I always thought people who took the day after Halloween to mean the start of the holiday season were a bit silly.
But although it’s easy to ignore that one friend who insists on blasting Christmas carols on Nov. 9, it’s less easy to ignore Starbucks. Yep, those cheerful red Christmas cups are here already.
I’m angry. Not only is this premature holiday rush completely shafting Thanksgiving of its time in the spotlight, but wintry Starbucks cups also require wintry outfits. And I’m just not ready for that yet.
The fact that the temperatures remain decidedly fall-like is hardly the only reason you shouldn’t abandon autumnal dressing just yet. Stores may be celebrating the coming of winter, but let’s be real: fall is a far more fashionable season.
If you’re really hankering to pull out your fuzzy Christmas scarf just a week and a half post-Halloween, keep reading for the top five reasons you shouldn’t abandon your fall wardrobe just yet.
**1. The jackets are better**
It’s perfect peacoat weather, and I fully intend to take advantage of every second of it before I’m so shivery I break out my puffy winter coat. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a well-fitted parka, but it would be a stretch to call it stylish. I’m also hoping for just a few more warm days so I can get a little more wear out of my collection of trenches—they pull together an outfit so well that I don’t care if they can look a little Sherlock Holmes-y.
**2. Fantastic fall colors**
If there’s one thing I never get sick of, it’s a good fall color scheme. I’m convinced that those perfect shades of wine, burnt orange and oatmeal are universally flattering. Also, considering they all match, it takes roughly two seconds to put together a perfect outfit. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with wearing your russet-colored shirt a month from now, but the warm tones might work better now when you’re likely to be sporting other similar colors instead of a more wintry uniform of grey and black.
**3. (Cute) sweater weather is better weather**
I’m not going to lie, I can definitely appreciate a good ugly sweater party when winter rolls around. That being said, I’m not about to sport that cats-with-santa-hats monstrosity outside of the house, even for irony’s sake. Luckily, fall fashion means there are a number of fantastic sweater options to choose from. Again, cute sweaters are certainly wearable in winter, but I intend to savor these last few days when I can wear cropped and half-sleeve sweaters without being so cold that I want to put my coat on halfway through lecture.
**4. Perfect leather boots**
I’ve only been in Missouri a few months, but it only took a few cold days for me to realize that MU has a serious UGG problem. I generally don’t like to bash clothing because I can appreciate when other people are able to pull off looks that don’t match my personal style, but I can safely say that I’ve never seen a pair of UGGs enhance an outfit. I know, I know, they’re comfier than anything; I owned a pair of my own, circa 2006. But the comfiness argument is mostly invalid; there are plenty of boot options that might not feel like your favorite slippers but certainly won’t leave you suffering. Let’s stick to flat leather boots for a little while longer, at least until temperatures are sub-freezing.
**5. You can avoid hat hair**
Fuzzy winter caps are cute on the coldest days, but they’re kind of a nightmare to take off if you intend to keep your hair looking respectable. As long as it’s still fall, I’ll stay bareheaded. Or if all else fails, I’ll try a pair of cute (and more hair-forgiving) earmuffs.