It's {Still} Fall Y'all

Please tell me that I'm not the only one who gets so annoyed by all of the holiday advertising, decorations, and red Starbucks cups before Thanksgiving has even passed? Every year, the holiday season seems to creep up even faster, and now, it's not uncommon to see stores deck the halls before Halloween! Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas! It is my favorite holiday. It just drives me crazy that Thanksgiving gets no love.

top//skirt//boots (similar)//glasses

In honor of it STILL BEING FALL, I put together a fun (and very fallish) outfit. I picked up both this beautiful jeweled top and this classic skirt from my local J. Crew outlet on a huge sale and paired them with my favorite riding boots. Fun fact: I have terrible vision. Like can't-see-a-thing terrible. Usually, I never wear my glasses in public, but recently I ordered this pair from Warby Parker and fell in love! It really was so helpful to do the home try-on and then decide which pair worked best. Now I am wearing my glasses all the time, and couldn't help but add them to this outfit.

I hope you enjoyed this little reminder that it's not quite winter yet! Now I'll go back to being the Grinch, and wait until Black Friday to turn into Buddy the Elf! Happy Fall!

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Feeling Fall Linkup

scarf (similar)//sweater (similar)//skirt//shoes (similar)//nails

When I heard about the Feeling Fall Linkup that Carrie, Jamie, and Laura were hosting, I knew I had to participate! What's more fun than styling an outfit and answering a few fun fall questions? When choosing my outfit, I decided to veer away from traditional dark fall colors and go with bright pinks, oranges, and neutrals. It's still pretty warm here (like 90 degrees), so piling on the dark and heavy layers just wasn't an option. My favorite things about this outfit? The buttons on the shoulder of my sweater and how versatile my scarf is! I've had it for a few years and when fall and winter roll around, I wear it all. the. time. This post was such a blast to style, shoot, and write. I can't wait to see how everyone else is "feeling fall!" 

What is your favorite fall trend? I really love how incorporating leather into your wardrobe isn't just limited to boots and purses this season. I've been seeing more leather accents than ever before! Don't you think that the texture and color of this skirt I'm wearing (which was also featured on College Prepster) screams fall?

What is your favorite fall Starbucks drink? Carmel Apple Spice. I know the traditional fall drink is a PSL, but I just cannot stand the unnatural color and flavor. The Carmel Apple Spice is a great alternative because it has a festive flavor without being over the top. 

If you could only wear one pair of boots for this whole fall season, which pair would they be? Lately it hasn't been getting cold enough here in California to wear bulky and warm boots. I love how these Jimmy Choo booties completely capture the essence of fall yet still stay light and versatile. Which color do you like best? I'm leaning toward ebony, but sandalwood is also so cute. Maybe I'll take both ;) Just kidding. With a $995 price tag, the only place I'll be wearing these gorgeous boots is in my dreams! 

What is your favorite fall activity? Every Halloween, my family puts on "The House of Payne" in our garage. Friends, family, and neighbors come to our haunted house (which, by the way, is realllyyy scary) and it is always such a great way to spend the night! With the last name of Payne, how can we not go all out for the spookiest time of year?!  

Thanks Carrie, Jamie, and Laura for hosting this linkup! It was so much fun. Do you have a fall staple for your wardrobe? I'm headed to do some outlet shopping after my SAT and would love some suggestions! Have a happy SATurday! ;)

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Just Peachy

Happy First Day of Fall! I'm six weeks into the school year and I'm still in denial that the wonderful summer is over. I will admit though, the cooler weather is making the end of summery days just a little bit easier. As a sort of last ode to summer I thought I'd do one of the most summery things I could think of: bake a peach pie!. A family friend and fellow blogger, Paula Bicknell, grows the most delicious peaches in her family's orchard, so when I picked some up at the farmers market, I couldn't help but share this special recipe.

My family has been using this same recipe for as long as I can remember. The beat up and torn cook book I use was actually a wedding present to my parents, but you can also find the same recipe here!

Sweet and Summery Peach Pie

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, mix 2/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
3. Stir in 5 cups fresh sliced peaches and 1 teaspoon lemon juice.

4. Spoon peach mixture into crust. (This is the crust recipe I used).

5. Roll second crust over the top of filled pie.

6. (Optional) Use excess pie crust to cut out designs. Place on top of crust.

7.  Crimp the edges together with a fork and cut slits in top crust.

8. Cover the edge of crust with foil strips.
9. Bake for about 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
10. Let cool for about 2 hours.



I didn't wait for my pie to cool completely, so it kind of fell apart when I tried to serve it. But no worries, a scoop of ice cream on top solved that problem! It turned out deliciously and was my perfect "farewell" to summer. Happy baking!

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