Forcing Fall

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: This weekend was the autumnal equinox, but for a lot of the country, it doesn’t exactly feel like fall, does it? Which is a problem, because if you’re a four-season kind of person, by now summer has worn out its welcome. The magazines are full of fall fashion, school’s been in for the better part of a month - even the publishing industry people are back at their desks! We’re ready for a change, but sometimes Mother Nature doesn’t cooperate.

So what do you do to force fall? (I’m using the gardening metaphor, in case anyone has visions of me assaulting autumn Rambo-style.) The easiest switch up is clothing. This works for me because by summer wardrobe is a rainbow of brights. I’m still wearing my cropped pants and light tops, but now I’m matching the pink pedal pushers with a brown T-shirt, or pairing the aqua sleeveless shirt with full-length black pants.

I also start to change my house’s wardrobe, as it were. Summer’s white sofa pillows get dark covers, and I exchange my kitchen settee’s white slipcover for a beige and blue floral pattern. (I tried keeping the white on one winter because it looks so good with the rest of the room, but the first time a slush-pawed Shih Tzu jumped up there I knew it was a losing cause.)

How about you, Reds? Do you start cooking heartier autumnal dinners, or bring in the beautiful flowers of fall? What are your tricks for bringing the season in, even when it won’t cooperate?

HALLIE EPHRON: Our summer was so hot and humid that this dryer, sunnier weather is a version of “fall” that needs no forcing. Trees are just starting to turn –  burnt orange and red leaves against lime green ones. I’ve taken the fans out of the windows because it cools off at night to sleep with windows open. I’m still eating summer salads for dinner but I did make an apple pie with local apples–a sure sign of fall.

JENN McKINLAY: We finally dropped below 100 degrees here in AZ after 112 straight days of the daily temps being over 100. I am presently wearing a beanie and a scarf! Okay, not really, but it was a blissful 69 when I walked the dogs this morning and I debated wearing a light hoodie. I’m giddy, I tell ya! As far as I’m concerned, autumn is HERE. Pass me a pumpkin spice latte and a caramel apple, please. 

RHYS BOWEN: Count me as one who will not be forcing fall. I dread the thought of dark evenings and short days. I like to wake early to the sun on the hillside opposite and sit out on my balcony after dinner watching lights come on in the valley. This week it was chilly in the morning and I had to find (gulp) a long sleeved T-shirt. Pumpkin spice will never pass my lips but I would agree to a caramel apple. And Julia, I am in awe of someone who changes their decor with the seasons… different pillow covers? The most I can do is put up decorations at Christmas and maybe a summery table cloth.

HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Ah, nope, fall comes as it wants to, but yes, I change, (eventually), the white canvas slip covers on the couch for loden suede, and I change the throw pillow covers, too.  I love to change the dinner plates, too, from the white ones bordered by yellow and orange fruits and flowers to the white ones bordered by apples and plums. 

But…NOT YET!

I did switch to hot lattes from iced, I have to say. And agreed, Rhys, pumpkin spice will never pass these lips, either. And no apple anything yet! I am still on watermelon.

 

LUCY BURDETTE: This September weather has been so glorious that I am all in! But the only thing I’ll change in the house is the bedspread, from a bright yellow etc quilt to a blue flannel with fish. But, like Hank, not yet! I am cooking more soup and fall-ish foods though. And I did roast a turkey for our supper club Saturday. Do you know how hard it is to find a turkey or turkey breast in September??

 

DEBORAH CROMBIE: We had “false fall” here a couple of weeks ago, but then it went back to “ugh.” So no wardrobe changes for me, and still summer pillow covers in the living room and tropical flowers on the bedroom duvet cover. Soon, though, our autumn asters will be blooming, then the first of October the pumpkins go on the front porch and the fall pillow covers go on the sofa. I like to change the plates on our big dining room dresser, too, if I get around to it! 

But the shorter days make me want to cook fall things like soups and casseroles, so last week I made a huge pot of minestrone. Yum!

 

JULIA: How about you, dear readers? How are you forcing (or faking) fall?

Winners and Losers of the Olympic Fashion Competition

 JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: It's here! The XXXIIII (34th) Olympiad, a number which leads me to believe the IOC is still only counting my every four years, despite revamping the schedule to alternate summer and winter games. Mark my words, they'll be adding fall and spring games any year now. Can't leave any of that sweet, sweet broadcasting rights money on the table.

Will Americans crash the Parisian electrical grid with their massive A/C units? Will swimmers get disgusting infections from racing in the Seine? I have no idea. So let's turn from questions to opinions, and get judgy with it: "it" being various countries' opening ceremony (wasn't it amazing?) and competition uniforms. Who better to give a critique than an out-of-shape, couch-bound old lady whose only athletic pastimes (skiing, running) wrecked her knees? (Links to original tweets in the country names.)

United States of America

Classic Americana. Not really fashion-forward, but attractive and looks good on all everyone. You can imagine the athletes wearing these in years to come.

Canada

Oh, Canada.

"New Canadian Olympic uniforms made from real Alberta beef."

Jamaica

 These competition kits are flat-out awesome. Body-conscious without being gratuitously sexy (calling you out, Nike "hoo-hah" uniforms,) great color placement for a sometimes difficult color combo (see Australia, below) these are definitely in the top ten this year.

Australia

Oz's official colors are green and gold, but you can't fool me, that's just yellow. Nice use of teal instead of bright green, and the designs are very down under - breezy and casual, with a hint of British influence. But those skirts! Especially the unfortunate one second from the left. It looks like this poor woman has wandered away from her caretakers and had an accident.

South Korea

 I'm not sure how I feel about South Korea's entry. It's exactly the same for men and women, which is kind of cool, and it's a beautifully draped summer suit. Once you know about the origin of the belt, you can say, "Okay, I get it." But that gorgeous silk lining is wasted hidden on the inside!

Spain

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The curse of yellow strikes again - what is with these deeply unflattering skirts? The designer may be channeling the carnation for inspiration, but it just looks like not-very-creative tie-dye to me.

Malaysia

You don't have to read Malaysian to understand what this tweet is saying. Remember the blog we did on TEMU? It looks like the team ordered their uniforms and the mannequins used to display them from there. Hope they got free shipping.

France

I'm going to have to agree with the chief fashion critic of the NY Times. France. You had ONE job. You're the host this year, and you're the fashion capitol of the world. Okay, you had TWO jobs.

Nigeria

Going out on a high note - Nigeria, already becoming a player on the international fashion stage, has hit the ball out of the parc with these looks. Maybe Canada ought to look into hiring Actively Black for the next games? Just sayin'.

What do you think, dear readers?  Which uniforms strike your fancy? What have I left out?

Well, I'll Be Croc'd

JULIA SPENCER-FLEMING: I’m not exactly the type who follows fashion news, but as I was scrolling the other day I saw something that made my eyes pop out. I had to read every word. Ladies and gentlemen, Crocs – the brand everyone loves to hate or hates to love – is making a Crocs cowboy boot.

 

A real (sort of) cowboy boot, complete with bootstraps, western stitching and little spinning spurs at the heel (don’t worry, animal friends, these are horse-friendly charms.) Of course, being Crocs, they also have ventilation holes all around the toe box; I shudder slightly to imagine what your feet or socks might look like if you actually wear these into a stable or corral. 

 

Is it a joke? Is it a meme that hopped off the internet and into stores? It’s not the first time Crocs has left some of us wondering, “Is that the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen, or do I not understand ‘hip’ these days?” (Full disclosure: I know I don’t understand anything cool and au courant these days. I peaked in coolness in 1985 and it’s been downhill ever since.)

 

Previously, Crocs made heads turn – or explode – with Balenciaga Croc heels. There was the Shrek Croc, in what I’m sure is a patented ogre color, with little ears. That, at least , made sense for kids. I’m pretty sure mine had branded shoes in official princess colors when they were tykes.

 

The last thing I want to do is make fun of something that’s actually far too haute couture for me to understand… but these are retailing for $120. I mean, if you want a clog, you can buy an amazing pair of Danskos for that money, and get arch support that’ll last you for an entire twelve hour hospital shift/ hike through Denver International Airport/ day browsing the farmers markets. Who has enough money to spend $120 joke – and if you have that kind of moolah, wouldn’t you pick, you know, a better joke?

 

What do you think, dear readers? Fun? Functional? F***, no? And have you ever fallen for any trends that lasted about fifteen minutes before dying?