Autumn at The Attic with Mary Hitchman

Indulging in our favorite months of the year — the golden leaves, the crisp air, the food, the smells, the comforting memories and sources of warmth and coziness — we open our own doors and welcome you into our homes, as members of The Attic On Eighth share their favorite methods, items, and rituals to welcome the season. In this edition, Attic member and writer Mary Hitchman intermingles the new season with a new home.

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All photos by Mary Hitchman.

At the risk of making an entire season about me, the shift from summer to autumn has coincided with my move to a new place. As I settle down in Bristol, a thriving artsy city in South West England, I am replacing my tried and tested autumnal routines with new ones. In Oxford, my previous home, I traipsed through University Parks to see the leaves changing colour and hid in ancient bookshops, occasionally taking the bus into Woodstock to escape the city. Now I take long walks through Clifton Village and wind my way down to Stokes Croft on tree-lined residential streets, occasionally looking over my shoulder to see the autumnal sun glinting off the rooftops, admiring the multicoloured houses. I might settle in a park with my book, or take my journal to a café to get some planning done. Perhaps I’ll spend an hour in an art gallery or sit by the harbour. I love the possibilities of a fresh start.

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Fashion & Beauty

A multitude of flouncy shirts have emerged from storage, as has a small mountain of black velvet. I’m fond of refashioning my favourite summer outfits for autumn and will often pair gingham trousers with an oversized jumper, or wear a roll-neck and tights under a lightweight dress. I rarely put on makeup during the warmer months, but it has recently made a bold return; I love wearing deep burgundy on my lips and eyes, and I accent it with gold eyeliner if I’m feeling particularly dramatic. 

Food

Now that the summer heat has finally abated I feel ready to return to cooking vast stews and soups. I have spent my adult life studiously avoiding baking but, spurred on by endless episodes of the Great British Bake Off, I’m taking up my wooden spoon and doing battle in the kitchen this year. I have conquered the crusty bread roll (thanks to the wonders of the humble ‘how-to’ internet search), and cinnamon buns are next. Autumn is my preferred season to learn new skills, which I blame on the back-to-school feeling that permeates these months.

Home & Books

I have filled the new flat with an abundance of candles. Just now, Diptyque’s ‘Feu de Bois’ candle is flickering away merrily and there’s a space on the spiral staircase waiting for a pumpkin. My favourite books are on the shelf above the fireplace, and I can nestle on the sofa in a blanket whilst I pick out what to read next. Last Halloween I read Lolly Willowes by Sylvia Townsend Warner, a novel about a middle-aged woman who runs away to the country to become a witch. It is replete with the stereotypical trappings of witchcraft — familiars, sabbats, potions — but also includes beautiful descriptions of Lolly’s long walks through the countryside and her cosy cottage, making it the perfect autumnal novel. I’m not sure how to top that particular seasonal reading experience, so this time I’ll be reading Jessie Burton’s The Confession instead. 

A walk alongside the canal in Saddleworth with hot chocolate halfway.

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Mary Hitchman is a writer living and working in Bristol. She is fond of direct prose, medieval hagiography, and irony.