As one of the most beautiful parts of the year swings around, many people often forget that autumn means more than a weather change and leaves that change color. For the more "basic" part of the population, we have our priorities straight... And we don't care who knows it.
As if you didn't see this one coming...pumpkin spice everything.
Sweater weather is better the best weather.
For many people, one of the hardest things about September and October is getting used to the gradually dropping temperatures, but who's really complaining, anyways? Colder weather means the perfect time for sweaters, scarves, mittens, hats, beanies, and fuzzy socks. And tea. And bed. With cozy blankets. After an exhausting summer of shorts and crop tops, we get to live in luxury again, and it's a great feeling.
Nothing beats New England foliage.
Because if the pumpkin spice lattes and the comfy oversized sweater you're wearing aren't enough to make you happier than you've ever been, you also get to hear leaves crunch while you walk over them in your favorite pair of boots. Between the sights, sounds, and smells of crisp fall air, there's little to get tired of as the season reemerges each year. And, most importantly, the scenery all around you makes for the best Instagram pictures -- of you throwing leaves into the air -- that you'll post all year, no filter or caption needed.
Boots.
Whether you like bean/duck boots (a seasonal necessity), riding boots, ankle boots, lace-ups, or Uggs, there's nothing that goes with every outfit quite as nicely as your favorite pair of boots. They also look great with your new knit socks, so obviously, you have to wear them. As if you had a choice.
Pumpkin patches, apple picking, and hay rides.
Nothing ever feels as fun as the rare moments of the year when you group up with friends and family to revisit your annual traditions. Whether your traditions include your own version of local appreciation for fall harvests and foliage, or some classic favorites, like picking your favorite pumpkins from the local pumpkin patch, going on apple-picking dates (in flannels, while sitting on your friend's shoulders to reach the best apple at the top of the tree), or taking a ride on a tractor at a place that also has the world's most impossible-to-navigate corn maze, you really can't go wrong...especially when caramel apples or fried dough is involved.
Halloween!
Perhaps the best part of autumn is the combination of carving your scariest (or least-artistic) jack-o-lantern, coming up with your most original or scary Halloween costume, watching your favorite horror films, or visiting every haunted house within a 10-mile radius. Something about a giant bag of assorted candy and playing some "Monster Mash" while your house or dorm is covered in creepy fake spiders, ghosts, and pumpkins makes it so much more comfortable.
Family, friends, and Thanksgiving.
If you don't love Thanksgiving for the pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, or mashed potatoes...
hopefully you at least enjoy it for the sparkling apple cider and the time spent with family. Because as fall starts to come to a bittersweet close, and you get ready to snuggle into your North Face for the winter, there's no better way to send off a season than in the comfort of the company of those you love (yes, including the food you love, too).
In summary, here's to basic girls everywhere. If you're generic and you don't care who knows it, I'm raising my pumpkin spice latte to you. Embrace fall and Instagram it all you want, because it only comes around once a year.
