Here in New England, the tips of the oldest trees have turned. It’s nippy when I go outside in the morning, and it’s no longer light until 8:30 p.m. Fall has officially blown in.
Not everyone lives in the autumn capital of the world like I do, but having a cute fall has nothing to do with how orange the leaves in your neighborhood are! Everyone can achieve a fall aesthetic no matter where you are — all it takes is some inspiration.
Think of the classic fall setting of the town of “Stars Hollow” from “Gilmore Girls” — warm, deep hues, pumpkins, leaf garlands, cozy sweaters, and leather jackets. Adding these elements to your daily routine can help you get into the fall spirit! Activities like leaf peeping can also help you embrace fall nature from a new perspective. Achieving the autumnal aesthetic you’ve been craving is easier than you think!
Here you’ll find nine ways to curate your perfect fall — what to cook, how to decorate, what to read, and things to do.
1. Feast on fall food
Probably the most satisfying way to ring in the season is to cook something delicious! Maybe you have a favorite autumn baked good — pumpkin muffins always show up in my kitchen at some point by early October or perhaps you’d prefer trying your creative hand at making pumpkin-shaped gnocchi!
I’m a sucker for pumpkin spice coffee, so I like to make my own dairy-free pumpkin spice creamer with maple syrup to throw in my pour-over every morning — although I will go to Dunkin Donuts on the first chilly morning of September and get a pumpkin spice iced coffee, just to make sure it still tastes the same! Chai has also been a go-to fall drink for me — nothing hits better than a steamy cup in the morning or adding a shot of espresso to make it dirty!
One of my favorite fall activities is heading to the farmers’ market for in-season ingredients — for me, that means lots of root veggies like carrots and sweet potatoes, plus all kinds of squash, corn, and apples. I try to plan my meals around what I can grab at the market.
After pumpkin creamers, pies, and any other concoctions, I use the leftover can of pumpkin puree (that inevitably ends up in my fridge) by dumping it into a curry with cubed potatoes and butternut squash, or — hear me out — mixing it into tomato sauce with some parmesan cheese for a deliciously warm and creamy pasta dish.
2. Add fall colors to your space
Fall decor shouldn’t mean buying a bunch of new decorations that’ll end up stored in a closet for 10 months a year. The best fall decor is anything you can buy from the farm (or from the front of the grocery store!) — pumpkins, gourds, dried corn. I use sugar pumpkins so I can cook them when they’re done sitting out on the front stoop, and the gourds can go in the compost in December.
Fresh flowers in warm colors do the trick, too. Look into some local flower producers near you and shop from them as much as possible, and throw the flowers into repurposed spaghetti jars or second-hand vases. Thrift stores and apps are also great for finding pretty new pots, jars, or wooden decor.
3. Incorporate cozy fall textiles in your home
Don’t underestimate the power of textiles! I put orange textured pillow covers on throw pillows and make sure I have lots of cozy blankets around. My favorite type of blankets are the chunky knit ones as the thick, knotted structure screams fall, especially in shades like beige, mustard yellow, or rusty red. (Bonus if it’s a weighted blanket — it feels like the perfect warm hug on a chilly fall evening!) Sometimes, I’ll also switch out regular dish towels, placemats, and napkins for something bright and kitschy. And we can’t forget the floors — a nice, plush, area rug in velvet, plaid or tartan can sometimes be all you need to truly transform your space into a fall revel!
Texture isn’t only limited to the fabric pieces in our home. Adding wicker or woven storage baskets adds the much-needed autumn charm, plus they’re perfect for storing those blankets when not in use. I also love switching out my silverware for copper-toned ones for that extra rustic oomph.
4. Fill your home with fall scents, sounds, & lighting
Of course, nothing sets a fall mood quite like a candle (or five). To reduce waste, I like to make my own candles. Sites like Makesy make it easy to buy soy wax, wood wicks, and mix-and-match fragrances. I make a big batch of warm spicy candles each fall, then use those same jars to make a new collection of floral candles each spring. My go-to fall scents usually involve some combination of cinnamon, vanilla, amber, patchouli, and sandalwood. If you prefer scenting your space without candles, essential oil diffusers are a great choice as you can switch out the oils to match the mood and season as you’d like!
Speaking of candles, lighting is truly everything! If fall time in your area consists of bright and sunny days, it doesn’t mean you still can’t bring the snug, homey vibes of fall into your home. Candles can definitely up the ambiance, as well as adding fairy lights to your home or backyard for that amber glow. Adding warm-toned drapes or curtains, and switching out the bulbs in your home to warm-tone lighting is another way to add a seasonal fall aura to your space. Personally I never use my overhead lights, rather I use lamps for that cozy, mellow vibe. And if you have a working fireplace, what better time to break out the lighter and set the mantle!
While I don’t have a fireplace in my space, one of my favorite and easiest things I love to do is play the sounds of crackling fire or some coffee shop jazz while I work. Playing songs that get you in the fall spirit is a must and is probably the easiest way to embrace the season. These songs are a for sure way to get in the fall mood: “Roslyn” by Bon Iver and St. Vincent, “Sweater Weather” by The Neighborhood, “Autumn in New York” by Ella Fitzgerald, and “There She Goes” by The La’s.
5. Break out your fall wardrobe
Pulling out sweaters and jeans on the first cool day inaugurates the official start of the season for many. If you need to add to your wardrobe this year, check out secondhand shops in your community or this guide to thrifting online. If you’re buying new, check out our guide for sustainable sweaters, or consider one of our favorite fall trends: Sustainable cowgirl boots.
Most importantly — dress how you feel most comfortable! It doesn’t get cold everywhere in September and October. Maybe your fall means you can wear short plaid skirts outside comfortably. I’m jealous! Head to Pinterest if you need fall fashion inspiration for warm climates, like sleeveless sweaters and dark-colored dresses and skirts. (Dark/light academia anyone!?)
6. Explore where you live
Get outside and explore where you live this fall, whether that means visiting your favorite farm for a hayride, hiking through nature, or just getting downtown to a bookstore.
If you can, plan a day or two to go somewhere you’ve never been. Look for county fairs, fall festivals, or Renaissance fairs near you, or go to a local brewery or cidery. Maybe you head to a new-to-you nature preserve or grab your pumpkins from a different farm this year. The perfect fall Saturday sometimes involves seeing where the day takes you.
Here’s a tip: Apple picking doesn’t have to be a requirement.
7. Spend time with loved ones
My most cherished autumn memories have always involved other people — carving pumpkins with friends, visiting a fair with my family, watching fall movies with my partner.
You can put on the most perfect fall outfit to go sip a PSL under a brilliantly orange tree, but the moments you’ll remember won’t be the ones you did for the ‘gram. I don’t remember what scent I used for my candles last fall, but I remember giving my friend a pumpkin beer for the first time and making the ugliest sweet potatoes I’ve ever seen for a potluck. Spend time with people you love this season, whatever that looks like for you.
8. Slow down and embrace the season
Savor the slowing down of the season. The packing in for winter, the shortening days, the quieting. As the air grows and your social calendar cools down, maybe you take this time to work on slowing down your thoughts by journaling or practicing gratitude, or maybe you finally try out therapy.
Maybe slowing down means you take up a new hobby you’ve been meaning to try — knitting, canning, soap carving — you name it. Leaf peeping has also been popping up lately and is the perfect way to appreciate the fall foliage in all its glory. This guide can help you locate where you can find the most spectacular fall foliage in your state.
You can also slow down by brewing some piping hot tea, lighting a candle, and settling in with a book or a favorite movie. There’s hardly a better (or easier) way to set the autumn mood. Some evenings, I even love to jump on Tumblr or Pinterest and beam fall imagery into my brain.
9. Immerse yourself in fall with books & TV
Fall wouldn’t be complete without the coziest TV shows! A few of our personal favorites include “Gilmore Girls”, “Stranger Things”, “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina”, “Wednesday”, and “Friday Night Lights” (all of which are on Netflix). If true stories are more your thing, check out this list of docuseries on Netflix.
Some classic fall movies we watch year after year are “When Harry Met Sally”, “It’s the Great Pumpkin”, “Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”, “Hocus Pocus”, “You’ve Got Mail”, and “The Nightmare Before Christmas”. Other fall options include “Knives Out”, “Practical Magic”, and the entire “Harry Potter” series.
If you’re a reader, immerse yourself in a fall book — anything by Donna Tartt (“The Secret History”), Shirley Jackson (“The Haunting of Hill House”) or Ray Bradbury (“Something Wicked This Way Comes”) does it for me. Moodier options might be “The Picture of Dorian Gray” by Oscar Wilde or “Northanger Abbey” by Jane Austen, and cozier reads include “Arsenic and Adobo” by Mia P. Manansala or “Autumn” by Ali Smith.
Natalie Gale is a Boston-based freelance journalist. When she’s not writing about art, food, or sustainability, you can find her biking to the farmers’ market, baking, sewing, or planning her next Halloween costume. Say hi on Instagram!
