Pepper Design Blog

Three New Looks for Fall

This past weekend we pulled out our warm scarves, visited a local pumpkin patch and sipped hot cider – it was the perfect fall day! It was also our first day of San Diego rain. Well, not so much rain as a heavy drizzle that lasted most of the afternoon.

But that means just one thing – fall is officially here in full swing and I’m ready for movie nights curled up by the fireplace with a cup of hot cocoa! That and the opportunity to wear wool, heavy knits and leather boots.

Three new looks for fall:

Board #1: It’s still wavering around the mid 60′s in San Diego which means warm tights paired with a belted wool skirt and tucked in blouse (covered by a timeless trench) is ideal for the workday.

Board #2: While I love the growing belly, I think what I miss most from my closet is the opportunity to belt long cardigans, sweater dresses and lots of layers together. I love the shape of this particular sweater dress and the mix of brown, olive and grey pulled together with an ikat scarf. Add a simple gold cuff (I actually just added this staple to my collection and really love it) and hoop earrings for a soft fall look.

Board #3: Last but not least skinny cords, sparkly ballet flats and colorful outerwear over a few warm layers is perfect for a day of errands around town. Top with a bold necklace and enjoy.

Oh fall! So happy you’re here. A full page of style boards and their sources/pricing (including the above) here.

Time for Fall Decorating – A Few Inspirational Finds

So the weather is finally feeling a bit autumn-ish around here and while we’re half way through fall I’m just beginning to put up decorations for the season.

I love this time of year! There’s nothing like hot cider, over-sized scarves and pumpkin patches to make my month.

Needing a bit of new inspiration, I headed to my usual virtual hot spots (Martha, BHG, Southern Living, HGTV and even Pottery Barn online vignettes) and thought I’d share my favorites.

I’m all about bringing the outdoors in with natural elements such as fall veggies (gourds, pumpkins and the like) and big branches. You might remember my ‘favorite trends’ post on branches here – but these ideas (above and below images) are just as magical. Plus, these branch examples will last well into winter since most are already dried and dead or faux.

Other inspiring ideas:
1. Filling extra vases, bowls and cake stands with fall leaves, pine cones, gourds, seeds (dried pumpkin, split pea, yellow rice, etc make great vase fillers) and even corks popped from the holidays
2. Hanging orange paper lanterns (extra points if they have black construction paper cut out jack-o-lantern faces on them) in both indoor and outdoor spaces
3. Using pumpkins for more purposes than carving – I love the simple house number paint job the above pumpkins received or the ornament versions hanging from branches (manzanita would be sturdy enough to support them)
4. Wrapping die cut shapes or faux fall leaves around candles or candle holders with twine (real dried leaves would be a fire hazard)

Now I’ll get back to decorating… can’t wait to find more ideas and to begin working on the above!

Three New Style Boards

It’s been a bit drearier than usual in San Diego lately. Overnight our weather has gone from beautiful, sunny skies to cold, overcast weather with the occasional raindrops. This week’s three style board additions are inspired by this slow change into fall! Check out all of the boards here.

October weather is a perfect launch into cooler temperatures. We start to bring out our big chunky sweaters (though we can still get away with pairing them with leggings and flats) and begin to pack up the sundresses and shorts. As you can probably tell from above, I’m loving oxfords, silky soft blouses and lots of layers at the moment!

Just in case you missed the launch of this new addition last week, I’ve added a little pink “Wardrobe” button in the left sidebar for easy access to a growing number of style inspiration boards (including sources & pricing for all of the looks). The slideshow to the right links directly as well.

Hope October is treating you well, wherever you’re located!