Another whirlwind week, Grit & Glammers, and we are slowly — very slowly — marching toward fall. Labor Day weekend has arrived, which is the calendar’s polite way of saying goodbye to summer. Georgia did not get the memo. The temps are still firmly in the 90s, I am still in a sleeveless dress, and yet my mind has already wandered off to a crisp October morning and is quietly adding fall pieces to cart. So this Labor Day Weekend Notes is a little of everything: a three-hour movie with two new friends, a book club I’ve officially joined, the sales worth your long weekend, the next room in the Atlanta apartment reveal, and three things I can’t stop talking about.
Key Takeaways
- The Labor Day sales worth your time are at J.Crew Factory, Ann Taylor, Talbots, Birch Lane, Wayfair, and Ruggable — every one linked below.
- I joined a book club; we’re reading The Measure, and I’m sharing the reading accessories that make audio, Kindle, and ink-on-paper all feel like a treat.
- This week’s Atlanta apartment reveal is the study nook — tiny footprint, big personality, fully shoppable — plus my three current obsessions: a walking pad, a standing desk, and the Hatch alarm clock.
What’s in This Week’s Labor Day Weekend Notes
If you only have a minute (or a porch to get back to): shop the sales first, because the fall pieces are the first to disappear. Then come back for the book club chatter and the reading gear I swear by. And do stick around to the end — the study nook is small, but it’s mighty; every last thing in it is linked, and I’ve tacked on the three things I’m currently recommending to anyone who’ll listen.
Movie Night with New Friends
Last Sunday I finally went to see The Odyssey with two new friends. Three hours, Ladies. I packed a snack. But it moved — I never once checked my watch — and the cinematography was flat-out beautiful. My one quibble: the dialogue took a decidedly modern turn. Would Telemachus really have looked up at Odysseus and said “Dad”? I think not. A few literary licenses were taken, too, but I’ll forgive Hollywood most things when the film looks that good.
Afterward we landed at an Italian restaurant where yours truly ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and did not leave a single strand behind. Zero regrets. New friends at this stage of life are a gift I don’t take lightly — I wrote about why friendship matters so much right now in my End of Summer Reflections, if you’re building a new chapter of your own.
Book Club Reads and Reading Accessories
Big news: I joined a book club. This month’s pick is The Measure, and I’m already behind, which I’m told is tradition. Now, I’m the kind of reader who bounces between audiobooks in the car, my Kindle in bed, and a proper hardcover with ink and a spine on Sunday afternoons — so naturally I’ve accumulated accessories for all three. Here’s what earns its keep:
- Handmade Personalized Leather Magnetic Bookmark — for the paper nights. No more dog-earing (I know some of you do it; we won’t discuss it).
- Hotel Lobby Napa Valley Candle — hand-poured soy with black currant, French oak, and mulberry. It smells like the fall we’ve been promised.
- Custom Book Embosser — because a book worth lending is a book worth getting back, and now it has my name pressed right into the page.
- Rechargeable Book Light — the rare one that doesn’t scream freshman dorm.
- E-Reader Sleeve for the 7-Inch Kindle Paperwhite — a precise fit, which matters when it’s tossed in a tote next to your keys.
- Audible Membership — I have one, and I love it, especially on the road between Atlanta and Athens. Ninety minutes of I-85 goes by a lot faster with a good narrator.
Labor Day Sales Worth Your Time
Here’s where I’d spend a little of the long weekend — and I’ve grouped everything by retailer so you can get in, get out, and get back to the pool. If you want a read on where the whole community is leaning this season, I rounded up what women over 50 are buying this fall, and a surprising number of those pieces are on sale as we speak.
For the Home
- Birch Lane up to 60% off, and the lighting is where the real deals are hiding.
- Wayfair up to 70% off through Monday. This is where I’d hunt for rugs and lighting.
- Ruggable up to 30% off washable rugs. Fair warning: shipping is running a week or two because everyone had the same idea.
- Cann Social Tonics — for the porch, while it’s still porch weather. Which, in Georgia, is until roughly Thanksgiving.
J.Crew Factory
Start at the J.Crew Factory where the Labor Day Sale is 60% to 70% off their best styles through Monday, plus an extra 60% off clearance with code AUTUMN60. Jeans start at $59.95, which is the kind of math I like. I have my eye on three fall workhorses:
- Utility Pant
- Field Jacket
- One More Pair of Jeans — and yes, I can hear my sons asking how many pairs one woman needs. The answer is one more.
Outfit formula: Utility Pant + Field Jacket + a white tee + loafers = the Classic Style uniform for a Georgia fall that’s still 85 degrees at noon.
Ann Taylor
The Ann Taylor sale is where the polished pieces live — 30% off your full-price purchase, which makes the new fall arrivals a lot easier to justify:
- Striped Wrap Blouse
- Houndstooth Hutton Blazer
- Polka Dot Silk Scarf in French Mocha — French Mocha. Even the color name sounds like it has somewhere to be.
Talbots
And from Talbots — 25% off regular price, with even deeper cuts on markdowns — a trio that could carry a whole season on its own:
- Coated Barn Mac
- Leopard Patent Leather Tote
- Cassidy Patent Leather Loafers — matching, naturally. Some of us grew up matching our shoes to our bag and we’re not about to stop now.
The Lizzie Fortunato Obsession Continues
My Lizzie Fortunato collection is growing, and I am not sorry about it. On the shortlist:
Or — hear me out — all three. It’s a holiday weekend.
Ballet Flats Now, Boots Soon
Ballet flats are always a good idea, and in Ocean Suede they’re an even better one — these Ocean Suede Ballet Flats are the pair. But boot season is coming for us, Gang, and the early bird gets her size. For an everyday boot, I like the Riggs Knee High Boot; for the dressier evenings, the Sylvie Knee High Boot.
Atlanta Apartment Reveal: The Study Nook
This week’s reveal is the study. Or the office. Or — let’s be honest about the square footage — the computer nook. It’s a built-in desk, two floating shelves, and just enough wall for a favorite framed photo. That’s it. That’s the room.
But here’s the thing about small spaces: they force you to edit, and I happen to love a good edit. No matter the size of a room, I will make it mine with treasured knick-knacks and functional pieces that have to earn their spot. A black toile lamp for a little Paris. A globe for a little wanderlust. A stack of design books I actually open, a pothos that’s doing its best, and a rattan chair that makes sitting down to write feel like a small occasion. The newest arrival is a Cheetah Box that now houses my sunglasses — it’s already the thing everyone asks about, which tells you a leopard print is never a bad investment. And if you’re plotting a fall refresh of your own, my fall Amazon home finds are a good place to start.
You can browse the whole nook at your leisure in my Study Nook ShopMy Collection, but here’s the rundown:
- Black Metal Base Lamp
- Black Toile Lampshade
- Key Lamp Finial
- Rattan Upholstered Office Chair
- Tabletop Globe
- Leather Journal/Calendar
- Monkey Ceramic Dish
- Petite Gallery Easel
- Astaire Clocks
- Faux Pothos
- Cheetah Box
Three Things I’m Currently Obsessed With
While we’re on the subject of where I work — and, let’s be honest, where I sit for far too many hours a day — three things have changed my routine this year, and I’ve been recommending them to anyone who’ll stand still long enough to listen.
- Walking Pad — I slide it under the desk, answer emails at a stroll, and somehow hit my step count before lunch. It’s the closest thing I’ve found to multitasking that actually works.
- Standing Desk — the partner in crime. Up when I’m walking, down when I’m writing, and my back has stopped filing complaints.
- Hatch Alarm Clock — a sunrise instead of a siren. It eases me awake with light and a gentle sound, and I no longer start the day feeling like I’ve been summoned. Ollie remains unconvinced, but Ollie is a cat.
Closing Thoughts
This is the weekend the calendar says goodbye to summer, even when the thermometer flatly refuses to cooperate. I’m choosing to take it as permission to slow down: a long book I’m behind on, a candle that smells like October, a new friend across the table, and a small corner of an apartment that’s starting to feel like mine. Fall will get here when it gets here. In the meantime, add to cart, pour something cold, and enjoy every last minute of the long weekend.
Style has no expiration date — and neither do you.
For Classic Style pieces that carry into fall, the strongest Labor Day sales this year are at J.Crew Factory (60% to 70% off best styles), Ann Taylor (30% off full price), and Talbots (25% off regular price plus markdowns). Look for utility pants, a field jacket, a houndstooth blazer, and a coated mac — the items you’ll reach for from September straight through November.
Buy the transitional pieces first: a lightweight jacket, a pair of jeans, and a closed-toe shoe like a loafer or ballet flat. Those sell through fastest and bridge the gap between 90-degree days and true fall weather.
Not at all. Early September is when the best sizes and colors are still in stock, so it’s smart to buy now and wear later. Choose one everyday knee-high boot and one dressier pair and you’re set for the season.
Keep it simple: a good bookmark, a book light for evening reading, and an Audible membership if you like to listen while you drive. A scented candle isn’t required, but it does make the reading hour feel like an occasion.
Treat it like any other room: one good lamp, one chair you love sitting in, and a few personal objects on the shelves. Floating shelves keep the desk clear, and a globe, a clock, or a framed photo gives the space personality without the clutter. If you have the floor space, a walking pad and a standing desk turn the nook into a place you’ll actually want to spend the day.
Related Reading on Style at a Certain Age
- End of Summer Reflections: On Friendship and New Beginnings
- What Women Over 50 Are Buying This Fall
- Fall Amazon Home Finds
Shop the Post
Browse my full ShopMy storefront for outfits, home, and more.
Book Club & Reading
- The Measure · Handmade Personalized Leather Magnetic Bookmark · Hotel Lobby Napa Valley Candle · Custom Book Embosser · Rechargeable Book Light · E-Reader Sleeve for Kindle Paperwhite · Audible Membership
Labor Day Sales — Home
Labor Day Sales — Fashion
- J.Crew Factory: Utility Pant · Field Jacket · Jeans
- Ann Taylor: Striped Wrap Blouse · Houndstooth Hutton Blazer · Polka Dot Silk Scarf in French Mocha
- Talbots: Coated Barn Mac · Leopard Patent Leather Tote · Cassidy Patent Leather Loafers
Jewelry & Shoes
- Lizzie Fortunato: Laguna Necklace · The Cabana Necklace · Papaya Earrings
- Ocean Suede Ballet Flats · Riggs Knee High Boot · Sylvie Knee High Boot
The Study Nook — full collection
- Black Metal Base Lamp · Black Toile Lampshade · Key Lamp Finial · Rattan Upholstered Office Chair · Tabletop Globe · Leather Journal/Calendar · Monkey Ceramic Dish · Petite Gallery Easel · Astaire Clocks · Cheetah Box
Current Obsessions
Before You Go
Two questions for the comments: what’s the first fall piece going in your cart this weekend — and have you read The Measure? I need to know if I’m going to cry.
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