Autumn at The Attic with Zoë G. Burnett

Indulging in our favorite months of the year — the golden leaves, the crisp air, the food, the smells, the comforting memories and sources of warmth and coziness — we open our own doors and welcome you into our homes, as members of The Attic On Eighth share their favorite methods, items, and rituals to welcome the season. In this edition, writer and resident Attic film buff Zoë G. Burnett lives autumn in New England to the fullest.

“There’s frost on the pumpkin!”

Autumn in New England; everyone has seen the postcards. Accustomed to (and spoiled by) the region’s natural beauty though I am, there are still moments on a crisp day when the sun is shining through the vibrant leaves from a cloudless cerulean sky that cause me to pause and just think, Wow. The foggy, spooky days have their own appeal, as though something is about to jump out at me from a pile of leaves on my walk to the train.

Although I love all of the seasons, Autumn marks a general slowing-down of things that is always welcome after rushing around to “make the most” of Summer. 

Home & Fashion

The season arrives in stages with cold mornings and warm afternoons. Layering is key, so switching out hot weather clothes happens gradually. Wool sweaters, tweed blazers, and opaque stockings slowly reemerge, eventually covered up by warm jackets and scarves. Come September, I put away my lightweight baseball caps immediately, opting for corduroy and wool. Chopping and stacking logs with my father requires heartier wear, namely old jeans and a wool workshirt.

Bedding follows the same principal, piling blankets upon duvets, only changing to flannel sheets once the temperature drops below freezing. Or when, as my grandmother says, “There’s frost on the pumpkin!”

Beauty

For the most part, my beauty routine hasn’t changed since high school. Liquid eyeliner and mascara, foundation and concealer, maybe a lipstick. Golden. I also like to keep my nails painted, and Autumn is the best time to experiment with deep jewel tones instead of my tried and true neutrals. A less pretty aspect of the season is that cold weather makes the skin on my legs itch like crazy, and my usually dry scalp also flares up. For years I’ve relied on Shea butter-based lotions to counteract the irritation, but this season I’m trying out Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap Original Body Lotion from a coworker’s recommendation. So far, so good. For the scalp issue, I finally caved and purchased all of the custom products prescribed from Prose. We shall see.

Food and Drink

In the kitchen, Autumn means soups and sandwiches. Leafy greens are sautéed rather than put into salads, and edible gourds intermingle with the decorative. Pumpkin beer bread abounds,  and apples… so many apples! Cider donuts appear at farmstands like Mums sprouting from barrel planters. No one wants to touch the oven during our hot, humid summers, but ‘Baking’ becomes the house scent from October to January. That isn’t to say we don’t have every spicy, earthy candle available burning in various other areas of the house. As far as an Autumn beverage, my favorite to make at home is a Log Lady Latte. A smoky alternative to Chai or Pumpkin spice from Haymarket Cafe in Northampton, Massachusetts, it requires Lapsang Souchong tea with steamed, frothy milk of your choosing, and Maple syrup for sweetener. 

Reading and Watching

Another positive aspect of colder weather and the onset of evenings darkening earlier is that it gives one full license to stay indoors to catch up on the books piled up from Summer, and finally watch the movies and shows cluttering our queues. When the outdoors become unpleasant, I turn on Thandie Newton’s audiobook of Jane Eyre while doing household tasks. One of the few novels I’ve read more than twice, it provides a soothing background with moments of truth that prick up my ears because Charlotte Brontë knew what was up. Next on my reading list is Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood, and with all of the great films coming out this season, my regular viewing has become overwhelmed. 

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Zoë G. Burnett is a writer, menswear stylist, and film enthusiast based in Boston, Massachusetts. A born and raised New England Yankee, she feels equally at home in the 7th arrondissement. She is currently editing her first novel. You can read her personal blog here.