Happy Meg Ryan fall.
If this greeting means nothing to you; join the club. Until a few days ago if I’d seen ‘Meg Ryan fall’ in a magazine headline, I’d have assumed the rom-com legend had taken an unfortunate tumble.
The good news is, Meg is fine. Better than fine; she’s just received a lifetime achievement award at the Sarajevo Film Festival (Aug 20th) where she told the audience ‘I am the luckiest person you’re ever going to meet’. The expression ‘Meg Ryan fall’ is further proof of her enduring good fortune. Somehow the advent of fall has become synonymous with Meg Ryan’s 80s/90s rom-coms and style editors are currently ‘fall’ing over themselves (sorry) to explain why Meg’s old movie outfits are a key fashion trend this autumn.
While Meg Ryan fall references outfits from her three movies made in the 80s/90s, I’m going to gloss over Sleepless in Seattle and You’ve Got Mail and focus on Meg’s role in the greatest romantic comedy of the all time.
Sally Albright from When Harry Met Sally (WHMS), it had to be you.
‘Meg Ryan fall’ began to emerge as a social media phenomena in 2021. With the country in and out of lockdown, it’s not surprising that elements of WHMS – cosy jumpers/fallen leaves/spiced latte in a coffee shops/curling up with self-improvement books – re-surfaced as soothing reminders of a simpler time. A time when all we had to worry about was ‘can men and women be friends?’ rather than can a man and a women be together in a room without a hospital grade face mask and a vat of antiseptic gel.
Three years on, search for ‘Meg Ryan fall’ and you’ll see beautiful young couples taking a stroll through a park in order to recreate a Sally Albright (Meg)/Harry Burns (Billy Crystal) scene on TikTok and/or Instagram. Dressing the part – super-sized jumpers worn over long, wide-legged trousers which, believe me, are no fun in the wet – may have been the start of it but it’s become what young people like to call a vibe. And what a vibe it is. Search Meg Ryan Fall in ’24 and you’ll find food/books/music lists; even ‘what to do this Meg Ryan fall’ mood boards and merchandise (below). 
If you want what they’re making just search When Harry Met Sally on Etsy…top left-right; embroidery, print, mug, T shirt, greetings card, illustration.
And before you ask – Meg Ryan is fine about being the face of fall. In 2021, a picture of her in a pumpkin patch appeared on her Insta’ feed with the hashtag #MegRyanFall’ (see middle picture below). On October 1st 2024, her socials featured a picture of three Sally Albright-style hats on a bed of cable knit sweaters with the caption ‘Ready!’.
I find this renewed adulation for Meg Ryan/WHMS thrilling. I was 22 when WHMS was first released (December 1st 1989) and could happily bore the chunky jumper off any Sally Albright/Harry Burns copycat in order to get across how utterly ground-breaking it was. We trooped into the cinema expecting a soppy ‘will they/won’t they’ love story and got 96 golden minutes of Harry (and to a lesser extent Sally) cynically dissecting male-female relationships for belly laughs over a majestic big band soundtrack.
While WHMS has remained my favourite rom-com for 36 years – I can finish every killer line and karaoke the entire soundtrack – I don’t recall there being anything especially memorable about Sally Albright’s wardrobe beyond the bowler hat/grey blazer/black trouser combo she wears in New York’s Central Park whilst discussing her ‘faceless guy’ sex fantasy…..quoted below; almost from memory.
Sally; “What I’m wearing.”
I watched the movie again recently and, whilst I’m no fashionista, I couldn’t see why Sally’s wardrobe is getting style editors from Vogue and L’Officiel so hot under their turtlenecks. I hate to say it but her look is cosy at best with a side order of frumpy.
Costume designer Gloria Gresham deliberately kept the gorgeous Meg Ryan in conservative clothes because they wanted both Harry and Sally to represent real people v NYC ‘glossy excess’ (read more about in Erin Carlson’s Unsung Inventors of Meg Ryan Fall).
Even Meg Ryan describes her favourite WHMS outfit as ‘librarian in a bow tie’ (see above) .
“I don’t think we thought of her as chic, but as individual,” Gloria Gresham said of Sally. “She dresses to please herself.”
If her wardrobe is a little ‘weekend mom’, that’s a plot device – we have to believe it when Lothario Harry says ‘You’re the first attractive woman I haven’t wanted to sleep with.’ Those prissy neck-lines are telling us everything we need to know Sally; when it comes to casual sex in the city, it’s a hard no. In Sally’s world, it’s prose before bros – which is why she’s often seen clutching a newspaper or a book. Cute for sure, but never showy. Sally’s chunky jumper and snow boots, polo necks and woolly tights, buttoned-up blouses and stiff penny loafers all reinforce the message; this is a woman who takes life – and her food orders – very seriously.
And yet…she is the very embodiment of adorable.
When Jolly Met Sally – the Meg Ryan fall challenge
The Meg Ryan fall challenge sees me, Jolly Volley, setting out to re-create three of Sally Albright’s seminal WHMS outfits. I would try to abide by the usual rules, namely all of the clothes must be thrifted, secondhand or already in my wardrobe. Moreover, they must be purchased for a budget tighter than the rind on a pumpkin.
Because I am clearly not a Hollywood movie star (I know – it’s hard to believe when you see the photos below), I have taken the gist of the three looks and made them wearable for someone my age, shape, colouring and nervous disposition. Meg Ryan can clearly wear black near her face; I can do black but only if I want to scare pets and small children. I bought most of my secondhand bits from eBay and liked them all with two notable exceptions. Skip to the end to find out where I slipped up…
Look one – I’ll have what she’s wearing; apart from the shorts
Sally Albright’s first outfit is a doozy. It’s the one she wears the very first time Harry meets Sally; having just left their college in Chicago, they car share to New York. Sally is in the pit-stop diner before we realise what she’s wearing below; Bermuda shorts. Yikes. I’m not sure if the costume designers were going for a ’80s Ralph Lauren preppy feel but it falls very, well, short.
To say I have a love/hate relationship with shorts in general is probably down-playing my feelings. Like most people, I love them on beach holidays but wouldn’t touch them with a pasty leg when at home.
There should be a circle of hell dedicated to Bermuda shorts. Only the under-nines and postal delivery people look good in long shorts. Call them what you like – Bermuda/Capri/surfer/chino or this year’s portmanteau word ‘jort’ (jean shorts) – be careful your long short doesn’t cut off at the most unflattering part of the leg ie: an inch or two above the knee cap. You might be a Tom Holland body double but, in Bermuda shorts, you’re suddenly Pat, the scout master from TV’s ‘Ghosts’.
Now study the above pictures very carefully and you’ll see how these stunning fashionistas avoid the terrifying ‘Bermuda triangle’ ie: a wide-legged short which form a massive cloth triangle just above the knee. All the shorts finish well above the knee, on the knee, or below it.
There’s another exception to my ‘no Bermuda shorts’ rule and Sally Albright illustrates this perfectly. Long shorts look fine if worn in autumn/winter with opaque tights and knee-high boots or any chunky footwear which balances their bulkiness.
Jolly Volley bought;- Purification Garcia Women’s Capri shorts (£6.99). Sadly, they were too tight so I had to replace with Chicos stretch shorts (£2.99). I also bought a brand new Joe Brown cable knit £18.99 (RRP £69) and Sea Salt of Cornwall ruffle neck shirt (£11); all from eBay.
Look two; those trad’ blazers with a pleated trouser
After a shopping expedition to NYC’s Manhattan, SoHo and The Village, WHMS costume designer Gloria Gresham put together a Sally Albright ‘look’ which included a cable-knit red jumper (see outfit three below) a boxy grey jacket, the 1940s-style pleated trousers and the ‘odd wide brimmed hat’.
Minus the odd hat, I’ve been wearing versions of this look since 1989; why? – I am doing Harry’s comedically strangled ‘paprikash’ voice when I tell you that blazers worn with baggy trousers have timeless ‘pizzazz’.
Jolly Volley bought;- stone coloured River Island baggy trousers, £14.99, cream herringbone vintage plaid jacket (£4.99), Sea Salt of Cornwall ruffle neck shirt (£11), M&S faux suede jacket (top and bottom left; £19), pussy-bow Savannah Miller blouse (lower middle right; £7), vintage wide-legs navy trousers (lower middle right; £12), all eBay. Vintage cinch-waist jacket (bottom right £6), charity shop, scarf – a Christmas present.
Look three – those iconic cable knit jumpers
We see Meg in this red jumper in the park, in the bookshop, In Harry’s new apartment and in publicity stills for the movie (bottom right). Someone must have liked it – how often do you see same item of clothing on a leading lady? But I have to say, in the celebrity clothing stakes, it is overshadowed by Harry’s white cable knit. It’s so famous, fans around the world became slightly unravelled when Billy Crystal posted on social media last year wearing a similar sweater to celebrate his 75th birthday with the words ‘Thank you all….’
Billy’s cosy white knit will not be allowed to steal the sartorial glory. I love a red knit. I wanted to own Meg’s sweater in 1989, I want it in 2024…however, I have a feeling the Next version I bought will just be a pale imitation of the original or should that be irritation – it’s acrylic and will probably make my neck itch.
Jolly Volley bought;- Polo neck cable M&S jumper (top right, £13.50), Joules tweed mini skirt (top right) £32, both eBay, charity shop vintage jacket (£6). I ended up having to buy a new Next red cable knit £34 (picture below, top right) – to find out why, scroll to the end. Jeans – model’s own and like the model; ancient.
*A slight unhappy ending to my secondhand shopping love story.
Described as ‘good condition’, when the red jumper arrived, it looked like it had been dragged through a gorse bush backwards.
As for the shorts, they were perfect for the WHMS ‘varsity’ look but for one important factor – they were so small I couldn’t get them past my knees.
I have to take the blame for these fails as I just about flouted every ‘rule’ I have about secondhand buying.
For instance, I don’t usually buy secondhand knitwear online as I know – from looking at some of the tattier used jumpers in charity shops – that modern woollens and artificial fibre knits don’t age well. I had to buy online due to my injury (broken ankle – I couldn’t drive to the charity shop) but that’s no excuse; I just needed to ask the seller for a more detailed description. Specifically – does it have fuzz-balls? Is it baggy around the hem? Is there any pilling under the arm? However, the seller generously accepted my return and refunded my costs.
Same with the shorts. It didn’t have any measurements and – as it was a Spanish brand (a posh designer one at that) – I should have insisted. While a continental size 42 is equal to a 14, it may not be the generous size 14 we have come to know and love in the UK.
In conclusion, I did what every secondhand clothes lover hates to do. I had to buy new. The jumper I am wearing in ‘Look three’ is from from Next (£34). I did return the shorts and l promptly bought another pair from eBay (see ‘Look One’ above) but I don’t love them nearly as much.
As for the perfect match for either of the cable jumpers worn by Sally and Harry in WHMS…the search continues.
For some more inspiration on Meg’s outfit read the following articles-
How to Dress Like Sally Albright in When Harry Met Sally
Meg Ryan Outfits: 8 Ways to Reimagine Her Classic Fall Looks in 2024
Meg Ryan Fall Outfits Are Back—5 Looks to Copy for the Ultimate 90s Look! by Katie Grazer
