La Rentrée

la rentrée

Despite the fact that I haven’t been a student for over three decades, and despite that fact that our kids’ schools now start fall term in mid- to late-August (jeune homme was back in class last Monday) the first week of September always feels like the start of a new year, a new cycle.

It’s a great time to polish up old routines and implement new ones. My morning routine these past few months has left me feeling frazzled by the time I walk out the door, so I’m shifting a few tasks to the evening prior along with prepping my clothing for the week in advance. I did oodles of laundry over the long weekend, and quite a bit of grocery shopping. (I find that the one factor that more than any other seems to help me maintain my weight is packing a lunch. Keeping lunch supplies in the house can be challenging.)

I’ve also planned some updates/tweaks to the blog that I’ll be working on behind the scenes and hope to roll out by November. Some of you have requested better blog subscription options, and those will be part of the update.

Is September a time to refresh and renew for you? What changes do you tend to make this time of year?

Collage – Earrings: Alexis Bittar // Trench: Burberry // Scarf: Nordstrom // Top: R13 // Jeans: J.Brand // Bag: Jérôme Dreyfuss // Boots: rag & bone

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19 Comments

  1. School started here on August 11th, and it caught me by surprise. It is not that I have children in school any more, but more that things started to get reorganized and busy even though in my head I am expecting Labor Day to be the point of demarcation. It is one of the remnants of my NY life. But to me, fall is a period of reorganization, kind of an internal reset, as opposed to springs external reset.

  2. In my world (Minnesota), which is quite different from yours, this is the time when serious thought about fall clothing is forced upon us, and for us, this means jackets, sweaters, long sleeves, long pants….in other words, September is the month of phasing into a completely different wardrobe. Unfortunately this means that for a time, there are clothes for two completely different climates in the closet at the same time. I look at this as a time for serious reconsideration of the whole situation: I will donate or throw away the summer things that are worn, or no longer work for me, and try to be sure that what goes into the closet for the colder months is in good condition, fits well, and still pleases me. For awhile this happens piecemeal, until I accept the fact that summer is over, and then there is a big 100% change over, with just a few light weight things remaining for our visits to the California family. Then I literally clean the closet, seep away the inevitable dust bunnies, and for awhile, at least, I feel quite virtuous.

    1. Hi Ellen, I’m in Minnesota too. I already did the “phase-in” of the fall clothes this weekend, just to be ready, even though going through my cardigans in the recent humidity was highly unpleasant. I’m not sure anyone can fully grasp the extremes we go through living here, and in such a short span of time. I often wonder why I don’t have a full-on nervous breakdown. Summer is one long bad hair day. I guess the crisp air suddenly appears just in time to revive me. And I love the colors and textures of fall & winter clothes. In summer I dress merely to stay cool and comfortable (only skirts, no bunchy shorts or capris) as I go through my days, active with housework and parenting two boys, ages 7 and 15. But in fall I really think about dressing and accessorizing. It’s such a pleasure. I know we are supposed to “live in the present” (as the modern maddening mantra goes) , but I survive summer only by dreaming of autumn. Dreaming of the future is highly underrated.

  3. It’s still hot here (90+ degrees F) but since I work in education, I can’t help but shift into “autumn” mode. Yesterday morning, I started wearing full makeup again (after a no-foundation summer) and last night I put away my favorite summer fragrance (Tom Ford’s Neroli Portofino). Changes in clothing will have to wait until the weather cools.

  4. Yes, I’m back to setting out my clothes the evening before, and I make sure I have my lunch packed — as you find, it’s a big part of my weight maintenance. So glad that I tend to wake up very early throughout the summer, so at least I don’t have to adjust to an alarm clock!

  5. I am longing for a change in the weather! But yes, the start of Fall makes me want to clean out my closet, change curtains and rugs around, and drink red wine. xox

  6. Ellen, your fall closet routine sounds very similar to mine! I live in Colorado and we also get the back and forth (warm/cool) weather during September, so I can’t change out my closet completely quite yet. I do put away the white pants and “beachy” looking tops. Fall and winter are my favorite seasons for clothes. I feel much more put together in fall and winter clothes. Today I will be in cleaning mode all day which will include cleaning summer sandals and packing them away (no warm weather trips until holiday time). I will be dressed in “cleaning clothes” today but look forward to a good closet make over and putting together outfits for the next couple of weeks which will include volunteering days, social events, and travel!

  7. I can’t see the photo either. Our weather in south-central Wisconsin is still pretty warm, but with the days getting shorter and the calendar saying September, I, too, feel that some of my wardrobe is now just too summery. But I try to remember that summer didn’t start until June 21, so we still have nearly a month of summer left! I bought a rolling wardrobe so that I can more easily do the season switch from my closet to a storage area. Love it, too, for “staging” outfits for packing.

  8. Isn’t it funny that the arrival of Labor Day makes me want to tweak my summer wardrobe with touches of fall colors (even though the weather is still very warm.) So while I will still wear white pants, I pair them with darker T’s, and, if the day permits, I add a scarf. I won’t do the full closet thing until October this year because we will be traveling. Then I swap out the short sleeves and add in the long. Time to start looking for new boots and a new coat. I’ve been clearing out my wardrobe now for about a year and may be at the point where I can justify a few new additions.

  9. We’ve had a mostly cool summer in this part of New York state, so I’ve been able to wear layers a lot, in the form of linen jackets! Have them in white, khaki, blush, turquoise and periwinkle. But “serious” fall clothes beckon– I do like sweaters and scarves… My fourteen year old goes back to school tomorrow, so that is kind of the unofficial start of fall for me, even if it doesn’t really begin till late September.

    I wear cotton shirts and lightweight skirts year round, but I love the turn of the season when I will add tights, boots, cardigans, scarves, coats, and more layers of jewelry, my favorite accessory!

  10. I’ve seen many college/university students out these past couple of days. The high school and primary school teachers are on strike in the province – unending. What a pity. I like the nostalgia of September, the scent of a bouquet of freshly sharpened pencils, a line from a fave fall movie, You’ve Got Mail.

  11. With Eric Bompard offering free shipping internationally through Sept. 8, I’m refreshing my cashmere accessories, especially their divine gloves. The higher ticket cashmere will wait for January sales- or Santa?

  12. I’ve just retired from teaching, so this is the first time that la rentrée doesn’t signify a wardrobe change. It’s still warm in Tacoma – I guess I’m waiting for the rains to arrive before I pull out my warmer clothing. I’m also waiting to see what sorts of clothing I’ll need or want for my new routine – one that is no longer defined by the school bells. Huzzah!