Every celebrity seems to have their season: Mariah Carey reigns supreme during the holidays, Nicole Kidman is a “True Spring” according to color analysis theory, and Megan Thee Stallion owns the summer. While autumn is often associated with Gilmore Girls, I’m ready to nominate Meg Ryan as the ultimate autumn queen. With her iconic choppy layers, cozy vibes, and starring roles in countless crisp-weather-appropriate sweater movies like *You’ve Got Mail* and *When Harry Met Sally*, she embodies the essence of the season.
Ryan turning 63 this November feels perfectly fitting. After all, who could imagine the star of so many Nora Ephron films celebrating the glorious, sensory-rich autumn in New York with a July birthday? For me, welcoming September and October means celebrating the Jewish New Year by braiding challah while watching Harry and Sally’s love story unfold… making Ryan (a) my ultimate seasonal style icon and (b) strangely entwined with my Jewish identity.
Like Ryan, I reside in California, where the early days of autumn can feel like a continuation of summer. To truly celebrate the change of season, I’m taking a deep dive into Ryan’s timeless style, a style that has always placed her ahead of the curve, both on and off-screen. Her unwavering love for preppy separates, tailored silhouettes, and killer accessories perfectly captures the essence of autumn. Join me in appreciating 31 vintage photos of a young Meg Ryan, a testament to her enduring fashion influence.
