Just Guyton

Every year about this time, I start hearing it.

Pumpkin spice is back.

And apparently, that means all of us fall-loving, pumpkin-drinking, boot-wearing, flannel-owning women are about to be called basic again.

No ma’am.

Don’t call it basic.

It’s hood bougie.

I love fall. And I mean I love ALL of it.

I want the cooler mornings. I want the boots. I want the flannels. I want the leaves changing colors. I want Halloween. I want pumpkins sitting everywhere they have absolutely no business sitting.

And I want pumpkin everything.

Pumpkin coffee? Yes.

Pumpkin creamer? Obviously.

Pumpkin bread? Hand it over.

Pumpkin candles? Light them.

Pumpkin chili? Absolutely. And before you make that face, don’t knock it until you’ve tried it. It is super delicious, might I add.

If it says “limited edition fall flavor” on the package, you’ve already got my attention.

And no, I don’t care that it’s technically still summer.

Once September gets here, summer and I have concluded our business.

To be fair, our heating and air is currently broken, so this year I have an additional reason for wanting North Carolina to cool itself down.

Immediately would be nice.

But even if my house were a crisp 68 degrees right now, I’d still be ready for fall.

Next week, we’re planning to start putting out our Halloween decorations. We don’t do anything huge or fancy. Just pumpkins, little lights, little Halloween houses and wreaths—the cute little things that make the house feel like Halloween.

And yes, I said wreaths.

Not reefs.

If you know, you know.

Then there’s the coffee.

I don’t even have to leave the house to get ridiculously specific about it.

I’ll stand in my kitchen with a K-Cup in one hand and three different creamers in the refrigerator trying to decide whether today’s coffee needs maple butterscotch, caramelized banana bread or something else I absolutely did not need to buy.

That’s hood bougie.

And somewhere between the pumpkin coffee and the Halloween decorations, I started wondering:

When did liking something popular become an insult?

Who decided we have to discover some obscure thing nobody else has ever heard of before we’re allowed to enjoy ourselves?

I like pumpkin spice because it tastes good.

I wear boots because I like boots.

I wear flannels because I like flannels.

I decorate for Halloween because walking through my house and seeing those little pumpkins and lights makes me happy.

That’s really all the explanation any of it needs.

I’m almost 50 years old.

I’m certainly not going to start pretending I don’t like something because somebody might think I’m basic.

Life is too short for that.

So when pumpkin season officially takes over and you see me sitting somewhere in my flannel and my boots that look like I’m wearing Wookiees on my feet, drinking something that probably tastes like somebody dropped a pumpkin pie into my coffee…

Don’t worry about me.

I’ve simply gone over to the cozy side of the Force.

I’m doing just fine.

And whatever you do…

Don’t call it basic. It’s hood bougie.