Pioneer Woman Fall 2021

Wow, what happened to June, July and August?! I blinked and here we are, on the brink of fall! As fast as it seemed to fly by, I had a really wonderful summer. The kids were home a lot, for Fourth of July and other celebrations; we moved Jamar to college so he could start summer football practice; and to top things off, Ladd and I got to take a weeklong vacation to Vail, CO, in July…just the two of us! While we have traveled together through the years for quick work trips, he and I hadn’t been on a vacation alone since 2002—before Bryce was born! We had the best time hiking, walking around town, eating great meals and having zero schedule, and while we did miss having the…

What dinner do you get most excited about? —Najmah Sultan-Arvizu, Maricopa, AZ Spaghetti and meatballs! Everyone always loves it, and I never cease to be amazed at its simple perfection. I like a combination of pork and beef for meatballs, but you can use all beef if you like. Find my go-to recipe for the complete dish at thepioneerwoman.com/spaghettimeatballs. What kind of music do you like listening to? —Chanda Scheuring, Defiance, IA I love Broadway show tunes! Everything from Hamilton (my fave!) to A Chorus Line to Guys and Dolls. And I love to sing along, especially when I’m alone in the car. What is your best advice for a mama helping her daughter plan her wedding? —Kassi Mortensen, Virden, NM Don’t be afraid to step in with words of wisdom, but follow her lead. For instance, I…

don’t usually follow the old “rules” when it comes to clothing—I’m OK wearing white after Labor Day, and I definitely don’t stick to the standard color palettes for fall. Earth tones are great, as are burgundy and dark green, but I love bright, eye-popping shades year-round. My current obsession: hot pink shirts! The color is happy and fun, and in the spirit of breaking fashion rules, I think the combo of fuchsia and red hair is just fine! Join the hot pink club with one of these tops—it’s easy to build an outfit around them. Lounging at Home The color of this slouchy sweater adds loads of cheer to a pair of comfy gray pants and slip-on sneakers. “This feels like a sweatshirt but is much more polished!” Around Town Swap out a plain white…

Elizabeth Leaman is, as usual, on the hunt for a perfect quilt: She’s standing in a Pennsylvania antiques store running her hands up and down her latest find. Its pastel colors and wedding ring pattern indicate it’s from the 1930s, and the fabric feels soft but sturdy. Elizabeth is sold, and just like that, the beloved quilt is destined for a second life—as a coat. For the past four years, Elizabeth has been creating one-of-a-kind jackets out of old quilts, and every time she puts a new one on her site, ladylancaster.com, it sells almost instantly. Back home in Lancaster’s Amish Country, Elizabeth washes her newly purchased quilt by hand, then drives it 30 minutes from her home studio to her sewing room, set in an old barn. There, Amish and…

As a fair-skinned redhead, I take sun protection seriously, so you’ll almost always find me wearing a hat when I’m outside, even in the fall. Often it’s my straw cowgirl hat, but if I’m just running out of the house, I’ll throw on one of my trusty baseball caps. I love how it caps off an outfit (haha) and instantly makes anything I’m wearing seem cute and sporty. (Did I mention that they’re also the perfect solution to bad hair days?!) The baseball hat I have on in this photo features our Drummond Ranch cattle brand, and I love it so much, I wore it on the cover of my book Frontier Follies. Find your own perfect cap right here—these are my favorite styles. Embroidered Whether it’s simple or elaborate, a stitched…

I had heavy bangs my whole life until I was about 21 and my cowlick started going rogue and made my bangs start to separate. I gave them another go when Alex and Paige were little, but I kept brushing them away from my face…which made my cowlick situation worse. In my dreams I’d have perfectly straight, well-behaved bangs, but I don’t think they’re in the cards for me! I do think bangs are worth a try; just keep in mind that it’s an experiment you can always move away from later. Keep reading to see which look is best for you—and to pick up some styling tips! BY JAMIE M. WILSON. OPPOSITE PAGE, ILLUSTRATIONS: GETTY IMAGES.…