Fall’s Best Color: Fabulous Fig!

I simply cannot eat figs. When I was little, my mother (who is a botany professor and therefore ostensibly to be trusted in these matters) told me that wasps lay their eggs in figs. My impressionable young mind translated this information to mean that the crunchy fig filling is not seeds but rather unborn wasps. And though I now know the real story on figs and wasps, I have never been able to get past the terror of munching on gestating insect exoskeletons. (Not to mention the fact that Fig Newtons are the womp-womp consolation prize of the cookie world, which lowers the fruit even further in my esteem.)

But. The appearance of figs? That's another matter entirely. Though no fig may ever cross my lips, I can appreciate their dark and dramatic beauty from afar. Their color defies description. Neither red nor brown, purple nor black, it perfectly captures the moody, dwindling atmosphere of late fall—and right now it looks smashing on everything from homewares to fashion accessories.

In fact, its undefinable quality is what makes the color fig so versatile. Incorporate it into outfits with either cool black and white or warm rose and camel. Use fig hued linens as part of your mealtime setting, whether you have a weathered farmhouse table or a modern teak surface. And finally, burn a fig scented candle to take advantage of the fact that though the taste and texture of figs may leave much to be desired, their scent is heavenly—and poses zero risk of wasp ingestion! 

Shopping Guide: 1. Suede and Leather Satchel 2. Fig Body Cream 3. Savon de Marseille Figue Hand Wash 4. Patent Leather Chelsea Boots  5. Staub Cookware 6. Rifle Paper Many Thanks Card Images: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.