I’m taking a quick break from our regularly-scheduled, wellness/body acceptance/self-confidence programming to do a fall-themed blog post. 

I know. I don’t usually do posts like this, but versatility is key, right? 

“Mind. Beauty. Simplicity.” created a post a few days ago with some cute, fall-related questions for bloggers to answer, and hey! Wouldn’t you know it! I’m a blogger! 

And, in case you weren’t aware, fall is my favorite season, hands down. 

This little bloggy-blog trend is called “Blogtober,” and here’s my take on it (and I added a couple of questions, just to pumpkin-spice things up. That’s a very funny joke. If you’re not laughing, I suggest you take a moment and read that bit again).

What is my favorite fall scent?

I feel like this is a polarizing question. Is someone going to analyze me based on my answer? No need, I’ve got it under control.

(The candles pictured ABOVE are from Cubby Candles, a small business in Keyser, WV, and right now I’m OBSESSED with their fall scents. They’re cozy and yummy and also, like, so cute? I mean, LOOK AT THEM! Plus, the scents come in candle AND wax melt form, so whatever scent you choose, you’ve got options. God, I love fall.) https://www.cubbycandles.com/

I know lots of people like the warm, sweet, cozy scents for fall (i.e. anything with pumpkin, vanilla, or coffee) but I’m a bonfire girl.

Any time I can get my hands on some iteration of a “Fall Evening” smell, that’s my go-to. It’s always a little smoky, a little earthy, and, depending on the brand of candle/wax cube, sometimes it smells a little cologne-y. Like, imagine a well-put-together-yet-scruffy man in flannel sitting by a bonfire wearing the slightest hint of cologne that has had all day to fade into his general Man Smell.

Am I painting a vivid enough picture for you? 

That’s my go-to scent. Sexy, rugged man by the fire. Next question.

Do I prefer pumpkin pie or apple pie? 

Let me make one thing clear: I like both of these options. I am not a ride-or-die for one or the other, but I do prefer apple pie.

Pumpkin pie is great, don’t get me wrong. A big ole squirt of Reddi-Wip on the top of that sucker? I’m all in.

But warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream? 

I’m crying with joy just typing it. 

Pumpkin pie is good, but apple pie is elite. But, given the opportunity, I WILL take the sampler platter (a piece of each). I don’t discriminate. 

What is one autumn tradition I have?

I don’t necessarily have ONE big thing I do as an autumn tradition (except, I mean, I celebrate Halloween every year, and also my birthday at the beginning of November, and also Thanksgiving. Most everyone celebrates two out of those three things, right?), but I do have a bunch of little things I do every year.

I usually get a haircut, because a shorter ‘do looks very chic with a turtleneck, which is objectively a fall staple. I don’t make the rules.

I start listening to Christmas music. Haters often say that starting to listen to Christmas music in the fall undermines the autumnal festivities. I disagree. I think Christmas music plays a pivotal role in the fall season. And if you’re one of those people who runs people over with a shopping cart or boffs people in the head with your purse on Black Friday, I don’t know if you’re the best person to be lecturing me about an obsession with Christmas. Just sayin.’ 

I usually buy some sort of pumpkiny-cinnamony coffee creamer to be festive. It makes me feel like I’m blending with the PSL crowd, since my little town in West Virginia is lightyears away from the nearest Starbucks. 

Sad face. 

What am I most excited about in the fall?

I would say that when fall rolls around and the weather starts to cool off, I always look forward to the shift in fashion.

Not that I don’t love a crop top or denim cutoff moment, but by the middle of September, a girl is tired of boob sweat and shaving her legs every day.

Okay, every other day.

Okay, okay, fine. Once a week. Maybe. I just hate shaving, no matter the season. It’s a big surface area on these legs. It takes a long time and I’m lazy. 

But I’d say the fall fashion is one of the things I look forward to most. GIVE ME THOSE LAYERS, BABY.

The answer is YES, I am making you look at outfit AND footwear photos I have taken either this fall or last fall. Why? So you can see how fabulous I am, duh. And, oh by the way, aren’t you glad I took said pictures? For this very moment?

What is my favorite scary movie?

Is this a trick question?

I don’t do scary movies. Nope, not at all.

“What about ‘Such-and-Such’? It’s not REALLY that scary!”

“Have you ever seen ‘Blah Blah’? It’s not scary, it’s just gory!”

“‘This-and-That’ was made in the 80s, so the graphics are bad! Come on, I promise it’s not scary!”

Nope. I don’t care. I don’t do scary movies of any kind. I don’t care what year they were made. I don’t care how “niche” they are or how “bad” the graphics are. 

No ma’am. My life is scary enough, I don’t need to be wigged out by scary movies.

Pass. 

What is my favorite Halloween candy?

I’m a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup girl. The bigger the cup the better. 

Honestly, I’m really a chocolate girl through and through, so basically anything chocolate. I’m really not that picky.

Remember when we’d trick-or-treat as kids and people would give out pretzels or popcorn? Or worse, floss? 

God, I hated those people.

(If you’re one of those people now, no shade intended. I just feel like you’re the Halloween equivalent of people at restaurants who, when it comes time to tip the server, go, “Here’s a tip…have better service!” and then laugh about it hysterically.)

What are my top 3 best Halloween costumes ever?

This is very difficult. I AM 24, you know. That’s a lot of Halloweens to choose from. 

My freshman year of college, I was Lara Croft. I wore little shorts and a tight tank top, with over-the-knee lace up boots and thigh holsters. That was pretty darn cool. I felt good that night. 

Because I was exceptionally cute as a child, I would also be willing to submit any of those costumes (ballerina, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, a green crayon, etc.) as one of my best. 

Last year, I piled on every leopard print thing I owned in my closet to dress up as (you guessed it) a leopard. 

Not very creative, but VERY fierce. 

What is my favorite pumpkin-spice-flavored thing?

I like all of the normal pumpkin spice stuff: pastries, coffee, coffee creamer, cookies, etc. It’s the wacko stuff that I can’t stand. 

I can’t get with pumpkin spice Oreos, Kit-Kats, Peeps, Pringles, beef jerky, or whatever the hell you creative types come up with. No, no, no. Noooooope. 

What is my warmest fall memory?

I’d say that one of my warmest fall memories was last Thanksgiving.

I had gotten Covid earlier in the month, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to go back home for Thanksgiving. I was really, really anxious, because I knew that my grandfather’s health was getting worse, and Thanksgiving might be the last time I could see him. 

And his health WAS bad. He hardly spoke that Thanksgiving, and he needed lots of help.

I sat at the breakfast table with him that weekend, helping him eat some toast and drink his mug of tea. Nothing crazy. 

While that was emotional, the usual Thanksgiving shenanigans ensued.

My brothers and my dad agreed to play football with my 8-year-old cousin, and so they ran around the backyard like maniacs. I got some great pictures. 

We had good food, beer, and we were all able to be there together, which is really important to me. So that was a pretty warm memory. 

What is my autumn must-have?

Warm slippers.

Sexy? No. Festive? Not necessarily. 

A guy I was seeing last year (before he ghosted me, speaking of FESTIVE) said that I had “torpedo feet”: long and skinny. 

And, look: these torpedo feet get cold.

So I like to bundle them up in nice, warm house slippers when I’m at home, in for the night, with nothing but lounging on my agenda for the evening. 

There’s nothing like waking up on a crisp fall Saturday morning, wiggling into my slippers and a fuzzy sweatshirt and cozying up with my cup of coffee to watch some Netflix or read a book. 

It’s the little things, really. 

What is my typical fall outfit?

I have several items that see a LOT of wear time in the fall.

Lots of leather.

My leather jacket is probably my go-to, and last year I bought a pair of Doc Martens before Olivia Rodrigo was encouraging all the 16-year-olds to buy them and wear them. 

I also live and die by sheer, black tights. There’s this one specific kind I get at Walmart, and they last a long time and don’t rip easily, and if I get their “Queen” size, they don’t fall down on me or droop in the crotch. They’re very, VERY comfortable.

So I wear those religiously. 

As I mentioned, I’m a sucker for a turtleneck, especially a black one. It makes me feel grown up and fancy. And kind of French.

And while my leather jacket IS my ultimate fall fashion go-to, I do have an incredible collection of outerwear. I went through a phase where I genuinely couldn’t stop buying jackets. It was getting to be a real problem. 

I have since culled the herd a bit, but I still have more than I probably need, which allows for variation and, as I mentioned before, GIVE ME THOSE LAYERS, BABY. 

Halloween versus Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving. 

Halloween is very fun, and I do like to dress up and all that jazz, but Thanksgiving is a holiday centered around family and food, and therefore it takes the cake. 

The pie. Whatever. 

And so that concludes my take on fall! These little Q&A things are pretty cute, actually. I might try doing them more often. But anyway, happy fall, everyone!

Main image – Megan Thee Stallion (Instagram @theestallion)