It’s just a short post from me today because it’s been a funny old week. I’ve been slogging my way through a heavy cold and feeling a bit contemplative after the evening with my friend T. I’ve been thinking about life and reflecting on the pros and cons of the knowledge that I suppose most of us gain by midlife simply as a result of the experiences that we’ve lived through.
The upsides are many – the ‘what the hell?’ attitude that develops as we become less fearful. The honed instinct that helps us filter through new friendships and identify the ones that will be worth the time. An appreciation of the simplest of things and the quiet moments of happiness.
The counterbalance is the experience of loss. Each new bereavement severs the scars of the previous ones and by this stage of midlife, most of us are bearing quite a few. So often we’ve had to blunder through grief because life’s too busy for us to be able to slow down and face it.
In my younger years, loss was either anticipated (the slow decline of an elderly relative) or an out of the ordinary thing (an accident or a statistically unusual diagnosis). Now though it seems to be becoming more regular and I suppose that’s simply a reflection of the lifestage we’ve reached. It’s something we have to learn how to handle and it reminds us to treasure our time, our people and figure out what matters most.
So I’m actually quite glad that a couple of weeks ago when I felt the first nip of cold weather in the air, I had a grumble about autumn on Instagram. Being a lover of spring and summer I don’t relish the dark days. The winters are long up here but they’re unavoidable and I wanted to change my mindset. I asked people to tell me what they love most about this time of year and I was stunned by the enthusiastic response. So seeing as I haven’t felt like thinking about clothes this week, I thought I’d share some of the gems that people said:
What the wise women of Instagram love about Autumn and Winter
Running in the frost with the low winter sun cutting through the morning mist…
Coats – a great coat can change everything…
The excuse to hibernate sometimes, preferably wearing cosy pyjamas and slipper boots – with a good book and a glass of red wine…
Not sweating, colourful leaves, college football in America, plaid, wearing sweaters and scarves again…
Roaring fires, hot toddies, comfort food, fall colours, then the Christmas season…
You see a plant’s structure instead of being blinded by their flowers and colours…
Log burners, candles and the colours of autumn…
That in just two seasons it will be spring again!
Autumn is the time for making quince jelly, apple tarts, walnut cookies and cakes. The time for reflecting about health and trying to find peaceful moments while having a spicy coffee (with a little chilli), taking some walks in the last warmth of the sunshine…
Being a teacher, September always marks the start of a new year for me rather than January…
Walks through crispy leaves, hot chocolate after being outdoors, having the wind blow away negative thoughts and problems, inviting friends over for long dinners, spending time on the sofa watching films or reading new novels and wearing lots of soft, warm clothes…
Collecting conkers in Williamson Park (this is from somebody local to us). I love nature’s display of leaf colour before they fall for the winter…
Picking brambles for apple and bramble jam…
The visible changes in the world around me, wearing different clothes, cosy blankets, fires and more reasons to see family…
I love Fall but I dread Winter – I’m making a goal that this year I will find things to enjoy during Winter…
Hearty casseroles, frosty grass that crunches when I walk on it, snuggling under the duvet listening to the rain, soaking in a hot bath, Hallow’een, bonfire night, warm hats and scarves and an excuse for new warm clothes…
Used to hate this time of year (months of darkness and bad weather ahead) but can truthfully say that it’s Strictly that gets me through the autumn! Also love switching to cosy jumpers, lighting candles, changing to a gorgeous winter fragrance, the build up to Christmas etc. So many reasons to be thankful (except for the weather)!…
Coming home from work and climbing into cosy pyjamas, closing the blinds and lighting candles. Apart from that I prefer summer too. Sorry!…
Being able to go for a run outside without sweating my whatsits off!…
Crisp frosty sunny days (let’s ignore the dull, wet ones). Clear starlit nights, autumn colours, cashmere, boots, scarves, fires… especially in inglenooks in country pubs! Hot chocolate, mulled wine… and being closer to Christmas and going to Switzerland as I love it there… the mountains and the snow!…
Cool, crisp weather, vivid leaves, scarves, sweaters, boots! Being able to take a break from yard work. The beauty of Christmas. Quiet hours with a good book and a cup of tea…
CANDLES! It’s open season for candles! Light them just as the dusk begins and relax in their hygge glow. Autumn is the cosy season (can you tell I’m an Autumn person?)…
Cosy feeling of being at home making the dinner as the sun sets…
Good telly!..
Roaring wood fires, red wine, cashmere, white wine, piles of vintage books, cava, soft cosy knitting, prosecco, spring bulbs, champagne. May have left a few out but I have the essentials!…
Northern hemisphere autumn and winter are my favourite seasons. Comfy warm clothes, cosiness inside when it’s cold out, pumpkin spice everything, Christmas… the list is endless!…
Cosiness near a fireplace with a cat. October sky filled with the sound of geese….
Hot chocolate, leggings, boots, bonfires, hot buttered crumpets, blankets, BIG jumpers that hide everything!…
The smells of autumn. Pumpkin, cinnamon, burning wood (love it). I’m in Miami so anything that gives me the feeling of fall I embrace!…
Conkers collected by my boys remind me of many happy autumns past. I still have conkers in the house each year, kind of symbolic I think of the season. The colours of nature’s autumnal last hurrah. Layering muted coloured clothes. Crisp dog walks. Autumn’s always a busy time for me but I enjoy the deliciousness of approaching year end. Another year almost completed. A reflective yet anticipatory time…
We were driving to Aberystwyth when these comments started coming in and I really felt my heart lift. So often I dismiss Instagram as being nothing more than marshmallow – all fluff and no substance – and then I read this and realise that it’s filled with poets. As I’ve been feeling a bit under par, it’s been a good week to take some of these tips and do something with them. After my astounding prediction of the good summer back in March, I’m daring to give you my forecast for the next six months.
You see I have a theory that I’m testing. We all have our guilty pleasures on TV and mine is ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ I think it’s fascinating to see how powerful genes can be – when good musicians and sports people trace their talent back through the centuries. The trouble is that I know my ancestry right back to the 1500s and there isn’t anything exotic in there. Both my mum and dad’s families can be traced back to the same small patch of Westmorland (in the depths of The Howgills for those of you who know it). We were farmers and so I may not have any kind of useful talent in my blood but I do wonder if I’m particularly in tune with nature. Let’s see… I’m predicting that this year we’re going to have a harder winter than usual… but not for a while yet.
Winter home
So, I’ve been starting to prepare our rooms for the months ahead. We’ll soon be moving into the front of our house which isn’t as exposed to the wild winds that blow in from the sea. I’ve been to a lot of winter and Christmas press shows and the colours that I really picked up on are the rich ones (the other trend for Christmas this year is going to be rainbow colours by the way). This weekend I’ll be doing our cushion changeover (much to the despair of Mr MC whose eyes have been rolling like a ventriloquist’s dummy with his loathing of cushions).
I was lucky to have very early insight into Christmas at John Lewis and I think it’s been done particularly well this year. My favourite scheme was focused on emerald green. I’m not spilling any secrets because they launched their decorations quietly this week online and so if you can bear to look, you’ll see some of the things that really struck me here.
In preparation for everything looking rich and grown up this year (with some quirky touches), these are the first ideas I’ve had.
Winter Home Touches 1
Fig velvet cushion – this season’s purple is such a rich, regal shade that it feels just right for winter
Fur cushion – something tactile for cold nights
Ivy velvet cushion – picking up the emerald theme
Peacock patterned velvet cushion – a subtle but mesmerising detail on this one
Fur throw – a high quality faux fur – a winter treat
Baies Candle – it feels too early just yet to get into the smoky winter fragrances. This is my autumn favourite.
Winter Home Touches 2
I then looked for alternatives because the scheme above was getting costly
Plain textured cushion – a lovely mid-green with a sheen to the pile
Gothic emerald floral cushion– referencing winter’s vintage, decadent trend
Soft winter pompom cushions for making dark nights cosy
Gothic red floral cushion– I’m just going to mention that this would work very well with this ruby Christmas theme if you’re looking ahead (sorry, just trying to give you long term value)
Mongolian wool cushion – more of the sumptuous texture that’s so important in winter
Plain textured cushion – a berry version of the green one already shown
Winter pom pom throw – the pompoms not only look good but they weight the throw, helping it to stay put neatly when draped over a chair.
Rose and cassis candle – after my year working in home fragrance I can say that Diptyque make the best candles in terms of the quality of fragrance and the strength of its throw. However, given that I know how very little candles cost to make, it annoys me that they’re getting so expensive. This one smells very like Baies, is good quality and it costs far less – a no brainer really.
In the end, for our scheme I went with the top set of ideas because the deeper colours gave me the opulence that I want for winter. Of course it all works so well on Pinterest without the realities of dogs and boys and endless pairs of trainers and dirty mugs!
Before I go I want to show you this cushion which I thought was beautiful too – and reasonably priced. It’s based on a piece of agate and I can imagine the sequins picking up the twinkling candlelight…
… and also this turtleneck after so many people expressed their frustration that the M&S one I was wearing in last week’s post sold out so quickly. 100% very fine knit wool, perfect for wearing with a jacket, great price.
Finally there’s 25% off shoes and boots at Finery at the moment here.
And with that I will leave you. I’m very behind with the comments – you’ve been leaving such thoughtful ones that it’s hard to begin but I’m very thankful to you for taking the time. In the meantime, I’ve taken another tip from the Instagram list above and we’ve invited friends that we haven’t seen for ages over for a rather special dinner tomorrow night. I’ll tell you all about it soon but for now, I’d better start rallying the troops to clear those darned trainers away! Have a lovely Autumn weekend.
Disclosure: ‘Embracing autumn and bringing it in’ is not a sponsored post
Other Autumn/Winter 18 posts you may have missed
New season drops… and more midlife lately
Midlifechic edit – Marks & Spencer AW18
What I’ve been wearing and a midlife lately catch-up
John Lewis & Partners new women’s clothing review
Colour trends AW18 and how to work them
How to wear Hush when you don’t do slouchy
Inès de La Fressange at Uniqlo AW18 review
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