Fall Fatigue

August 31, 2026

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How is it only August 31st (well, when I’m writing this) and I already have fall fatigue?

There are still three weeks of summer left, and yet the internet looks like the date is November 1st. Maybe it’s because those three weeks will most definitely be some of the hottest for us here in Southern California, so the thought of a wool sweater, jeans, and loafers is completely out of the question. Or maybe it’s, in a more superficial way, cognitive dissonance… not in the literal sense, but my mind simply cannot assimilate the two things, so instead I’ve decided I’m tired of fall already, haha.

Mind you, this happens every year around this time. Just as I start to “heart” fall things on my favorite retail sites, temperatures hit uncomfortable levels, sweating simply by stepping outside becomes the norm, and every single conversation with someone starts with some variation of “this heat is so annoying.”

So, all that to say, I am in no way ready to see full-fledged fall content… but I am ready for a change.

I don’t really want to wear that same tank top (or some variation of it) with my go-to shorts again today. And maybe that’s where the draw to fall content comes from in the first place. We’re not necessarily ready for fall—we’re just ready to wear something different.

For me, though, I like to take it slowly. Weave in a few “different” elements here and there that shift the overall mood and feel of an outfit. Maybe it’s a suede bag instead of my straw one with a cute pair of shorts and a tee. Or suede flats with my favorite denim shorts and a tank. Richer shades instead of the lighter colors I’ve been reaching for all summer.

Subtle shifts that are still weather appropriate and make an outfit feel fresh and season-forward, without actually rushing the season away.

Because I’m not ready for sweaters. I’m not ready for boots. And I’m certainly not going to pretend it’s 65 degrees outside when my car says 96.

Maybe, in the end, it’s the dissonance of still applying self-tanner to my legs while wearing my favorite shorts… but accessorizing them with suede textures and richer shades… that I’m most comfortable with, haha.

And for now, I think that’s about as “fall” as I’m willing to go.

So today I’m sharing a few of the subtle shifts I’ve been making to my outfits lately—nothing groundbreaking, and certainly nothing that requires pretending it’s suede jacket and scarf weather. Just a few easy swaps in color, texture, and accessories that make what I’m already wearing feel a little more season-forward… while still dressing for the weather we actually have.