Autumn Leaves

I am an unashamed autumn geek. I love the arrival of pumpkin spice everything, I revel in the annual battle between cracked window and heaping blankets, and I watch the leaves turn with a keenly monitoring eye. September means a gentle return to more grounded rhythms. October calls for dark nights and high spirits (of all kinds, certainly). November always comes on padded feet, shushing through the mellow sweet-rot of the leaves and instigating the gradual process of our coming together. Oh, yes. I love this season with all of my heart.

Goldenrod Socks - $10 at Pickwick's Mercantile
Stolen Riches Dress Laces - $18 at Pickwick's Mercantile

Autumn, while perhaps better suited to introspection than Summer, is far too early to throw one's self willingly into the more austere measures of action and dress that Winter often requires. There is still a bit of whimsy left to the year. Embrace it! Embrace tall socks and leiderhosen reminiscent details! Embrace flights of fancy! Embrace train tracks rambling off to nowhere and acknowledge the little glories that are found in details.

I have always thought that tall socks looked better on petite girls, that I was borrowing a look that wasn't really mine when I went for anything that erred on the side of twee or even delicate. As the years go by, I find myself caring less and less about perceptions of who wears what and more interested in the look that I'm feeling at the moment. Anyway, nobody bosses me around during my favorite season. Not even me. So out came the goldenrod socks, usually reserved for floor-sweeping Pickwick's dresses, and out came the blue shoelaces and elfin oxfords.

Golden Age & Love Spell Eye Soot - $23 at Lady Pickwick's
Berry Lipstick - $22 at Lady Pickwick's

Luckily for everyone, I will not be offering eyeshadow lessons, but I must say that the Rituel de Fille eye soot made me feel like I knew what I was doing. They're so beautifully pigmented that you can actually see what you're working with before you've already caused a cosmetic disaster. I blended Golden Age (a smoky gold) with Love Spell (a luminescent copper) to go for a no muss, few layers, neutral lid. Browns tend to work well with blues, but all of the shades we have in the shop are so beautiful that I had difficulty choosing. Ultimately I went with something to suit the detailing on the dress and the gold band on the hat. As for a lip, I chose Lipstick Queen's Sinner Collection "Berry". Autumn is what I will call the "Food and Drink Season" when it comes to lip colors- berries, wines, russet, and rust tones. Neutral and infallibly mature, these shades can help balance the sugar-sweet aspect of an outfit like this.

Janessa Leone Hats- $150 - $200 at Lady Pickwick's

Hats are on their way back in (thank you, American Horror Story and Mad Men), which is great news, especially when some of them look like this. The Janessa Leone hats are 100% wool, made in America, and an unassuming bit of Americana chic that complements all sorts of preferences. I love the gold band detailing on this particular piece (my own, from Pickwick's). It sets it apart without making the hat a focal point. There is a seamlessness to the design that translates to any outfit.

Braid Detail Dress - $52 at Lady Pickwick's

I cannot sing the praises of dresses with pockets enough. Even with nothing in them, they lend a certain air of practicality and readiness. I could start walking down these mystery tracks and just keep tramping. Who knows what will come out of the Mary Poppin's infinite pockets to help me on my way?

I hope that you are preparing for Halloween and the coming chill in earnest. We certainly are. As a matter of a fact, be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page, as we are releasing information and the open invitation to our Psychic Parlor event this very morning! Behold:

Tickets will be available at Pickwick's Mercantile starting today! Reserve your spots quickly, though, as they will move swiftly indeed.

In the meantime, please go do some leaf peeping and may this song run through your head as you go!

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See something you love, but can't come in to get it yourself?

Send an e-mail to thistlejones@gmail.com!

We'll send it right to your doorstep!