Clockwise from top left: Black and White Something Else Scarf. Hillside Selvedge Chambray Scarf – can also be purchased in Portland at the Woodlands. Knight’s Cowl. Pauper Voile. Navajo Printed Scarf. Franco Ferrari – Printed Stole. Pergolina Floral and Stripe Scarf. Matta’s Dupatta. Center: Soopascarf.
Am I the only one who just realized it’s September the second and I didn’t tell you about the last week of my August spending hiatus? OK, so maybe this is boring stuff to you, but I have to brag a little. I did such a great job. The spending hiatus was actually good for me. I was able to step away from buying on a whim and out of habit and buy only what I need. Consciously think about my purchases and why I needed them. Or often didn’t. No cash was exchanged the entire month, except the unnecessary lunchtime champagne I bought for an impromptu midweek picnic with girlfriends and a green dress I exchanged for clothing I sold at Buffalo Exchange. So that doesn’t really count.
And the one thing I learned? I don’t really need as much as I think. There, I said it. You can hold me to it too. I’m also going to try to keep this new habit. I want to buy only what I need and what I love. That sounds simple enough. But there are times when something is cute and/or cheap, and it’s the witching hour. You know the time. When you are in dire need of something for say, a party, and you buy because you are running out of time. I’ve learned when it comes to that, it’s usually better to turn around and walk away. I even tempted myself on my last day of the hiatus. As for my last day, I went into Woodlands, Alder & Co, Canoe and West Elm and didn’t break, even though there was good opportunity in each spot and no one would have known except me. Just my dirty little shopping secret. Now that is cause for celebration because it easily could have been a failure.
To celebrate the end of the hiatus and the beginning of fall, I’m putting together a new post each week dedicated to the essentials of the season. These essentials are the key ingredients needed to give fall that nostalgic feeling. To me, it wouldn’t be fall without walking through crunching leaves, warm apple pie, thick tights and carving pumpkins. Whether it’s something to wear like riding boots or corduroy, something to eat like apples and caramel or something that resides in the home like plaid wool blankets and thermoses filled with cider, I want to post here. And if there’s a category you would love to see on here this fall, you should tell me about it. I would love to hear from you.
I had an extra couple hundy to buy this 
