toth shop trends: september 2025

there's something about september.

and not just because it's my birthday month — dani here, following the toth shop tradition of authoring the trends when our birthday arrives.

september always strikes me as a gentle soul. somehow it seems to know we need to ease out of summer, no matter how many times we've said, "i can't wait for fall." so, even though schedules bounce back with a vengeance, the days are still warm, the evening sun sticks around, and everything autumn feels like a welcome surprise. the first leaves starting to turn? we cheer. cooler nights? we look for an excuse to throw on a sweater. september ushers us into fall, and we're excited, maybe because it doesn't feel forced.

there's a lesson in there somewhere, about being kind to ourselves when we're in a season of transition. no matter how ready we feel to leap into a change, it's alright to bring some of the familiar along too, until we're ready to fully let go and embrace what's coming.

my oldest starts kindergarten this year. that's what septembers are for, right?

i want to hold on, because i'm me and i could swear he was three years old last week. just a little guy holding my hand, feeling brave on the newly empty playground because all the big kids were in school.

now he's a "big kid in school".

and september? so far she's kept it balmy enough for afternoon ice cream, and a few fireflies have hung around for one more game of chase before school-night bedtimes.

because sometimes, a shift can be gradual. even when things around us seem to move fast.

our trend this month? like september, own your tempo.

xx,

dani

applause at the door.

since september is my birthday month, i’ll share a tradition. in our family, we celebrate birthdays (and the change they bring) with a special ceremony: at bedtime on “birthday eve”, we line up in the hallway and clap as the birthday boy or girl heads into their bedroom for the night. the kids are thrilled and cheer with anticipation. i feel like it’s a standing ovation…a poignant “well done” to the past year and everything it gave us.

change is worth celebrating, reflection doesn’t mean you’re stuck, and when in doubt — clap for yourself.

wussten sie das...

that means "did you know that..." in german. did you know that you can search for books about your family history? take 30 seconds and try it if this kind of thing piques your interest. go to google.books.com and search your last name and "genealogy". you might be surprised by what you find. i found a book published in the 1990's that tracked my family's journey from erlenbach, germany to colonial maryland. one year later i was standing next to my 8th great-grandmother's tombstone outside of annapolis, 301 years spanned between us. finding your roots can be an exercise in grounding.

finding your roots can be an exercise in grounding. as summer fades and fall begins, that connection to the past can offer a steadiness — a reminder of who we are, and how change is always part of our story.

shifting seasons, shifting conversations.

just as september marks a seasonal shift, it’s also a natural time to check in on how we’re communicating – with our teams, our clients, even ourselves. clear, intentional communication creates space for creativity to thrive.

a good and simple practice: try a “reset conversation.”

whether it’s with a collaborator, a client, or your own journal, ask three questions:

1. what’s working well right now?

2. where could we use more clarity?

3. what’s one small change that would make things feel lighter moving forward?

these questions open the door to honest reflection and, more importantly, keep the lines of communication clear as we head into a busy fall.

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📍 where do i live? vienna, austria

🍻 favorite autumn beverage: pumpkinhead beer from massachusetts with a cinnamon sugar rim. IYKYK

✨ setting that inspires me the most: our lady of scots cathedral, built in 1155 in vienna by irish missionaries.

👩‍🍳 currently cooking: ina garten’s perfect roast chicken (trust me, the fennel really is the secret).

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