this planet through her words.
  • Gathering Moss, by Robin Wall Kimmerer, is a great book for those of you who like to nerd out on plants. Moss is an underrated being on this planet that we have much to learn from!
  • Entangled Life, by Merlin Sheldrake, teaches and shows us how life is entirely interconnected. There is magic everywhere!

Another personal favorite that never gets old is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. It’s a tale of a young man in search of his Personal Legend. So if you’re a dreamer on a journey, read on. This one has some serious gems of information that will change your life.

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

4. Herbal Salve

A herbal salve is an herbal oil combined with beeswax to create a thicker, ointment or balm-like consistency.

Aside from being an herbalist, which means one who practices the study of medicinal plants, I think this is something everyone should carry. Hands get dry, ok! I make my own, but you can find them at pharmacies like CVS.

Depending on the herb used to create the infused oil, they have different properties, but can be used for a variety of things such as; wounds, blisters, bruises, dryness, etc.

The most basic one I carry with me is made of calendula oil (olive oil infused with Calendula officinalis flowers) and beeswax. Sometimes I’ll add in a little essential oil.

I like calendula because it’s a gentle and safe herb when used topically. It heals from the inside-out, meaning from the bottom of the wound up and won’t seal the top of it before it’s ready. It also has anti fungal properties and is ultra-moisturizing!

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

5. Digestive Bitters!

I refuse to leave the house for a adventure without my digestive bitters.

Digestive bitters are blends of bitter plants that help stimulate digestive enzyme production.

They tell the stomach to get goin! And they also help produce more stomach acid (HCl).

Some examples of bitter plants are dandelion greens or radicchio- veggies consumed in traditional diets.

When we’re on the road, things can get, kind of, stuck! We can have indigestion, acid reflux, gas, or bloating from eating gas station cardboard for too long.

In this case, I keep digestive bitters on hand to consume 15 minutes before a meal, and as needed for bloating and stomach discomfort.

You can find them at a natural food store, or purchase them online. Urban Moonshine has a few different options as far as digestive bitters blends go and are good quality.

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

6. Reusable Water Bottles And Utensils

No matter where I go, I don’t leave the house without my filled water bottle. I avoid buying plastic bottles and fill up at restaurants, parks, or at friends houses.

My hydro flask has seen a lot. It even as a few dents in it, but that’s what gives it character.

I got my set of reusable, metal utensils at an outdoor store. I like to make food for myself or bring snacks along, but I never remember to bring forks from home.

It helps that these are already in my bag when I need them!

OLIVER CHARLES - Blog #Repeat - Style, Sustainability, Unique Innovative Materials, Sizing, Enclothed Cognition

Packing Only The Essentials

Packing road trip essentials will become second nature as you opt for the weekend adventure instead of staying at home (though that’s cool too).

These are items that you can’t live without and help your trip run smoother, like a wool sweater that transforms per activity.

Having my top 6 travel essentials checklist helps me feel grounded. With it, I always have everything I need and can leave all the worries at home.

Oh - and don’t forget your wallet!

Lia Klinchik is a freelance blogger, content creator, and editor, who studies wellness and nutrition. She's passionate about sustainability, travel, and making the world a better place. Through her writing, she hopes to convey meaningful messages that change people's minds.

If you believe that every good wardrobe starts with owning less and owning better, consider buying yourself an OLIVER CHARLES sweater.
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