And so we come to my favorite season. I feel like a broken record but year after year, autumn’s magic still amazes me. The same thing happens each year, the leaves change colors and fall down on the floor. Yet, it’s equally exciting every single year! Gloomy and rainy weather makes me happy. It’s impractical for taking photos outside but the rest of the time, it relaxes me. I slow down and patiently await the peak of autumn. And once those warmer days return, all the trees have turned golden! This usually happens around the end of October and lasts for a few magical weeks. So I thought it was the perfect time to share my autumn favorites now!
BOOK
While there are many books that I can call autumnal, this choice was an easy one. It’s always been the Harry Potter series. I started reading them when I was 12, a year older than Harry is in the first book. I never owned any of the books and couldn’t afford to buy them either so I always had to wait for them to arrive at the public library in my hometown. Of course, the waiting list for those books was extensive. So I usually got my hands on the book at the end of October. Which was, in fact, the perfect time to immerse yourself in Rowling’s magical world. Inevitably so, this became my ultimate autumn read. When I was 16, I managed to save up for the last book because I knew the waiting list for it would be ridiculously long. I can still recall that beautiful autumn day and how thrilled I was. This year, I can’t wait to lose myself in these books once again.
Honorable mentions: Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë and the Mary Russell series by Laurie King
MOVIE
This is going to sound odd considering autumn is such a colorful season but my favorite autumn movie is a black and white one. It’s true there are many movies set during autumn and the same ones get mentioned on lists of autumnal movies. But after watching all of them, I find them to be terribly mediocre films. I’ve never revisited any of those movies. Arsenic and Old Lace, on the other hand, is something I always come back to for comfort and laughs. Set on Halloween, it is a black comedy revolving around a newly married man who finds out something rather “unusual” about his two aunts. What follows is unexpected guests, confusion and lots of laughter. I won’t say much more because I’m dreadful at describing movie plots. But even my husband who is fairly new to classics absolutely loved this one!
MUSIC
Back in college, I used to take long walks during cold autumn evenings for the sole purpose of listening to music. I mean, yes I was usually going somewhere specific but I would deliberately take the long way back home. And by music, I mean Tom Waits. I had just discovered his music and honestly, it was an obsession. Aside from him, I listen to a lot of Billie Holiday during the cold months. She can make me feel happy and nostalgic and sad at the same time. In fact, these two artists are probably my favorite solo artists ever. Overall, when it comes to my autumn favorites, my music tends to be a mix of Tom Waits, Billie Holiday and sad folk songs.
ACTIVITY
Connected to the aforementioned music, I adore taking aimless long walks. Feeling the chilly air nip at my cheeks. Marveling at the leaves that turned golden overnight. I find myself walking around with a smile on my face for no reason other than the fact that autumn is here. I take Miles outside every single day, even if it’s raining. Simply because I don’t want to miss out on any tree turning golden! And like every year, I feel grateful that we live outside of the city and so close to nature. Everything looks more magical once autumn arrives. And during each walk, I can’t believe this is real life. That it can be this vibrant and this colorful!
PLACE
Out of all the autumn favorites, this one must be the easiest pick! The beautiful golden-hued woods are my favorite place to spend time in during autumn. In fact, I frequent them daily even though I know the leaves don’t change colors that quickly. Even back when I was living in cities I was always trying to find trees. Now I feel crazy lucky to live 5 minutes away from a forest that climbs up the hill. I just can’t resist the autumnal palette! But if I had to pick a spot indoors, it would be bookstores and libraries. I read all year long but autumn inspires me the most because it’s the coziest season. And is there a more perfect scene than going through shelves of books while it’s pouring outside? At this point, I think I should just open a secondhand bookstore!
CLOTHING
Regarding clothing, my autumn favorites are definitely vintage cardigans and sweaters. They’re quite practical because I can throw them over a dress and this way I can still wear what I wore during the summer. My wardrobe isn’t terribly big and I don’t own clothing that can only be worn during one season. In fact, I think I wear 90% of my wardrobe all year long but that often has something to do with the unpredictable Belgian weather! Basically, my autumn wardrobe is my spring one combined with knitwear. And as it gets colder, I just have to add more layers. But more on that in the next, much colder installment.
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