I was so glad to see the calendar change to September yesterday! Even the weather was cooperating with mild temperatures and some sprinkling here and there. In my opinion, September is one of the BEST months of the year, second only to December which houses my hands-down favorite holiday of all time. September is amazing because it signals the end of summer (and in Georgia, SWELTERING temps) and ushers in crisp air, changing leaves and open windows. It also combines my two sports loves...major league baseball and the postseason, as well as college football! Is there anything better? I'm particularly looking forward to fall in Georgia this year because for the last five years, we've been in California. Historically, California is God's country when it comes to beauty and weather, but in the particular category of fall, it comes up rather short. In my experience, California switches right from summer to winter in most cases and just skips over fall. I'm looking forward once again to the proper progression of seasons. As I was pondering the transition to fall, I realized that I was taking mental notes of all the things I needed to be sure I had and was excited to be able to use...so I thought I'd share what are (in my humble opinion) the top ten MUST HAVES for fall. These are in no particular order, by the way. All of them are grand and don't deserve to have their egos bruised by a ranking. So, without further adieu...
10) BOOTS
No, not ridiculous boots like these. Sassy boots. Knee boots, ankle boots, high-heeled boots, Ugg boots, furry cuffed boots, sweater boots, rain boots...boots. Bye bye flip flops and relentless pedicures. Hello socks, skinny jeans and sassy boots. Welcome. Back. Boots.
9) SOUPS
I'm so excited to be able to indulge in warm, comfort food again! These particular soups are my favorite, though they are a little pricey. You can find them in the soup aisle and all you do is add water to their variety of different flavors. I also take the time to add broccoli florets, cauliflower or chunks of chicken to make a particularly hearty soup. It also makes a half gallon! Great to eat on for a couple of days and a quick and warm lunch solution. This is also a great time for the return of tortilla soup, our family favorite. Yum. Yum. Yum.
8) SWEATSHIRTS & HOODIES
With cooler temps come LAYERS! Finally! I have found that a good pullover sweatshirt or zip up hoodie comes in quite handy and I usually keep one in the car for unexpected outside excursions or relentlessly air-conditioned buildings. Here you can also see the beautiful marriage of baseball and college football that I mentioned earlier. Three cheers for layers!!
7) SCARVES
I know, I know, fall isn't the only time scarves are appropriate now that there are summer scarves. BUT, fall is the first time they're cozy and helpful for anything other than fashion. I have cabillions of scarves. It's gluttonous really. But, they are truly the perfect fall accessory and immediately spice up my go-to clothing colors of black, grey and chocolate brown. Scarf it up!
6) SIGNATURE SCENT(S)
I'm sure you're thinking "Really? Signature scents?" But it's true! Now, I'm not talking about your breezy Bath & Body Works spritzes or the Dove body spray line. Those are good for summer and are light, which is what summer calls for. But, for fall, I'm saying good, quality stuff. Eu de toilette. Parfum. Why? Because all those scarves that I mentioned earlier are going to smell like your signature scent. Unless you wash your scarf after each wear (which is terrible for them, by the way), then it's going to smell uniquely like you. And you want that to be a good, rich, nostalgic smell...not an alcohol-filled cheap smell which is specific to those cheap sprays mentioned earlier. I tend to prefer Daisy by Marc Jacobs and Lucky You by Lucky Brand, but that's just me. Go out and find something that's uniquely YOU.
5) BLANKETS & SNUGGIES
Fall would not be fall without something to snuggle under. This stack of blankets is right next to the leather recliner in our house so that snuggling is only a reach away. There are blankets across the back of my couch in order to support warmth while you are there as well. A snuggie has also become a must for this girl. I freeze most of the time. And...even though the commercials make everybody laugh about being able to still work on your laptop while staying warm...that's TOTALLY what they're good for. That's my snuggie on top of the pile. I know it shocks you that it's college football themed. Bring on game day!
4) FIRE
I don't really think this needs any explanation. It's fall. We get to have fires in fireplaces again. All is right with the world.
3) CANDLES
2) BOOKS
So, your candles are lit, the window is cracked, the fire is going, the soup is on, your snuggie has magically allowed your hands to be free and now all you need is a good book. I don't mean your quiet time material or your Bible in this instance because it's my assumption that you have those at hand regularly. I mean, a BOOK, something rich and engaging and that sucks you in and transports you to another place. Classics, new arrivals, biographies, mysteries...whatever floats your boat. Read. It's good for your brain! (Honorable mentions in this category: iPads, Kindles, Nooks and other e-readers...though I don't think they're as romantic and cozy as a good old-fashioned book, they do have their positives. So, settle in with one of those if you must, but do yourself a favor either way and READ!)
1) COFFEE
It may be last, but it's certainly not least. Coffee (or hot tea for you non-coffee connoisseurs) is the perfect compliment to the above must haves. It warms you from the inside out! Thanks to Keurigs and french presses and every other coffee craze of the last few years, gone are the traditional days of old, boring coffee. You can get it in every flavor imaginable and can make enough only for yourself. There's no waste! What's not to love?
So there you have it. Those are the components of my perfect fall...
What are yours?
