September — Blog — Arlene Gibbs Décor

I hope everyone had a wonderful summer.Yes, I know technically it's still summer despite the fact that some retailers in the States are already selling Spiced Pumpkin Latte mixes and there are bloggers talking about Halloween.

I don't understand this rush. Let's enjoy this month and getting ready for fall. This is my favorite time of year/season. Not that I dislike the other three (well maybe winter, lack of sun and daylight is not my scene) but there's something about fall that makes me happy. I was one of those geeky kids who couldn't wait to buy back-to-school supplies. In my young mind there weren't many things more exciting that a Mead Trapper Keeper notebook.

Unfortunately, back-to-school shopping for clothes wasn't as fun as my Caribbean mom was not about that life. Every time I asked for something that EVERYONE was wearing, my mom would say that I was going to school to get an education, not for a fashion show. My dad backed her up as he didn't know (or care) about the difference between Girbaud, or Guess, jeans and a random pair from wherever.

I still look at fall as a beginning even though I graduated from college back in the Stone Age. Like spring, it's an opportunity to hit the reset button.

One of the color trends for Fall 2018 is this deep blue called Sargasso Sea.

I’m feeling this cape but I might be too short for this lewk. Love the pop of color from Ms. Palermo’s shoes. Great combo.

This classic pattern from Schumacher is an excellent example of Hollywood Regency glamour.

Photo: *Imperial Trellis II by Schumacher*

There are so many beautiful colors to choose from but this one is in my top three, okay five.

I cannot write about September without listening to this old school favorite. It dropped in 1978 and if you play it at any wedding reception, party, or cookout now people will still dance.

Here's to a great fall!

p.s. Here's a fantastic piece from NPR regarding why this song is so popular years later.

I asked Jeffrey Peretz, a professor of music theory at New York University's Clive Davis Institute, what makes that groove so powerful. He says a lot of it has to do with how the music unfolds. The song's very structure is an endless cycle that keeps us dancing and wanting more."

There's four chords in the chorus that just keep moving forward and never seem to land anywhere — much like the four seasons," he says. "It's the end of summer, it's the beginning of fall, it's that Indian summertime, it's the transition from warm to cool."

The trigger for that yearning feeling, Peretz says, is the opening line. White asks, "Do you remember?" and we supply the memories. It's a song that can bring all of the generations together, which makes it perfect for family gatherings. The true meaning is up to us — including, Allee Willis says, that strangely specific date."

We went through all the dates: 'Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth ... ' and the one that just felt the best was the 21st," Willis explains. "I constantly have people coming up to me and they get so excited to know what the significance was. And there is no significance beyond it just sang better than any of the other dates. So ... sorry!"

September!