Fall is when I thrive. Mentally, emotionally, sartorially. Give me the layers, the cashmere socks, the hats, the suede, the leather. Honestly, if you’re not a little excited to get dressed in October, what are we doing? Sometimes I wonder if I moved to the East Coast purely for the wardrobe. I’m joking. Mostly.
Living in Litchfield County does make it remarkably easy to lean in. The whole place is one part Ralph Lauren, two parts equestrian, with a dash of Cotswolds old money. And there’s always somewhere to wear the look: an antique fair, pumpkin picking, farmer’s markets, the stables. My calendar may say “errands,” but my closet says otherwise.
When I first moved east nearly a decade ago, I had a closet full of summer dresses and absolutely no idea how to dress for actual seasons. A California girl through and through, guilty as charged. My snow gear is still a work in progress, but fall? Fall and I understand each other. We can’t be good at everything.
I usually shop for my bigger fall pieces, especially coats, at the end of the season. But I do love adding a few things when autumn rolls around, and a jacket is almost always one of them. Shirts and sweaters can rotate year after year; but a great new jacket makes everything underneath feel exciting again. It’s a little treat you get to wear on repeat.
These days, I want clothes that can keep up. A jacket I can wear to a meeting, throw over my shoulders at school pickup, and use as an emergency rain shield when the forecast gets creative. She’s chic, but she isn’t precious.
What I’m having the most fun with, though, is layering. That’s where an outfit starts to feel like your outfit. This look came together with a bouclé jacket over a plaid Shetland jacket, finished with a belt. Polished enough for a meeting, relaxed enough for pickup, and warm enough to stay out for one more stop at the antiques market.
Which, come to think of it, is where I’m headed next!
