All the Small Things; All the Fall Things

Donning our flannel and warm footwear, Mark and I made our way to Franklin over the weekend, a quaint Pennsylvania town that happens to be home to one of the biggest annual Applefests in the region.

We gorged ourselves with fall-festive foods like pumpkin funnel cake and apple dumplings, checked out more than 300 craft vendors, bought a few cheesy wooden ornaments, and checked out a few businesses in the downtown area, which was overwhelmingly crowded during the festival.

I've heard great things about Franklin, about an hour drive from where I'm living now, but had never been until now.

Last fall, I watched Gilmore Girls on Netflix for the first time. It's weird because I totally fit into that generation of girls who watched it religiously; I just wasn't one of them.

Anyways, I found myself cherry picking episodes to watch over the last week or two. I think the idea of living in a quaint small town and the crispness of a New England fall are so charming to me. I just wish Stars Hollow was real life. In my experience, small towns have a lot more racists and sexists. And other generally backwards thinking.

Sigh. Anyway, I'm definitely looking forward to putting up the hoards of Halloween decorations around the house, go out driving to pick pumpkins once the leaves start to turn, and perhaps even hit up a haunted house. I have a roller derby friend who works at Scarehouse and a few of us got a sneak peek earlier this year. It made me realize how much I miss haunted houses!

What's on your fall must-do list?

I stole Charlie Brown's shirt (kinda)

Outfit: Sweater, thrifted; pants, Target; boots, Macy's.

Doesn't the background look like one of those corny 80s backdrops? I love that I found a really cool clearing about two minutes from my house for these shots.

I know this outfit isn't mind blowing or anything, but isn't this the sweetest sweater ever?? I found it at a thrift store awhile back, complete with shoulder pads. It's finally getting to be sweater season, so I've been wearing it to work quite a bit over the past few weeks.

And I love mixing black and brown. (Like the lamest rebel ever would.) I just get an earthy vibe looking at all these colors together, and it feels relaxed but still fun. This may or may not be my last outdoor outfit post for a bit, just because it's supposed to get freezing now. Buh bye, leaves and jacket-free days.

I'm usually not a fan of the cold, but I'm just thankful to see all the seasons, and thankful to be alive. I almost got into a serious car accident last week. To make a long story short: I hydroplaned while driving 70 mph. My car spun in circles on a major highway, with 18-wheelers approaching. I somehow came to a stop on the shoulder of the road, no damage done. I was shaken up, but relieved nothing happened.

I buried the lede a bit, I know. Just trying to be a little more of an optimist right now, and trying to set some life and project goals that are really meaningful. I know it's corny as hell, but carpe diem, guys. :)

AND just a quick reminder, Pittsburgh area readers can enter to win admission for two to the Pittsburgh Vintage Mixer on Nov. 22. Contest ends Friday.

All I Want

I've wanted a leather jacket for the longest time. There's something inherently bad ass and timeless about having one, and a finally found the perfect one (albeit faux leather) while shopping at the local outlet mall.

The best part was it was marked $180 retail and I only paid 40 bucks! Outlet shopping can be the best sometimes.

The jacket turned out to be perfect for this particular day, because it was so damn cold. Apparently it had reached the 40s for the first time this season. I'm definitely in my happy place during the fall and spring, climate wise, so I want that cool (but not too cool) weather to last as long as humanly possible.

I have always loved asymmetrical zippers, too. And the color of the jacket is more like a charcoal than I straight-on black. Are you drooling yet over this jacket yet? Because I am. Haha.

Outfit: Dress, Gabe's; jacket, Wilson's Leather; tights, H&M; boots, Modcloth.

Mark took photos in my parents' backyard again, so the dinosaur pose was necessary. This might just become a thing every time we decide to shoot there.

I don't know. I guess fall is short-lived, but I love it all. I love wearing tights, like a weirdo, I adore wearing boots, I love warm drinks, I love the colors. I am just hoping to take it all in for as long as I can!

What are some of your fall must-have wardrobe items?

Take me Home, Country Roads

Outfit: Sweatshirt, vintage, found at flea market; shoes, Marshalls; shorts, Old Navy; tights, H&M.

Just a quick outfit post to hold you all over. ;)

I wore this when Mark and I went to Morgantown the other weekend (home of West Virginia University). I felt a little bit like a poser because I never actually attended WVU; Mark went to grad school there. We have some good friends completing their PhDs there, so basically they're trapped in West Virginia until the end of time. Ha. Just kidding.

I found the sweatshirt at Trader Jack's a few weekends prior and could not pass it up. It was in mint condition, no cracks on the screen printing, bright and beautiful, so probably never worn. I could've haggled, but instead just grabbed it and paid 5 bucks.

I honestly used to loathe Morgantown, because Mark and I were doing a moderate distance relationship when he was in grad school. I visited him almost every weekend for a year and a half. We lived about 75 miles away from one another; that's why I call it a moderate distance rather than a long distance relationship.

But anyway, the place has really grown on me now. I don't know if I would've enjoyed being a student there, since there's a hardcore party culture among undergrads, but the town has a charm all it's own. It's also a beautiful drive.

And fun fact: "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver is the unofficial state song. It's a beautiful song, but rumor has it Denver had never even been to West Virginia.

Another fun fact/rumor: the song "Morning Morgantown" by Joni Mitchell is supposedly about Morgantown, WV. I've really been getting into Joni, lately. She has such an goosebump-inducing voice.

Hope you all had a great weekend!