Fall and winter are some of the best times of year to do all the wholesome activities with your friends. Being in the city provides so many options for festive activities. You don’t need to be in a small Christmas town to have a fun and aesthetic holiday season, even though that’s how the Hallmark movies make it seem.
Starting with fall events, apple picking is always a go-to. Just 25 minutes off of campus is Soergel Orchards, a family-owned farmers market and apple orchard. There is so much more than the typical apple and pumpkin picking there. Soergel offers a petting zoo and two quaint shops that have every type of seasonal treat you could think of — think pumpkin rolls and apple cinnamon pancake mix. There is something for everyone. Additionally, you can do hayrides throughout the orchards. There are also several photo ops there where you can take pictures for your Instagram.
This fall season, I visited Soergel Orchards with my friends, and we got adorable photos. When apple picking, I love seeing everyone’s fall Pinterest boards come to life. The chunky sweaters, denim mini skirts, black boots — it’s all so cute.
Once the weather gets a little chillier, the Peoples Gas Holiday Market opens up for the season. This year, it will be open from Nov. 22 to Dec. 24 — closed on Thanksgiving. This is an annual holiday event in Market Square and brings so much festivity and holiday magic to the city. There is live music, food, hot chocolate and even Santa. Walking through the Market District when it is fully decorated for the holidays is such an amazing time. It makes you feel like you are out of the city and truly in a Hallmark movie.
When attending the Peoples Gas Holiday Market, it is definitely not a fashion show, but I love pretending it is. Since it is only open during the chillier months, we get to incorporate layering. I would wear a long sherpa coat with a pair of straight leg jeans to incorporate some structure into the outfit and balance out the coat with a simple sweater and a pair of Uggs — here is the outfit put together.
Not only is this outfit classy and adorable, but it will also keep you warm. You can also incorporate more of your personal style by adding a colorful knit scarf or beanie.
There is so much to do this holiday season beyond these two events. There is ice skating at the UPMC Rink at PPG Place, a Winter Flower Show and Light Garden at Phipps and so much more. I hope you all enjoy this holiday season and feel confident and beautiful with your outfits.