On the Eve of Fall

Hello everyone! I assure you that I have not forgotten about you all. Due to juggling exams, papers, discussion posts, and extracurricular commitments, checking on my blog has unfortunately taken a back burner. However, since I have acquired a grip on my suddenly very busy and hectic schedule, I can resume to my regular writing outlet. While it may be rather sporadic at times, with periods of me writing frequently to gaps of intermittent posts, I still find catharsis on here.

With September quickly coming to a close (it's the latter half of September; I'm still wrapping my mind around the fact that August is gone!), I am eagerly awaiting the return of layers, scarfs, boots, the smell of cinnamon, and warm tea and coffee to warm my hands. Fall in Virginia is a different type of fall than fall in Toronto, so you can only imagine my zealousness towards this season change. Also, as a side note, I am rather done with shorts and humidity. I am ready for chilly weather, cold days, and a slight frigid breeze. I find it so comforting to return to my dorm and wrap myself in a blanket while sipping a scalding tea. Walking through my gorgeous campus categorizing the different shades of red, orange, and yellow leaves. I used to detest fall since it lasted so shortly. If you blink, you could miss it.

Talking about fall provides the perfect leeway for fashion. With September trademarked for reinventing your style for school and whatnot, it is the perfect opportunity to spice up your wardrobe. Recently, and this can accounted for time spent superfluously on tumblr and flipping through English fashion magazines, I am a big advocate for neutrals, darker colors, and simple, clean silhouettes. My personality doesn't reflect a very outrageous appearance or very "loud" on fabrics. So I naturally gravitate towards minimalistic designs. Some ubiquitous garments in my arsenal include stripes (I have at least 6 different tops in various colors), dark denim pants, flats (it will come abundantly clear that I collect flats--loafers, penny loafers, ballet flats, etc.--generously), and coats (I have an affectionate moniker linked to my collection of coats, which may be traced to the fact that Canadian seasons are more harsher than Virginian seasons).

Gauging fashion editorials and profuse tumblr scrolling, I have come to realize that there are several pieces of clothing that I am on the hunt for. My prolific ardor for European clothing clearly came in full swing after a spent a month in the continent this past summer. However, the concept of British boarding school or studying in the English countryside appeals greatly to me, so the style that accompanies that scene is sketched permanently in my mind. A couple of things I always keep in mind when strolling the mall or scanning the hangers in a store are: a chardonnay-hued Peterpan collar shirt (cashmere would be preferred, but cotton is ideal as well), a navy blue long-sleeved peplum top (three-quarter sleeve would work as well, but hopefully that particular design would flatter my shape), Ferragamo-esque flats, a slightly flared skirt, a classic lace top, a smokey gray jumper, a thick sweater with some sort of woodland animal on it (squirrel or fox), and black jeans. Whenever I shop, I am a woman on a quest, so I am sure that I will find at least one of the aforementioned items, I hope (she whispered optimistically).

In the meantime, before the temperature drops well below 60 degrees (or 15 degrees Celsius), transitioning between late summer weather to early fall is...not easy. So who else would I look for inspiration than Taylor Swift? I was always a big fan of her style, but this year, wow! She has truly matured aesthetically, and I am continuously mesmerized by her effortlessly chic yet simple wardrobe. Stripes, high-waisted shorts, flats, oxfords, and beautiful dresses. In a culture saturated with exposing more and more and covering less and less, Taylor always manages to stay classy, and I give tremendous props to her because I am certain that she might have been tempted to show some skin every so often. While a burgeoning relationship could be a factor to her revolving style, she has certainly gained the title of style chameleon, at least in my looks. Furthermore, she reminds me a little of a modern-day Audrey Hepburn: she knows what style works for her and she sticks with it, just like Audrey did.