It’s September. The kids have started school, football season is here and there is a certain crispness in the air. This can only mean one thing: FALL IS AROUND THE CORNER. I think I am like pretty much everyone else in the south: I LOVE FALL. I love everything about fall. The clothes, the food, the decor, all the activities — the list could go on and on.
There are a few things that I consider absolutely essential to have for fall and I thought it would be fun to share with you the things that I think make the season complete:
Clothes
My first fall essential item is a denim jacket or vest. When I started to see these things floating around, I wasn’t a fan, but a denim jacket/vest is the PERFECT thing to have in your closet to turn any summer dress or romper into a cute fall outfit! Throw that thing on with a pair of booties and you have a whole new look, and you are able to pair it with things you already have in your closet that you can now wear year-round! Get the kiddos in on this look as well! Pairing a denim vest with a top and some cute shorts or a dress, can take their summer outfits straight into fall! It’s so nice to be able to give things you and your kids already own a whole new look!
Second item of clothing is flannel. Give me all the flannel. My favorite thing about a flannel shirt is that it NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE. You can invest in a couple quality flannel shirts and wear them year after year because fall will always scream flannel. On those late September/early October days which are still blazing hot, but you are in full fall wardrobe mode, just throw a flannel shirt around your waist with a cute tank — best of both worlds! I also think there is nothing cuter than a little boy in flannel shirt. I just stocked up on a bunch for my son at a local consignment shop!
I don’t think we can mention fall clothing essentials in Knoxville and not talk about orange! Leah put together a great list of where to get orange for your entire family — be sure and check it out here!
Pumpkin
I am going to go into full “basic girl” mode and just say that there is nothing in this whole world that is more fall than pumpkin. Pumpkin candles, pumpkin lattes, pumpkin decor, pumpkin muffins. Literally anything you can think of, throw pumpkin in front of it and BOOM, you are automatically in full fall mode.
One of my personal favorite pumpkin items is a pumpkin muffin. I love getting the kids involved in making something especially if it is easy, and these little treats definitely fit the bill! You just need two ingredients — that’s right, two! One box of spice cake mix and one can of pumpkin. Have the kids dump those two things in a big bowl, stir, and then scoop the mix into a muffin pan. Pop them in a 350F degree oven for 20-25 minutes and yummo! Perfect for a breakfast on the go or a little sweet treat!
While we are on the topic of pumpkins, no fall season is complete without visiting one of our local pumpkin patches! Check out Kara’s list of area pumpkin patches and fall activities here!
Last, but not least, the most essential thing for fall is TAKING IN THAT VIEW!
In my opinion, no fall season is complete without a family trip to the mountains! We are so blessed to live in such close proximity to the amazing Smoky Mountains. Do not let the season pass you by without taking an afternoon to go on a family hike or ride around the Cades Cove loop. Pack a quilt and a picnic full of yummy fall treats like honeycrisp apples, a thermos of homemade chili, and my favorite mix of salted peanuts and candy corn!
