Fall is great, don’t get me wrong. Simply the mention of it sends me fantasizing about sweater weather, pumpkin patches, and the ever present array of frothy but guilt-inducing drinks. There are just so many things to do during this time of year that it feels like there will never be enough time to completely cross everything off your fall bucket list. The sheer exposure and constant hype that marks this season can leave disappointment and unfulfilled expectations when considering it only lasts for about two months and the anticipation for it lasts much longer.
Fall is known for its clear days full of Instagram-worthy moments, but often these days are hard to find and can be frustrating when a gray sky decides to ruin a spontaneous photoshoot.
There is the promise of fall fashion, which leaves most of us drooling over stylishly dressed bloggers and models while simultaneously ignoring the price of their outfits. When fall fashion is affordable, there are so many choices it can be easy to get overwhelmed in the aisles of soft flannels, oversized sweaters and the ever elusive sweater dress. The idea of dressing in style is nice for a while but is quickly traded out for the comfortable routine of sweatshirts and leggings.
Clothing aside, the activities are fun but lose their glamour after constantly hearing how everyone and their mother just found the most amazing little pumpkin patch with the best apple cider you’ve ever tasted. Trips to the pumpkin patch, walks through the fallen leaves, and fall festivals are a great way to spend time with your friends and family, but the amount of couples happily strolling in matching flannels can be a little off-putting.
Fall in general seems to bring out opportunities for romantic dates and now in the era of Instagram, it’s almost impossible to avoid the adorable and candid pictures of that couple you forgot you followed. The expectation to have a significant other to spend the beginning of the holidays with might not be that overt, but it makes an appearance time and time again like that aunt that always manages to corner you at Thanksgiving and ask you about your love life.
As if contemplating your love life wasn’t scary enough, there’s also the prospect of Halloween. Halloween is the pinnacle of the season and the struggle to find the perfect Halloween costume has made some of the calmest people I know enter their local Halloween store with a fervor I’ve never seen before. Do you go for the cute yet seductive ladybug outfit or do you go for the tiny overpriced nurse outfit that has you fending off partygoers asking for a “quick checkup”?
And some of the other costumes can go a bit far. It’s a little unnerving when the person that looks like they walked straight out of The Purge saunters by you with a weapon that may or may not be from the sales bin at Target. Styrofoam or not, I’m staying on the opposite side of the room conveniently close to the candy bowl, just to be safe.
After the Halloween boom comes Thanksgiving, which is really just a poorly disguised segue into Christmas. The fall season tends to be overrated when it comes to its gloomy weather, abundance of loving couples, overpriced fashion and unyielding vendetta to make the entire world fall in love with pumpkin spice. But that’s what makes it such a recognizable and endeared season, and ultimately the perfect stepping stone to what everyone’s been lusting after since summer: the winter holiday season.