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This is New England in September, part of my New England month by month series. It started as a post on my Instagram, where hundreds of you asked for the list. So here it is, all in one place.
September is here. And if you’re a New England girl, you already feel it.
The day after Labor Day everything turns over. It’s still warm out and it does not matter. Everybody knows what day it is. Buses back on the road before the light is. The sweatshirt on at seven and off by noon. The first morning without humidity, and you feel it before you’re all the way awake.
But the real thing about September is that none of it has happened yet. Apple picking, the leaves turning, Halloween, the first fire, Thanksgiving, all of December. Four months of magic in a row, and you are standing at the front door of it.
New England in September
What September looks like in New England
- The day after Labor Day, when everything turns over at once
- Apple stands beating the pumpkin stands by three weeks
- Mums on every front step in the region, all at once, like somebody sent a memo
- The sweatshirt on at seven and off by noon
- The ocean still warm and nobody in it
- A football game coming out of a living room on a Sunday
Things to do in New England in September
Go apple picking before the crowds show up in October. Stop at every farm stand you pass. Take one more beach walk while the water is warm and the parking lots are empty. Drive north at the end of the month to catch the first leaves turning. And start the fall traditions you want to keep, because September is when they begin.
September at the front door
Jewel Tones Dried Wreath
Dried, jewel toned, and it lasts all the way to Thanksgiving.
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Plum Berry Wreath
Plum berries for the in between weeks before the pumpkins come out.
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Historic Romance Doormat
The welcome mat that sets the whole mood.
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Burgundy Mum Arrangement
For the step where real mums never make it past week two.
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September at the table
Elliot Gingham Dinnerware
Hand painted gingham. Apple pie tastes better on it, that’s just science.
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Woodland Appetizer Plate
A little hare for the cheese board.
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Molly Yeh Pie Dish
The first apple pie of the year goes in this.
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Sorrella Pumpkin Mug
For the first morning without humidity.
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Alana Radish Cake Stand
Cider donuts deserve a pedestal.
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Cozy corners for the first cool nights
Plaid Faux Mohair Pillow
The couch gets its fall wardrobe.
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Brass and Burgundy Table Lamp
For when the light starts going early.
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Gretel Floral Pillow Cover
Florals don’t stop in September. They just get moodier.
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Embroidered Fox Velvet Pillow
The fox knows what month it is.
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Ribbed Glass Match Cloches
Because there’s a candle going in every room now.
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Glass Apple Candle
Smells like the apple stand.
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A little whimsy
Iridescent Glass Mushroom
The thing guests find on the shelf.
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Vintage Mushroom Painting
A digital download, so you can frame it tonight.
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Wicker Acorn House
Tiny, woven, and completely unnecessary. That’s the point.
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What I’m wearing in September
Merlot Plaid Midi Dress
Plaid with a collar. Peak September.
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Hill House Margot Dress
For the warm afternoons that still sneak in.
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Want the whole list? These are my favorites from 60 things that feel like September to me. Shop all 60 September picks
New England in September: your questions
What is New England like in September?
Warm afternoons, cool mornings, and the first nights you want a blanket. Summer crowds are gone, the beaches are quiet, apple season starts, and by the end of the month the leaves start turning up north.
Is September a good time to visit New England?
Yes. It might be the best kept secret of the year. You get summer weather without summer crowds, farm stands at their fullest, and the very start of foliage season.
More New England, month by month
- New England in October
- Every month in the series
- 5 things that make a house feel like fall
- New England gifts: the holiday gift guide
- Shop my home
Thirty days. Don’t spend them waiting for October.
Shop with me
If you’re a New England girl, you already know. Come find me here:
