It’s September, friends! Finally! It’s my favorite month of the year – and not just because my birthday’s fast approaching (though that definitely helps). September always feels like a season of possibility. Leaves change, the air takes on that delicious chill, kids are locked back in their cells for another nine months, and the world feels like it makes a bit more sense.

So, I’m choosing to ignore the fact that the weather report claims it’ll be 90 degrees this weekend where I am. Instead, I’m looking ahead. To short boots, cozy fires, and soup season. Grab your first pumpkin spice latte of the season and do a little something to help your brain transition to fall. Need a few suggestions?

1. Nab a new scent… If any season has a fragrance, it’s fall, and the new candle collaboration between Joya and Pendleton Woolen Mills is as good as it gets. Joya’s scents are always complex but familiar, without those artificial, cloying notes you find in so many other candles. Choose from Cedar Spruce, Wood Smoke or – my favorite – Mission Chai, a sophisticated, heady mix of clove, ginger and cinnamon bark. They’re each housed in a darling little Pendleton bag that would be perfect for jewelry storage.
2. Change up your makeup… Let’s be honest: we’re all a little lax in this department during the summer. If you’re ready to ease back into being just a tad high-maintenance, I’m quite enamored with the new 3-dot liner from Clarins. Test it once right before you shower so you can get the first-time kinks out of the way, and from there, I swear, it’s 100% foolproof. Instead of drawing a line, you just align the dots between your lashes. No matter how shaky your hands are, you’re guaranteed a flawless finish (just don’t blink while applying!).
3. Eat some chocolate… Portland’s Moonstruck Chocolates are always a favorite of mine, but this new Flavors of Fall truffle collection is so good, I’m considering making like a chipmunk and stockpiling a few dozen boxes for later. Molasses Plantation Caramel and Pecan Pie Truffle? It’s like they made it just for me. Luckily, they have a Friends & Family promotion (code FAMILY13) running until 9/9 – and 20% off means 20% more chocolate.
4. Get a pedicure… Ditch those ultra-bright corals you’ve been sporting all summer, and ease yourself into fall with something a bit more serious. I’m pretty infatuated with OPI’s new San Francisco collection (are you shocked?) – especially First Date at the Golden Gate (a medium-dark red that’s perfect for transitioning to fall) and In the Cable Car-Pool Lane (a deliciously bright plum). If you’re feeling indecisive, this little mini-set gets you 4 colors for under $10!
5. Buy new boots… Does anything make you hunger for fall more than a new pair of boots? I’ve been on the hunt for the a new addition to my closet this fall, and though I already have two pairs of Rachel Comey’s Mars boots, the new “Black Ferrari” edition is making me think there’s a reason that good things come in threes.
6. Download some mood music… My saccharine-sweet, poppy mixes from summer feel so out of place when September hits, so I’ve added KT Tunstall’s newest album, Invisible Empire/Crescent Moon into the rotation. It’s considerably more mellow than her older albums, but it feels perfect for a lazy fall day. Grab a cup of tea, curl up with your favorite September issue and listen from start to finish (remember when you used to do that?).

What are you most looking forward to this fall?

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