As time marches on, Basic Moms everywhere are switching gears from a sun-soaked summer paradise to all things pumpkin and spice. From the moment you feel the first crisp breeze in the air, you know: fall has arrived. The sweaters get layered, the boots get lined, and the seasonal chalkboard designs begin to change.
Welcome, to the Basic Mom’s Guide to Fall:
Pumpkin Spice Lattes
Unless you live under a rock the size of Texas, you know that the Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks is the drink of choice for Basic Moms everywhere. I mean, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is essentially the first rule of fall. The second rule is that you cannot enjoy your first #PSL of the season without also sharing it on Instagram.
Do you remember that scene in You’ve Got Mail where Tom Hanks’ character begins to wax poetically about the seasons changing? He daydreams about buying schools supplies and sending Meg Ryan’s character a bouquet of freshly-sharpened pencils. Well, if as a child you recall hearing that sultry dialogue rush over you like gooey caramel and fresh-flaked fleur de sel, then you, my friend, know what’s it’s like to sip your first Pumpkin Spice Latte: cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, all topped in a decadent sashay of whipped cream. To a Basic Mom, the Pumpkin Spice latte is more than a beverage– it’s a lifestyle.
Cozy Style
After the weather breaks, Basic Moms will quickly begin swapping out their summer leggings for the cool weather variety. One search on Pinterest for a casual fall outfit will drop you into an endless abyss of cozy knits. These “pin-perfect” ensembles will typically showcase a blogger styled in leggings, an oversized sweater, and riding boots. To some, this may seem just like a run-of-the-mill, casual outfit, but to the most Basic of Basic, this outfit is the absolute definition of fall. It doesn’t matter if you’re living in the middle of a heatwave, any Basic Mom worth her weight in Yankee Candle fragrances knows that nothing will light a fire inside of you faster than imagining yourself literally drowning in chunky knits.
The chaos of cozy doesn’t just stop with clothes. Oh no. Knit beanies, slouchy hobos, and, of course, scarves add the perfect touch to any fall ensemble. Over the last several years, in fact, the upper crust of the Basic hierarchy have decided to actually start wrapping themselves in blankets. This is known to most as the all-encompassing “blanket scarf.” For some, the absurdness of the scarf may pose some problems as it will tend to get tangled in the straps of your diaper bags. Just remember as you find yourself struggling to unwind yourself, pull strands of your windblown hair from your chapsticked lips and keep your kids within arms length– you’ll look amazing.
Home Decor
Home decor trade shows are cool, but have you ever shopped the Dollar Spot section of Target? You can’t get one suede bootie through the door now days without being accosted by the stunning display of affordable trinkets. Your fingertips graze the neatly-organized bins filled with ceramic pumpkins and Rae Dunn knockoffs. Before you know it, you begin to hear the lyrics to The Little Mermaid‘s, “Part Of Your World”.
‘….Look at this trove. Treasures untold. How many wonders can one cavern hold?’
$3 Fall Candles with names not indicative of their fragrance? ✔️
$5 “Life Is Better With Pie” Pie dishes? ✔️
$3 Gold Glitter “Thankful” Banners to keep your family informed of the upcoming holiday? ✔️✔️✔️
Any truly Basic Mom knows better than to leave a free space in a wall gallery untouched, or any nook un-styled. When it comes to incredibly-specific seasonal home goods, Target really has it all.
Pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and sunflower fields– oh my! If it’s never been said, I’m saying it now: fall is the best time to be a Basic Mom on social media. What’s the point of a fall family excursion if it doesn’t also provide a perfect photo opportunity, ammirite? As we all know, you only have a few months of fall foliage realness to work with. For most moms on top of their game, they know Instagram is the platform of choice. While your littles may protest being bundled up in sweaters and boots while the warm September weather lingers, they’ll have to deal. As we all know, if you don’t spend a portion of your time at the cider mill taking posed pictures of your kids, were you even there?
Destination posts aside, filling your feed with other types of hyper-filtered, “fall themed” images is a must. Sharing a “flat lay” of your favorite cozy outfit is sure to up your “like” count. And if you ever find yourself in a pinch for content, just take a quick snap of your own #PSL from Starbucks. By now, it’s common knowledge that anytime a Basic Mom visits Starbucks and doesn’t document it with a photo, an Angel loses its wings.
If you suspect that you may be a “Basic Mom,” embrace it and enjoy all that fall has to offer. Before you know it, we’ll be spending winter huddled in our blanket scarves, counting down the days until spring.
WHat makes
