Stephanie Gayle

I don't much like New Year's Eve. It's cold, it's late, it's often crowded. So I stay home. And I don't make resolutions. Yeah, I'm a real rebel that way. As I was walking past the prematurely-turning tree that adorns MIT's campus (its leaves turn orange every August) I realized that for me New Year's starts in September. Back to school starts the calendar cycle anew. Working at a university helps keep me in line with that particular calendar. But it also helps that fall is my favorite season. It's damn lovely, the weather is comfortable and except for that inevitable decline into darkness and cold, it's swell.

Plus autumn brings us the jackets and coats. Which bring me to the below-pictured Valory jacket by Rock and Republic.

I have one word for this jacket: WANT!

Which brings me to part two (everything above this sentence was part one--surprise!) School is starting for many children in late August this year. The hell?! How are those children supposed to wear their newly bought school duds (of itchy wool) in late August? Wearing it in early September is also an issue but August? That's just cruel. On behalf of kids everywhere excited to wear their new thigh high boots (Why are you looking at me like that? They were awesome boots!) to school, I must protest. School in late August is wrong. Besides, there's no way I'm going to be able to scrape up the cash for that beautiful jacket by next week. Nope. I think I need a sponsor.