10 Ways to Get Ready For Fall

So forgive me for being sluggish, and not blogging earlier today..I'm feeling under the weather. For about 2 seconds today...(as I woke up from my mid day nap after being up all night)...with my blinds tightly shut and an overcast shadow looming in my living room...I felt the familiar "cozy" of  FALL. I know we are still in summer, it's still crazy hot, and half of you are mildly irritated that my last blog was about a sweater. BUT I LOVE FALL. Think about it...you can wear soft sweaters, cute coats and boots....you can eat more...particularly sweets like pumpkin pie, because BIG sweaters are in....AND you have the holidays to look forward to! So yes, In the spirit of celebrating (and I quote Meg Ryan)...the smell of "freshly sharpened pencils"...I give you 10 WAYS to get get ready for this glorious time of year!!!

1. Get a fresh new hair cut and go darker...by mid august your hair is starting to show it's damage from chlorine and over exposure to sun. It's time to transition your look to a color that will go with deep red lipsticks and earthy brown scarfs! I REALLY want to see more RED  heads this year. Like Blake Lively in Green Lantern or Emma Stone.

2. Go buy some REALLY nice brown REAL LEATHER boots NOW! Don't WAIT mid-fall, because all the good sizes will be GONE...and right now there are lots of "back to school" sales going on...so you'll get a great deal. Also, I say REAL Leather, because Good Leather boots will be A. more comfortable B. will Last longer and C. you'll wear them more than synthetic leather boots for reasons A and B.

3. BUY some fall clothing staples NOW....so you're not looking for them when everyone else is...This can be tricky, because it's hard to get into fall shopping when it's so hot outside, but it REALLY is ideal to STOCK UP now. How many times are we out a week before Thanksgiving looking for a cute outfit and everything is picked over and expensive. Take it from someone who has been in the retail world a long time...SHOP EARLY...you won't get it on REAL sale again until after Christmas clearance. You'll also SAVE money in the winter months because you've bought everything early....more money to save up for Christmas gifts! BEFORE FALL you NEED: A simple black or brown dress/ A new scarf/ a Leather "Lady Like" bag or satchel/ A new pair of skinny flare jeans in a dark color/ and a wrap around sweater that's 100% cotton...

4. When you shop pre fall...for anything...not just clothing, take the price of what the item is...and divide it by how many times you think you'll use it. This is a way for calculating the REAL value of what you are getting. You can buy a cheap blouse, but think you'll wear it only a couple times ....there is no real value to the item
because even though it wasn't as expensive as another...you simply will not use it as much.
example:
 Dressy Purple silk top 48.00....
(i think i'll wear it twice..out to dinner)
48/2= $24 is what I REALLY PAID for it...

A Pair of Leather Brown Boots 145.00
I'll wear ALL fall and winter 145/ 35 times of wearing it=$4.14
= I MUST HAVE

5. Go out with a BANG your LAST weekend of summer. Take a random, unexpected "weekend away" to get summer out of your system. Take a weekend trip to San Fran/ Vegas/ Disneyland/ SeaWorld... whatever...just get up and go somewhere before you're locked down to all those Fall Holiday gatherings. Your kids will appreciate it too. It doesn't have to be anything extravagant if you're on a major budget...go to the zoo for the day or visit your local waterpark....go see a family movie

6. Open a Christmas savings account. (I do this EVERY year) right now (if you have not already)...put away 100.00 EVERY MONTH...no exceptions. It will make things easier TRUST me

7. Create a FALL MOVIE Premiere Party with your friends. I have a friend who plans for the New Twilight movies like it's Christmas. It's something she looks forward to EVERY Year a new one of these movies comes out. She sends out invitations...makes Twilight themed food and drinks...and watches the previous movies of the series up until  an hour or two before the midnight premiere of the new one. The party concludes at the movie. During the fall, it's fun to come up with non-event...events... things that are not obligatory among all the gatherings you HAVE to go to....it's nice to have something you can just enjoy without any strings attached.

8. FALL Cleaning...(yes, like Spring Cleaning)....clean out your closet of any old fall/winter items that are out of date...clear summer items you didn't wear this summer. (don't wait to see if you'll wear it next summer)...take your items to a local shelter or salvation army. DONATE...Do the same with clutter around your house. Clear out your make up bag/ linen closet/ kitchen/ storage areas...PURGE PURGE PURGE....this will make you feel less stressed out as the Holidays approach....and you'll have less to clean when you do the Holiday bumble bee when people come to visit.

9. Get an after summer massage/ pedicure/ facial and manicure...Do it all in one day...preferably the same day you get your new cut and color ;). Make yourself feel entirely VOID of the miles you put on yourself this summer.

10. Organize your life. This one is the MOST important. Buy a calendar (not the one in your i phone, because you can easily erase these items and you typically are not  reminded of them until your phone reminder goes off)...an old fashioned Calendar....jot down important dates and events, appointments/ birthdays etc ..EVERYTHING... WELL in advance. Make a few months worth of Check ups, Nail appointments, Hair Appointments, Oil changes, Trips to the GYM..everything ahead of time.  Write them in PEN and post it on your fridge or on the inside of your pantry. This will remind you to TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF! If you set aside time (for things you push around because you get so busy in the fall) ahead of time...you'll treat these things like the priorities they are.

So (cringe) farewell summer...it was nice, but not as nice as Fall is going to be =)