Goodbye Brat Summer! Hello Gilmore Girls Fall!
How does one get into the fall mood? By unlocking their inner Rory Gilmore of course! There are 4 simple comments on living out your Gilmore Girls fantasies: books, music, outfits, and how to properly embrace the fall!
Rory Gilmore, the popular character from the beloved WB 200’s series, Gilmore Girls, is known for being the town of Stars Hollow’s sweetheart and academic champion. She is incredibly smart, well-read and ambitious. She is a softer and more grounded counter to her mother, Lorelei’s eccentric personality. Gilmore Girls is intertwined with the fall season for many viewers because many of the iconic episodes take place in the fall, but also the small town of Stars Hollow is an ideal fall setting with festive decorations and beautiful natural backgrounds.
In order to have a Rory Gilmore fall, you need to properly tap into Rory’s hobbies and lifestyle. Below you will find a guide to how to read, dress, and listen to music like Rory. You can also pretend like you are a resident of the town of Stars Hollow and look out for fun fall-themed events in your area.
Books
Obviously, you can’t have a Rory Gilmore fall without having your nose stuck in a book. There are numerous articles out there with hundreds of books on their lists. With the sheer amount of books on these lists, it can be incredibly daunting. It’s hard to tell which books were actually read and recommended by Rory (not books just mentioned in passing. Rory has a specific love for classic literature and literary fiction. She is also seen reading a few memoirs. Here is a great website with good recommendations. Warner Brothers Tik Tok page also posted a video showing clips where Rory has specific books she is reading!
Some highlights are:
- Howl Allen Ginsberg
- Atonement Ian McEwan
- Dracula Bram Stoker
- Unabridged Journals of Slyvia Plath Sylvia Plath
- Northanger Abbey Jane Austen
Any classic is a safe best. Gothic literature is a great genre of books for fall ambiance.
Music
With a best friend like Lane Kim, Rory has plenty of great music recommendations. Any time you want to get in the fall mood, just queue up the Gilmore Girls soundtrack.
If you don’t want to be only listening to songs from the show, there are plenty of fan-made playlists centered around songs that Rory and Lorelai would probably listen to or songs that match her vibe.
My personal fall playlist that gets me in a fall mood is a blend of songs from Gilmore Girls and any song that I think fits the fall aesthetic. All these songs make me feel like I’m walking around Star Hallow in the fall!
Outfits
Everyone knows Rory’s iconic and viral fisherman sweater from the pilot episode. This is a versatile fall staple. You can match the oversized sweater with jeans, a skirt, or a tights and tall boot combo. There are plenty of Amazon dupes. There is also a version from Pacsun, with “Rory” in the name.
A good tip for looking for these oversized sweaters is to look in the men’s section. I bought my “Rory Gilmore sweater” from the Old Navy’s men’s clearance section last spring.
You can use fall staples you already have to unlock your inner Rory. She wears a lot of sweaters and cardigans. (Bonus points if it’s knit). Pair these with a skirt-tights combo with jeans. You can lean into the “Chilton Era” Rory with a plaid skirt. Go for fall colors with greens, reds, browns, and navy. If you’re looking for an accessory, Rory loves a headband. (2000s fashion is coming back, making the search for Rory-inspired fashion look a little easier). Check out this Pinterest Page for a Rory Gilmore outfit lookbook
As always, complete your outfit with a cup of coffee!
Embrace the fall
Lean into your inner Taylor Dosse and look for a fun fall activity in your common community!
Search for fall-themed attractions and opportunities! Bloomington-Normal has plenty of fall events to make you feel like you’re a resident of Star Hollow attending a niche-themed festival. Visit Rader Farms for their corn maze and pumpkin patch! There’s a fall rodeo at the Corn Crib on October 18th and 19th! If you’re looking for something to get you in the Halloween mood go to the Down’s haunted house or Normal’s Haunted Trail!
Go for fall walks. Wander around ISU’s quad, the Old Town Noraml brick paths, or the Illinois Wesleyan campus. Bring along your friends and sip a fall-themed drink!
This fall, make Rory Gilmore proud. Do well in class and make the most of the autumn season. Curl up with a good book in a cozy sweater.