Balaclava in August
Life after (?) the heat wave.
New York City kind of freaked out last week when it was below 80°.
Myself included. I wore pants to work every day and even wore a cashmere sweater home on Wednesday, thoroughly invigorated by the most minuscule of chills in the air.
While walking to lunch in Williamsburg, my dear coworker and I saw a girl wearing a Balaclava. We deemed this dramatic. It was probably 68° and enjoyable in just a t-shirt. She was also wearing a black fleece and black pants. Perhaps she runs cold, but I had seen other people wearing similar outfits—puffer jackets and shorts, beanies and hoodies, you get the picture.
I think this means that New Yorkers are extremely over the heat wave and excited for fall, much like myself. I hope that means everyone will be stepping out onto the streets in their autumn best, September—November is arguably my favorite time to live in Manhattan.
I write this on the Metro North back from an extended weekend upstate with my mom and sister. I’m now obsessed with upstate New York and spent every day daydreaming about owning a farmhouse up there. I’m returning with two hand-crafted espresso cups in my bag, so whoever wants to come over for a (n)espresso, let me know. You’re going to feel very chic.
I was hoping to come back with more, like some good vintage furniture or clothing finds, but everything up there is closed from Monday to Thursday. It was good for us because our resort (INNESS) was half the capacity on Tuesday than it was on Sunday and there was no elbow-throwing for a pool chair, but bad for my closet and apartment. I was a little disappointed at first, but then I realized that there are a lot of stores in Lower Manhattan that make up their own ludicrous hours, so I guess this is just what life is now.
Upstate, it was chilly in the mornings and evenings, but warm enough during the afternoons to send me back with a gorgeous slightly-sunburnt tint on my face and a sorry excuse for a tan line on my chest. It was optimal dinner sweater weather, and my mom even had them put a fire on in the fireplace before dinner. This got me immensely excited for fall, which I’m sure is the most amazing time to head up north. The changing leaves at INNESS are probably to die for, and I’ll be hoping and dreaming of my return. I feel very well rested and one with nature. We ate farm to table, walked every morning, I swam, made a solid dent in A Court of Thorns and Roses, got a massage, and took about one million pictures. What more could I ask for in a girls trip? Not much.
All this talk about autumn has me more focused on boots than ever. I briefly mentioned this last week, but I seriously don’t know what to do or what to buy. Are we still doing moto? Should I finally invest in a wallabee? What boots do you guys wear to work? I need serious direction. After a busy few weeks I should have some solid time to spend on my iPad this weekend, so I can browse The Real Real in peace. I’m already training my Pinterest algorithm. I feel overall slightly directionless this fall. I haven’t been interested in new music since BRAT, I currently don’t have a show to watch and the Olympics are over so I have no excuse. Should I finally start The Sopranos? Lots of questions for you guys this week.
I think my reason for feeling directionless is that the fall really snuck up on us. One day it was July 5th and 107°, then I swore I woke up and it was August 14th. This was one of the fastest summers of my life, and I can’t believe it’s over in 2 weeks. August is living up to what I hoped it would be, which only means good things for September. I love discourse on months recently.
I feel like I’ve been complaining a lot about the summer. Some of my favorite parts of warm-weather dressing have been the Havaiana thong flip flops I bought back in April (cut off from the lower right picture above), of course my gauchos and my jelly ballerinas, and also reminding myself how to go back to the basics. Black and white tank tops, jean shorts, simple dresses and skirts—I don’t need to do anything crazy. Transitioning into a more all-the-time closet versus seasonal closet is my ultimate dream, so I need to practice what I preach. I like to complain, and warm-weather dressing is nearly impossible for the office (especially since mine is obsessed with air conditioning), but there’s no better feeling than going out with your friends in the summer air, wearing flirty little tops and kitten heels. I’ll miss this when it’s January, just remind me I said that.