Almost everything I love about Fall

Guess what, its September! I love love love me some September. I don't know if it's the fresh air or what, but this time of year just feels like a clean slate. Yes, the calendar year is more than half over, but something about Autumn just says renewal, new beginnings and new opportunity.

Fall is my favorite time of the year, and since this is my blog, I've decided to share a few things I love the most about September, and October and November...

The clothes: Oh, clothes...this might turn into a post unto itself. To me, Fall feels like the New Year's of fashion. Ever since the days of back-to-school shopping, I've thought of Autumn as the time you ruthlessly edit your closet and head to the mall. I remember elementary school, trying to milk the last few days of Summer, still running around in sandals and t-shirts, trying to pick out sweatshirts and thick socks.

However, after a marathon trip to Mervyn's (RIP) or JC Penny's with my mama, suddenly the new pants and sweaters were too much for this budding fashion slave to contend with. So, I used to beg mama to let me wear all my new clothes right away. The caveat? I live in California. We went back to school in August. It was still technically Summer. We don't feel a dramatic swing in temperatures until October, if at all. This led to several days every Fall where I was the girl in the lumpy sweater, quietly perspiring. Now I think I've got the hang of it, and have come to love Fall for the many fashion choices it offers: Sweaters, boots, hats, scarves, and jeans. Its still fun to get dressed up, as opposed to the month of January when your only thought is dressing for warmth.

So, for Fall 2010, here are the pieces I'm lusting after:

*A sparkly dress kind of like this one...
except with shorter sleeves. Elbow-length sleeves look kind of weird on me. How hot would this be with neutral colored accessories (I'd throw on a lightweight scarf, big bag and simple earrings. Minimal makeup and purposefully un-done hair) and tall boots? A grungy-looking brown belt also crossed my mind, but I'd have to play with it a bit. (dress, French Connection).

* Shiny shorts! Ok, I know. Sounds like 1970s gym wear, right? No. Bear with me....

...so pretty right? I love grey, it's probably my favorite neutral. And shorts can be really flattering and ladylike when worn like a skirt. As long as they're well tailored and in a nice fabric, they can even be work wear. I have been on the search for satiny, pewter colored shorts since late Spring. No luck as of yet. I have a perfectly torn red and white tshirt I'd wear tucked into them, and my black menswear-style blazer thrown on to pull the look together...Love. It. I've worn this outfit so so so many times in my head. In my head it's the right blend of low-end yet pretty. Also when I wear this outfit in my head I have cool bangs and my legs are about a mile long. But I digress.

I know the shorts don't work miracles, but they'd look pretty damn cool so keep your eyes peeled for me OK guys? (Shorts, Diane Von Furstenberg

*Onto shoes! I am a hardcore flat wearer. Ballerinas, modified Mary Janes, gladiator sandals (which I feel are over now, big time) and anything else sans heel. Right now, I've got my brown leather ones on. They're very basic, I bought them specifically to run through O'Hare Airport and two years later, I still can't go a week without wearing them. However, I feel the new Oxfords and dance-inspired lace ups could *Gasp!* replace some of my beloved flats. Peep these...

...cool, right? A nice neutral metallic. They look comfy. This type of shoe can fill the ballet flat role, but looks a little fresher and funkier. I'd wear them with a simple skirt-top combo, maybe a vintage vest, and slouchy socks.
Speaking of socks, I'm a lover of fun legwear, especially in the fall/winter months. Riddle me this: How can you get away with a frock in October? Knee socks and a cardigan, duh. check out http://www.sockdreams.com/_pages/index.php. I love this website! Last year in the sock aisle of Target, a random woman told my sister and I about it and for that, I am eternally grateful. (Shoes, found on frugalplanet.com. No designer listed.)

*Shoes, again: I have been hesitant to try the lace-up bootie trend. They remind me too much of Dr. Quinn. Also the grunge trend of my youth where everyone wore hiking boots and combat boots. In case you couldn't tell, I am a 90's kid. Now excuse me while I play Jenga and watch Hangin' with Mr. Cooper.

However, I've found some lace-ups that are more like heels. Heels that went to college, let's say. Like these which I literally gasped over:

IN. LOVE. The color, the mix of leather and velvet, the platform toe. Just everything about them screams, "LOVE ME!".

Except that this particular pair cost more than my rent. So, would someone please please pretty please knock these off already? I'm looking at you, Chinese Laundry. They're so ridiculously pretty, I want to grunge them up a little. I picture these with gray skinny jeans, a vintage t shirt and lots of silver jewelry. I also see a black fringey purse maybe? On a side note, I pretty much hate fringe but I do see that it has a place (albeit very small) in pulling an outfit together. I like to bring texture and visual interest into outfits, and fringe just might be the way to go. We'll see. (Shoes, Fendi)

*Since I wear eyeglasses, I feel they deserve a place on my blog. I'm looking for a geeky everyday pair in brown like these http://www.warbyparker.com/womens-eyewear-finn-eyeglass-frame-light-tortoise?sc=7&category=-107

and a more daring, fun funky pair like these:

These orange, square lunettes are to die for. They've got a lot of personality and might detract from my otherwise boring face on the days I run out of the house without makeup *cough* like every Monday *cough*. (Glasses, Ray-Ban)

While we're discussing fashion, I must mention Vogue’s September Issue. That’s it, that's what it comes down to in the glossy world of fashion magazines. Fashion is my porn, and September Vogue is Playmate of the Year. It's gloriously hefty (several hundred pages. I. Die.), and ripe with trends, ideas, emerging new designers and killer photography. Yes, the issue alone is pricey in my world (I can't even afford the "e" in broke right now) but luckily, the lowly designers I can actually afford to wear (helloooo, H&M!) will be drawing inspiration from the pages of Vogue for months. September Vogue is the gold standard for magazines, hands down. It had a freakin' documentary made about it. Not the magazine itself either. The movie centered around this one issue. Out of twelve issues a year, this issue got its own MOVIE. What's not to love about this magazine?

OK, moving on to non-fashion things to heart about Fall:

Foliage: Leaves everywhere, in different beautiful colors. Bonus points for crunching as many leaves as you can while walking down the street.

Pumpkins: roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin patches, pumpkin spice bread, jack-o-lanterns and the rock star of the gourd creations...pumpkin pie! OK, its gotta be pumpkin pie with Cool Whip. But I swear I like the pie too!

Halloween: Candy, costumes, and decorations. Last year, my house was decked out for Halloween in spider webs, spiders, witches, skeletons, pumpkins, ghosts, and about 83 pounds of candy...and we got no trick-or-treaters. I also have no children. I see nothing wrong with this.

The cooler weather: Its not 106 degrees anymore! Thank God! And we get rain for the first time in months. I love rainy days.

My birthday: First week of October. I accept cash and top shelf vodka.

School: Not for me anymore, for kids. Kids are back at school, not running amongst us grown folks as if they belong out in the real world on a Tuesday afternoon. You don’t. You’re 14, go wash your face then go learn something.

Heartier food: crock pot stew, oatmeal, sweet potatoes, home baked goodies, and all those other meals that are just too heavy for the rest of the year. Speaking of food...

Thanksgiving! I absolutely love Thanksgiving. It’s my favorite holiday: It’s not religious so no one gets offended. No one complains or gets self-righteous when you wish them a happy Thanksgiving. No one goes broke exchanging Thanksgiving gifts. It's a simple, American holiday centered around the food, gratitude, and family. Even in my dysfunctional family, Thanksgivings are usually pretty good.

Football: I won't pretend to follow football religiously but honestly, there’s nothing like a few good friends enjoying the game live (be it pro, high school, college, prison, whatever) on a chilly autumn night.

Apples: Picking them, eating them, cooking with them, when apples are in season I’m a happy girl.

That's about it I think, but hopefully this has inspired you to love Fall even a tiny little bit as much as I do.