It's hard to believe it's already October and when the sun goes down I'm feeling that Fall chill but during the day, the city is hanging onto Indian Summer.  And while a few of my favorite things lately have nothing to do with the change in season or harvest-y colors, it's Autumn via Tay's Approach and I'm sharing what's making my heart happy as I get ready to take on month #10.    ​

1.  Mini Pumpkins
​I've never been a fan of pumpkins, Halloween or orange but as soon as I came across little white ones and a muted tangerine guy, I decided it was necessary to pair alongside some Sunday blooms.  A medley of sunflowers, pink petals and raffia sticks is enough to capture the essence of the season.  I love the unexpected duo of the white pumpkin and champagne plate on my coffee table.    ​

2.  A Pink Felt Letterboard
Ok I know.  More things that are pink.  This weekend between Sushi dates and watching the Blue Angels get in formation, it was time for a bit of redecorating and changing up the office space.  I saw this Three Potato Four letter board on Pinterest with the words "Know your worth.  Then add tax."  I loved it and knew it would be a chic addition to the Taylored Approach office space with a list of my favorite things and words for inspiration.  When I need a mental checklist or a quote to pick me up, I can change it depending my mood.  Of course, the Flamingo snow globe is still going strong.  It's going to take something pretty major to knock her out of desk first place. 

3.  Fur
You guessed it, the second temps drop in the city is when Tay steps up the leather and fur wardrobe.  I don't know what it is but when I'm layered in fuzzy goodness, I feel like a boss, even if it's on a Sunday when I'm already in jammies.  It's sort of become my signature.  Like sequins in summer.  The coyote fur has become an accent in my office space with my ghost chair.  She fits in well and gets me in the zone.  If you see a girl who looks like a small animal on the 30x, you've guessed it, me.  TC. 

4. This knit pearl sweater
I am no prepster by any means and the idea of a cardigan usually makes my skin crawl but when I spotted this gem at Zara, it was the perfect way to mix a little embellishment and patriotic prep without feeling like I was in a J Crew ad.  The possibilities are endless with this creamy knit and I'm feeling a vision with a few #ootd ideas.  1) Athleisure with my adidas logoed legging + sneaks or 2) Gap high waisted ripped skinnies and my Gucci red loafers.  The perfect mix of polish with a little bit of edge. Stay tuned for her debut.

5.  A New Book 
I am really good at starting books, never finishing them but always seem to gravitate toward ones that somehow relate to growing your career, being a boss or a tale of a designer's life.  I find it inspiring and enriching but realize I might need a little fantasy in my life.  I recently picked up In the Name of Gucci, well because it will look great with my book collection but more so, Gucci is legendary, especially lately.  Instead of blasting the latest Chainsmoker/Kygo song I am obsessed with, it's time to look bookworm worthy on the bus.  

In true Tay fashion, the Fall love list will continue to grow.  Hope your weekend has been full of Fleet Week fun, cute cocktails or if you aren't a city resident, something fall-ish to get you into the seasonal spirit. 

​Until next time, I'll leave you with my favorite snap from le weekend and my soon to be frequent sunset stoop.

If you stayed in the city this LDW, you have been treated to 1) the hottest weekend ever and 2) the most gorgeous of sunsets.  Indian Summer has arrived!  You can find me parked at Crissy Field with cute cans of vino as the skys have been quite the sight.

When I was little, it was always a bummer when my birthday rolled around because we either had to have my party (it was always Disney themed) before or after the Labor Day Holiday.  Insert Minnie Mouse tears here.  Now in my thirties and "gulp," when that next birthday arrives, it's a nice moment to be celebrated but honestly, lately, I enjoy a weekend with an open agenda.  It's funny the planner in me let's go a little bit.  The staples typically include; vanilla lattes, Rose's and lately, Rosé.  I am dying to get to The Dorian for a taste of their Frosé.    

One big project I needed to tackle this weekend was my closet.  I am very fortunate as it's the highlight of my studio.  The storage space is the equivalent of the raising hands emoji... just amazing.  My goal was to make a seating area and a space to rotate a featured frock.  Since the long weekend is a birthday hangover for me, sequins felt more than appropriate.  Just outside the closet door, I added my ark bag to hang out with the gold birdie duo because she's a show stopper and deserves to be their sidekick. Next round of the closet project is color coding and a full reveal.  Stay tuned.  

Aside from catching up on life, long weekends are meant for venturing to new spots which for me still includes the search for the best iced Vanilla latte.  If you've been on my side of Chestnut, you know the devastation I felt (OK, maybe a slight exaggeration) when my favorite bakery across the street closed. To this day, I wake up on Sundays craving their amazing vanilla.  Today's try, Equator Coffee at Fort Mason.  It was delicious and of course, I loved their panther logo.  I pulled the trigger for a sprinkled splurge as soon as I saw that donut.  The perfect accessory with your side of coffee are September issues.  An easy formula to create your own easy like Sunday morning scene.

Cheers to savoring the next two days of the long weekend and capturing city snaps!

Sometimes you can have the best thought out plan for a fun day and life surprises you.  Yesterday was one of those moments.  You pick the perfect brunch place, the spot on outfit and gather the right trio of gals.  I'll set the scene.  

It was a typical Marina Saturday.  Brunch @ Rose's or Rosie's as my mom likes to call it, where my order is typically routine.  You guessed it, green eggs with a side of iced coffee.  We were celebrating a belated birthday and my upcoming lucky double 3 so a few pastries were also necessary.  The mission: sunflowers.  The outfit: I decided on a gingham off the shoulder number with a red leather that is my current obsession as I wait for Fall in the city.  #ItsBanana and you need it on your body.  The accessory: my shaggy friend below, a raffia bag with embroidered stars my sister surprised me with after planning her San Diego Bachelorette adventure.  I was ready for the perfect photo op among a sea of happy florals in the distant farm town of Dixon.  Or so I thought.

Brunch was filled with moments of laughter, a chocolate croissant and gifts that made me realize I am pretty predictable and my current favorites are very clear to those around me.  Three words:  Flamingos, cacti & gold.  But more to come on those later.

Getting out of the city for a spontaneous road trip isn't my typical weekend agenda.  The Field of Sunflowers looked magical and the perfect backdrop for the gingham I had carefully selected for flower photo fun.  As we approached the trail to what was sunflower mecca, we turned on the desolate road to find the first patch of sunflowers as dry, sad stems.  Immediate heartbreak set in the car.  We figured hey, maybe it's the first batch, the good ones are at the end of the road and our optimism was still high.  As we continued down the path, it became evident that well into August, the sunflowers decide to peace out and 2/3 of the car broke into immediate laughter.  We missed the season by 2 weeks.  The old Tay as my sister called her at dinner last night would have been so upset and dwelled on the fact that she didn't get to the final outcome her heart was set on.  Instead, the moment will always be a memory of a time when I drove to Dixon with two of my favorite gals in search of sunflowers and all I came back with was a Starbucks.  

The best part of the day was a snowglobe.  A flamingo snowglobe.  Yes, you read that correctly and it's something I never knew I needed which is why you know you have friends for life when they surprise you and it's you to a T.  If you see me walking around with it on Chestnut, I don't need to be checked into an asylum, I probably just couldn't part with it that day.  I was completely giddy after meeting my new toy and might as well be turning 5 as I couldn't stop holding it on our drive back.  I am obsessed.  It pairs well with a calculator I rarely use to crunch numbers but just looks so coordinated atop my desk.  ​​

The other decorative gift standout is four easy letters, L-O-V-E.  The first thing I thought of was the scene in the Sex & The City movie where Carrie has a small gold keychain with that simple but powerful word.  It now sits at my window with rotating succulents.  When I walk into my apartment, there she is.  That's love.  And I'm bringing it to me all day long.  

Hope your Sunday is filled with adventure, maybe a few kinks but most of all laughs.  That's the irony of life sometimes, right?  You can find beauty in the most unexpected of ways and in disappointment, a chance to do it all over again when the time is right.  

No "flowers" were harmed in the writing of this post.  Luckily, 11 months of planning to visit these stems in July calls for plenty of outfit options and photoshoot strategies.