“Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” – William Cullen Byrant

This eloquent quote from the great American poet and journalist, Mr. William Cullen Bryant, leaves my sun-kissed skin wrapped in a cloak of goose bumps. As I write this, sitting at my cluttered glass top desk, it is July. The leaves of the poplar treat outside my window remain green, the evening air is buzzing with lightning bugs and the giggles of young children playing tag dance through the warm breeze. Wearing my polka-dotted bikini has become more of a regular fashion statement than it should be at this point, but with fall just around the corner it feels only right to allow every last ray of sun to kiss my skin that will soon become pale under the smock of fall and winter. 

But as I’ve worked on this issue, I’ve yearned for the fall nights that I love so much–sitting by a crackling fire, carving pumpkins with my family and eating so much kettle corn that I can practically feel the sugar running through my veins. This issue dedicated to style has made me ready to pull my leather boots over my once sandy toes and dawn a soft cashmere sweater. I crave the merino wool socks and hand-knit beanies, the aroma of cloves and cinnamon that linger in my kitchen all season long and snuggling up in a blanket with a warm mug of apple cider. 

I’m ready for the swathes of buttery-soft cashmere and wool scarfs that will soon succeed the itty bitty bikinis on the racks at my favorite department stores, the timeless fall dresses (page **) paired with a hair style (page **) that will leave them saying, “Wow, she looks stunning.” I’m ready for the fall recipes that use only the most hearty flavors of the season (page **). Most of all, I’m ready for fall in all of it’s glory. Let’s enjoy it together, shall we? 

All the best, 

 

Emily Shea, Editor