Comfort & Joy

Plus, the best gift I received from a friend.

Before I dive into the meat and potatoes of my resolutions that have been carefully crafted in my notes app this year (yeah, I’m one of those) I want to shift your attention to something that you could use right about now. Comfort!

The pressure to start over at the beginning of the year can be daunting not to mention completely exhausting (6000 deleted emails later..); I've also read my fair share of think pieces about what personal style should and shouldn't be at the turn of the new year. Personal style aside, and trying to redefine which "core" you fit into – allow me to be the friend that reminds you to bring practicality into the mix. Because what's more joyful than being comfortable? Granted, I may not be the poster child for things that are comfortable as I myself love to don inappropriately short skirts in the dead of winter when we probably should be hibernating as nature intended. Buttt I do have a list of things that I do think are worth the hype/ splurge.

For me, comfort will always come in the form of a few things that I always have on rotation:

• a fuzzy throw-on and run-out-the-door coat – lately, it's been a teddy coat minus from Aritzia, It says it will keep you warm under -4°and I was genuinely shocked that actually did keep me warm. There is a lot of space in the front of the coat so you’ll want a scarf too.

• UGG boots they were great back in 2005 and they're still great now. My current pair even has a platform! The first time I saw a platform UGG was on my friend, Bella and I immediately made plans to go to the store on 5th ave in Manhattan to find my own pair. They make 15-year-old me feel like we grew up to be pretty cool, and tbh they’re a symbol of American fashion in my mind. In case you’re wondering if fancy fashion editors and celebs wear UGG boots too, the answer is yes, pretty much everyone I’ve ever met has a pair and I’ve seen hundreds of Getty images to prove it.

• Uniqlo heat tech. The greatest invention for under your clothes of all time it is only the reason I can leave my home for four months out of the year during winter in New York. I wanna apologize to my husband as he tried convincing me about these years ago, and I completely ignored him because I thought that long underwear was ugly. (oops) These are neither ugly nor expensive and come as sets, separates, and yes, even puffer vests.

• Bites of cashmere – whether it be a scarf, socks, or two-ply sweater there is nothing like knowing you're wearing cashmere even if no one else knows it. It feels like a hug. A very expensive, delicious hug. For those that aren’t sure they even like cashmere enough to spend the $ lemme make you a covert and try these glovettes from Eileen Fisher.

• When considering comfort, maybe earrings don’t come to mind- but they should. There are so many uncomfortable earrings out in the world, but I like these from Mejuri, plus they’re under $60!

• A heated blanket – OK this one isn't one that you can wear obviously, but it is my favorite thing that a friend has gifted me. After visiting a friend Rachel in Oregon in the countryside, I became completely obsessed with her heated blanket. She mailed me one by surprise for Christmas and I've been living under it, so if I'm not out on the town, I'm probably under there. The one I got gifted is from Costco and has two plugs so if you have a membership I highly encourage you to peek at it in the store.

As for those resolutions, I’ve got a few that I’m willing to share:

1. Press trips/ travel- I hope to use my luggage this year and travel to Ethiopia, LA, Japan, and Paris.

2. Get the apartment photo ready- i.e decorate! My good friend Nancy is going to help me, she and I have super similar taste and she knows more about antique furniture than pretty much anyone I know.

3. Get into banging shape- pilates princess mode, anyone?

4. Learn Amharic- the language of Ethiopia! I’ve been taking lessons since October and am conversational now. I’m so excited to keep learning, hoping it starts coming to me a bit easier.