Fall décor and fashion

While the autumnal equinox might land on September 22, Tennessee weather delays the crisp air and changing leaves that everyone craves after a long, hot summer. Lucky for all the fall lovers, it is safe to say that the season is now in full swing.

With the change in seasons there are plenty of opportunities to revamp décor, wardrobes, playlists, and weekend activities to make the most of fall’s yearly transformation.

If you are looking for inspiration to redecorate, look no further than the beautiful foliage on the Maryville College campus. You do not have to actually craft your new adornments out of leaves and acorns, but the colors of fall in East Tennessee are the perfect finishing touch to some needed remodeling.

Deep reds, mustard yellows, bright oranges, and faded browns can compliment your walls in the form of a paint sample card, which can be found at a Home Depot or Lowes.

In case leaves and acorns are your thing, you can easily preserve leaves and acorns to make wreaths by placing them in mason jars, or create your own miniature fall adornments for window sills and desks.

Acorns will have to be preserved before they can be used for crafting purposes in order to prevent rotting and keep away bugs.

Rinse your gathered nuts in a bowl of water. While your acorns are laying on a paper towel, preheat your oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Place your acorns on the sheet and leave the door slightly cracked. Turn your acorns every 30 minutes for an hour and a half until they are completely dried. Once they have cooled, cover your acorns with a layer of sealant.

Now they are ready to use for a myriad of crafts. They can fill glass jars wrapped in twine, used in wreaths for doors, or can even be utilized by RA’s in giving their door decks an extra bit of fall flair.

Preserving leaves for decoration can be just as simple. Make good use of your large, expensive textbooks by using them as weights to press your leaves. Simply place your selected leaves between two pieces of newspaper, and place your weights on top of them. Try not to use leaves that have already curled. This is the simplest method to preserve leaves for a festive fall bouquet of leaves, sticks, and corn husks.

Fall fashion is also an opportunity to embrace the autumn spirit. If you’re a sweater weather fanatic who is dying for variation in the typical colors of burgundy, wine red, and olive-green experiment with some different, but just as enticing, fall palette staples. Mustard yellow can be a bright addition to any seasonal styling. A burnt orange scarf can add a pop of fall to a black or brown top.

If you have a cool skin tone, and fear that dark fall colors will wash you out, opt for a colored pant or skirt instead. Fall colors can also be featured in headbands for an unexpected autumnal addition to your outfit.

When it comes to fall, there is no shortage of opportunities to embrace the season. Amidst the beautiful landscape of Maryville College, students can find creative ways of bringing the autumn spirit inside and participating in the aesthetics of autumnal change.