If you could fit my entire aesthetic–or my dream aesthetic–into a buzzword, it would definitely be fall.
There are quite a few things about the season that I defend wholeheartedly, and other things not so much.
- Leather Jackets
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I consider myself extremely qualified to offer unsolicited advice.
First, faux leather is perfectly acceptable. Whether real leather isn’t in your budget or simply isn’t your thing, there’s no reason to rule it out. The catch? Quality matters.
I’ve had good luck with Aelfric Eden. My friends refuse to believe me, but I know I put the brand on the map when I bought two jackets and a top during my freshman year.
What I wouldn’t recommend is buying the cheapest faux leather you can find and expecting it to survive multiple seasons. Some pieces start peeling, cracking and practically disintegrating after only a handful of wears. If you’re buying a jacket you hope to wear for years, do your research.
And whatever you do, do not throw it in the washing machine.
Not that this happened to me, of course. It happened to a close personal friend who still cries about it to this day.
- New Year, New Winter Coats
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Every year, trends change.
One year, it’s oversized puffers. The next, it’s long wool coats. Then suddenly, trench coats are it.
My advice? Wear the coat you already own.
Winter coats are expensive, and unless yours is falling apart, there’s very little reason to replace it just because the silhouette of the season has changed. Most coats can be styled to fit whatever aesthetic you’re currently obsessed with.
- Don’t like it in the fitting room? You won’t like it once you leave.
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If you’re not in love with something in the fitting room, chances are you’re not going to wear it when you get home. This understanding can even be applied to your personal life.
There are exceptions, of course. Occasionally, you’ll stumble across something at Goodwill or Uptown Cheapskate that looks objectively questionable but has potential. You can see the vision. Nobody else can, but that’s beside the point.
If you trust your intuition that much, go for it. Just remember that there’s a fine line between having an eye for fashion and convincing yourself you can fix something that was never right for you—or convincing yourself it’ll look better later.
Again, applicable to your personal life.
- Farmers Markets
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I don’t particularly care for pumpkin patches. Pumpkins creep me out.
Apple picking is another activity I’ve never fully understood. The apples always look mushy, and it’s an awful lot of effort for something I could buy at the grocery store. Besides, I only eat Honeycrisps.
I do, however, love a farmers market.
It’s so much fun to look around, to “ooh” and “ahh” at stuff while your friends sign up for things they’ll never look at again and contemplate whether spending an unreasonable amount of money on flowers is a financially responsible decision.
It isn’t. But they’re pretty.
- Hiking
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Hiking has recently become one of those activities I’ve decided everyone around me should participate in.
There’s something about fall that makes being outdoors infinitely more appealing. The air is crisp, the trees look better and suddenly walking uphill for an extended period of time sounds like a reasonable recreational activity.
I recently saw someone hiking Mount Nittany at night under a clear sky.
Imagine reaching a viewpoint with your friends, looking up and actually being able to see the stars. Maybe even a planet or two, if the timing is right.
Obviously, nighttime hiking requires proper planning, a group and enough lighting to avoid becoming a cautionary tale.
- Crunchy Leaves
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This one doesn’t really require an explanation.
- Hearty meals
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I’m talking about pies, broths, soups and meals that require a bowl large enough to hold your entire emotional state.
Colder weather makes me crave comfort food (or the hot pocket from Starbucks) even more than usual.
- The End of Humidity
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After months of humidity, frizz and applying approximately 20 different products in the hope that at least one of them works, I finally don’t have to worry about my hair poofing up.
But that also means it falls flat, and I have to spend 20 minutes trying to add life to it.
- Morning Sunlight
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Autumn sunlight is sharper, more golden and somehow makes everything gorgeous.
The shadows are longer, the air feels crisp, and the cooler weather forces you to consciously get dressed and wear something you like looking at while making sure you don’t freeze.
- THE CLOTHES!
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Scarves, leather jackets, fleece-lined tights so you can still wear a skirt, Y2K layering with a long-sleeved thermal under a cute graphic tee, boots and so much more.
Fall is one of the only seasons where dressing for the weather and dressing for the aesthetic can coexist.
You can layer without looking like you’re preparing for an expedition, wear a skirt without losing feeling in your legs, wear clothes without sweating buckets and justify owning several nearly identical jackets because they each have a slightly different personality.
So, as we carry on through fall, don’t hesitate to participate in some of my favorite parts of the season.