ARE YOU READY TO SLOW DOWN?

Clare O'Reilly, 45, is jumping on the viral trend embracing all things autumn

- CLARE O'REILLY

As someone who has more scarves than the Doctor in Doctor Who, I've always thought I was made for autumn. It's a standing joke in my extended family that if no one knows what to buy me, a scarf is the answer.

So the slow-girl autumn trend - or 'fall aesthetic' as my 14-year-old daughter Annie prefers to call it - is right up my leaf-lined street. The trend doing the rounds on social media sees influencers embrace a slower pace of life, focusing on cosiness, nostalgia and mindful activities, like walking in leafy parks, reading with a warm cup of cocoa and gardening on crisp, fresh mornings.

Don't get me wrong, I love summer and the long, light nights, but the thought of the clocks changing sends me rushing to the shops to buy plenty of cinnamon for all the baking I'll be getting done in the coming weeks. I start getting my autumn vibe in full swing by waking up early to make the kids cinnamon rolls before they head to school.