6 Reasons Why Fall Is The Best
Just like every other year, there comes a point during the summer in which I lose all hope that temperatures below 90º are a real thing. I can’t imagine it anymore. I don’t know what it feels like, looks like, smells like. The idea of ever being able to comfortably wear a sweater again is a laughable fantasy. But then, almost every year around mid-October, something miraculous happens. Temperatures drop. Maybe not drastically, but enough. Suddenly, I open the door to greet the day and instead of being met with a layer of sweat and staggered breathing, I’m instead met with that familiar, cool breeze I was so dangerously close to forgetting forever.
It’s fall, and there are so many reason to love it but these are my top 6 (in no particular order).
Rewatching Gilmore Girls
Many moons ago, when I was desperately funemployed with nothing but time on my hands, I decided to start Gilmore Girls —the beloved, WB dramady from yesteryear—from season 1, episode 1. I had foggy memories of being sorta kinda into it when it premiered back in the day (October 5, 2000), but when Netflix announced it was now available via streaming, I had this gut feeling that perhaps it was time to revisit a show that had almost assuredly gone way over my head at age 13.
In just 2 months, I blew through all 7 seasons (45min-long episodes, about 22 episodes per season comes out to roughly 115 hours of television. It’s fine. I was fine). The sleepy town of Stars Hallow, Connecticut is the quintessential setting for the fall season, and Amy-Sherman Palladino knew that all too well. Through her writing, the sets, and the general vibe of a pure but drama-filled small town, she somehow embodied fall. Personified it. So now, Gilmore Girls IS fall to me. Plus, I rewatched it (for the first time) in the fall, which drives the point home even more. So now, every fall, one of my traditions is to start it from season 1, episode 1 while curled up on the couch with a fall-scented candle going, a fall recipe cooking, and a perfectly weighted fall blanket draped across my body. Also, my typically gentle coffee addiction gets jacked the fuck up. Go figure.
Fall-themed candles
I love candles every day of every year of every season. But there’s something about fall-theme candles that drive me a bit insane, in the best way. Fall is this indescribably perfect season that you wish you could bottle up the sounds, smells, and feels of into a little jar to keep under your guest bathroom sink and take out in the dead heat of summer and sniff until you get high off the fumes and pass out and then, hours later, a family member finds you slumped in the corner of the bathroom with your little jar by your side and quietly tsks under their breath as they drag you to bed, saying “She really just needs to move to Portland.” And fall-themed candles ARE those little jars of sounds, smells, and feels!
My absolute favorite and go-to year after year is the Pumpkin Pie scent from Bath and Body works. To me, it’s perfect (cue Love Actually cards). Typically, I stay very far away from candles that smell like food because I’m not trying to mind fuck myself and my stomach with the scent of Glazed Doughnut, Birthday Cake, or Chocolate Covered Strawberries wafting throughout my house. However, the Pumpkin Pie scent isn’t about the food itself. It’s a blend of creamy pumpkin, vanilla, nutmeg, and graham cracker crust with essential oils that smells like a pile of fall leaves, doused in pumpkin spice latte, and lit aflame with the feeling of a new pair of booties. In other words, IT’S PERFECT. Runners up for me are: Leaves, Sweet Cinnamon Pumpkin, and Autumn. I know tons of other candle companies carry fall scents, but I’ve relied on Bath and Body Works for so long that it’s hard for me to stray.
Sweaters, hoodies, and jackets
…basically any and all clothing you can pull over your head or add to an outfit to make it completely SHINE come fall time. Spring leaves a little room for layering, but summer is the devil incarnate and, almost every year, has me wondering just how insane it would be to start a nude revolution. But fall. Perfect, precious fall. Sweaters galore in solid colors, patterns, and prints! Cardigans — crew neck, v-neck, whatever neck you please! Long, short, somewhere in-between, it doesn’t matter! And the hoodies. OH! The hoodies. FINALLY, a chance to wear that adorable athleisure cropped hoodie you treated yourself to WITHOUT sweating and WITHOUT having to take it off the second you walk outside! And jackets? Don’t even get me started (JK, it’s too late). Cargo, army, jean, leather, suede, wool, fleece — CAN YOU WEAR THEM ALL AT ONCE? SURE! WHAT’S STOPPING YOU?
I swear to you, when I walked into Nordstrom last weekend and saw the updated fall displays full of chunky knits, fresh straight leg jeans, and sea of jackets, I internally lost my shit. It was as if I snorted a PSL straight into my nostrils. My fall/winter shopping has just begun, but I’ve put together a little collage below to show you what I’ve already bought or have my eye on.
NO MORE SWEATING
Do you feel that? Do you feel the dryness of your skin? EMBRACE IT. Let it flake. Let it itch. Let it breathe for the first time in months, because it’s fucking fall baby and sweating is a thing of the past. Maybe you don’t sweat enough to be breathing a very loud sigh of relief right now, but I’m almost positive most of Dallas could hear me scream out loud the other day “IT FEELS SO FUCKING AMAZING.” Truly, I get so used to be covered in a consistent layer of wet during the summer that I forget what it’s like to just be. No sweat. No stains. Not freezing, either. Just wearing clothes comfortably like God intended. Fall for me is shedding that disgusting, awkwardly smelly summer skin and getting back to regularly scheduled programming. I’m me again and it feels glorious.
BOOTIES
This is how I determine whether or not an item of clothing is worth buying during fall time: Would it look cute with a jean jacket and booties? If the answer is yes, add👏🏼to👏🏼cart👏🏼. Booties are everything. I mean, they literally look good with jeans, skirts, dresses, jumpsuits, wide leg pants, no pants. I treasure my booties so much. In fact, I take them very seriously which is why I’ve graduated from cheap booties that may last a season to pricier but much sturdier booties that can last years. I’ve been coveting Marc Fisher booties for over a year now, and I think this is the year, guys. I’m fucking ready. LFG. But also, I WILL be getting some from Target as well because Target is everything.
soup, stews, and chilis
IT’S SOUP SZN, Y’ALL.
I used to be that fool who was against soup. I didn’t find it “filling enough,'“ so I was offended when people considered it a meal. I don’t know when I saw the light, but it hit me in the face like a chicken meatball from this amazing fucking soup recipe I made last year. Soup, BEEF STEW, fucking chili. COME ON. It’s all incredible and, the best part is that it’s all typically insanely easy. Recipes for all three are endless — you can get lost on the internet letting your stomach shop (a dangerous game). And! AND! Most soup, stews, and chili recipes are set it and forget it via the crockpot which makes the entire process 200x easier. In the mood for soup now? Tight because I have some recipes you can try:
Chicken Tortilla Soup with Quinoa
Sweet Potato Chicken Noodle Soup
Vegan Quinoa and Sweet Potato Chili
What’s your favorite thing about fall? Leave a comment, bitch!
xox,
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