category: 9 to 5 girlie, building an online business (maybe it’s blogging, hey girl!) in her 20s, has multiple hobbies, enjoys every essence of girlhood, aesthetics, pinterest is your fave for all the inspo (here’s mine if you want to check it out), and you want to live life not feeling you’re missing out on seasons, experiences, loved ones, and time. WELCOME to the club. ♡
counting down
I don’t know about where you live, but autumn has arrived in-full effect and I’m feeling quite divided about it…
At one end, I’m super excited for all-things autumn-related (the cosiness, the pumpkin-spiced lattes, the baking season, the cute knitwear fits!). On the other end, it’s getting a lot darker, and I’m missing the sun!
However, we are all about romanticising our every season, to make the most of life, and live every second feeling our best and most accomplished!
Autumn will go by so quickly, and you don’t want to feel as if, yet another autumn has passed by, and you didn’t do the things you watch others do, have imagined to do yourself, but never got around to actually doing it.
I saw this Tiktok the other day that really made me even more serious about living my best, funnest autumn yet, which is:
“In your 20s, you only have 10 autumns, 10 winters, 10 springs, and 10 summers. Make the most of each one”.
WOW.
SAY NO MORE!
I’m just through half of my “autumns in my 20s”, and I feel more aligned and aware of who I am, and what gives me joy, now more than ever. I am about to put that to good use!
If you feel the same, or maybe have just entered your 20s and want to make the most of it, or maybe you’re a bit later 20s and want to start living out your pinterest-girlie, autumn goals then keep reading!!
The title to this blog post was not just to hook you, I’m about to deliver some GOOD GOOD guide that will actually make autumn 2024 your best one yet!
the deliverables
Let’s start serving!
We are going to break this down into different elements of our life:
- Hobbies: autumn-related, weather-appropriate,
- Style: fashion/ outfits, hairstyle/ accessories, accessories, shoes
- Business schedule: transitioning schedules, brightness, coping adjustments
- Aesthetics: home décor, stationery, colour schemes.
Of course there is more to life, but these are the four main branches that really elevate and help us romanticise a season, but definitely add more or make it more your own, if you like!
hobbies
You are probably thinking I’ll tell you to bake away, but I am about to do more and go beyond…
Since the weather becomes colder, and darker, baking is one of my personal faves, specially with the warm aroma that fills the house, but I’m about to give you my personal recommendations to really make it feel like autumn.
- White chocolate and pumpkin blondies
- Cinnamon buns
- Spiced apple crumble
- Sticky walnut caramel cookies
- Fluffy carrot cake
Always a treat to bake for yourself, or for loved ones!
Other hobbies I will recommend are within the arts & crafts! I’m a sucker for making things, for getting hands-on, and creating cute things!
For arts and crafts, I would recommend:
- Making polimer clay magnets that you can stick on your fridge! Ideas: a leaf, a pumpkin, an orange heart, a brown ribbon.
- Acrylic paining on canvas: your own DIY autumn wall art. Paint in the following colour scheme: browns, ambers and greens, and then hang the canvas on your wall, doorway or table.
- Creating charm bracelets or necklaces for a loved one or birthday coming up: this one could be done at-home or you could make it a cute girl date and go to a café where they do this. Here, in London, I know there’s a place called Moroccan corner, where you only pay £10 for a session and they have food and teas!! (super cosy, wholesome vibes for autumn)
- Embroidery ring! Embroidering is a super cute gift idea but also skill/hobby you can take up whilst netflix and chilling, wrapped up in your blanket. Find some inspo on Pinterest and follow-along!
That’s it for the hobbies, since I’d rather keep them condensed and top-quality of my personal favourites.
style
uuf! I get so excited with this one too.
Pinterest boards be multiplying with all the cute autumn fits I see left, right and centre!
This is very down to your personal style, but I’d say some basic guidelines to live-out your best pinterest-girlie, autumn self is:
- baby blue jeans : they contrast super well with browns, beige, and even the darker tones in autumn, like forrest green or cherry
- chunky shoeware : like Uggs, Timberlands (the classic pair). These always make an outfit look effortless, but super stylish and cosy for the season (plus colour scheme is on-brand!)
- zip-up knitwear & cardigans. Yes, not any knitwear! Specifically, the zip-up knit jumpers and the chunky knit cardigans give such detail that completely elevates your look, and makes you look more put together. I would, occasionally, even go completely off-brand with the colours, and do a baby pink chunky cardigan, depending on where you’re going.
- mini shoulder bags with texture!!! Shoulder bags are always in-style, but adding texture to your bag improves the intention behind your appearance, and intention is what we are going for this autumn! Suede, ruched and borg-texture shoulder bags will give-off more autumn-feels.
- oversized scarf : this one may be slightly more predictable, but nonetheless a staple; for both style AND practicality. Autumn weather can be unpredictable, and wrapping a seemingly huge scarf around warms you up, but also makes your outfit feel more accessorized.
We’ve covered outfits, accessories, and shoes.
Next, I wanted to make hairstyles, and hair accessories its OWN category because this really makes most of the look, in my eyes.
Autumn 2024 NO-FAIL hairstyles:
- Sleek back braid : this one always looks put-together, clean, gorgeous and keeps your hair from frizzing up when you’re wearing a scarf (if you have thin hair, pulling out your braid helps give it a chunkier look, but own your hair-type! Hairstyles fit all hair types).
- Crimped waves : I know waves are usually associated with beach and summer, but honestly I think it’s a perfect autumn look! Autumn outfits can tend to feel quite lowkey, but a bold wavy hair look really adds edge and makes you stand out more
- Half-up, half-down : specifically, with two strands framing the face. I don’t imagine this one a sleek style, but more-so as a blow-dried look, and even more aesthetic with some accessories (up next)!
- Dutch braids : can’t go wrong!
Hair accessories:
- RIBBONS! Can you tell I’m excited about this one? I think ribbons are the cutest hair accessory, to ever exist. Autumn is all about cosy, cute looks, and ribbons would have to be part of that equation to really make it. Small white ribbon for a half-up, half-down hairstyle or to tie the ends of dutch braids will always make it look like you spent way longer than you actually did on your hair!
- Claw clips. Effortless claw clip hairstyles are one I’d use as an option if you don’t have time at all, or simply have not mastered the other hairstyles yet. Claw clips for the win; brown, beige or black!
- Headbands: we all know this one has been trending for a while, but a thin, stretchy (not too tight) headband can make an outfit look more laid-back, without having to style your hair too much. Pairing headbands with a biker jacket, flare trousers, a chunky scarf, and some uggs. BELISSIMA
business schedule
We are all about living out the ideal selves we imagine in our minds, having the fun and allowing ourselves all the autumn joy, but also not forgetting about our online business, in the process!
Autumn is the best time really lock-in, and work even smarter to get you to your dream life.
If you have followed along, from the start, I have openly shared about my journey and about my destination. The girlhood we are growing here is my passion, and the blog is what will set me free from the 9 to 5 hustle, and us all as I share all of what I do!
In living with this dream, that becomes more of a reality each day, I look at seasons as “how can I romanticise the HECK out of it” but also “how can I be better in my business so I get that much closer, in this next season”. Because I do genuinely feel like, changing season, also changes our way of approaching our online businesses.
Whether it’s because of brightness, less social plans, energy levels,