6 Cozy Things to Add to Your Night Routine

With the sun setting around 4 PM and the holidays right around the corner, this time of year is the coziest time of year. Just thinking about it makes me want to curl up in a blanket and sip hot chocolate in front of a fireplace. Although I don’t have a fireplace in my home, let alone any hot chocolate, I have found some easy, practical ways to make my nights comfier and cozier. Throwing these couple of extra steps into my evenings have made such a difference in my mood. Allowing time to pamper and indulge myself in simplicity is such a necessary step to making sure I take care of my mental health.

Here are some things I have been doing to make my nights not only cozier, but more relaxing and enjoyable.

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Light Candles

Okay, this one is probably pretty obvious. Lighting candles seems to be on every cozy self-care list ever made, but hear me out. Somehow Bath and Body Works always manages to lure me in during the colder seasons. Unlike in the summer, I want my room full of rich, warm scents. But stopping at one pretty scented candle is where I have been going wrong all along.

Enter, the non-scented candle. Although I use non-scented candles in my spiritual practice, I never considered using them to light my room. However, after watching this video by The Mustards, I decided to give it a try. Lying down to relax never felt cozier than with my room full of candle light. Plus, my anxiety stays tame because I use candles in glass jars. If you’re a one scented candle kind of person like me, I highly recommend you try adding a couple non-scented candles to your decor.

Turn Off the Screens

That’s right, all of them. Even your phone (as tempting as it may be to play Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp). Despite doing most of my work in the evenings, I still like to find some time to turn off my devices. Lucky for me, one of my greatest pleasures in life is handwriting in notebooks. I even have one specifically for my blog, so I’m often scribbling ideas in it when I’m away from my devices. Finding something to fill this down time with isn’t always easy, so keep on reading for some ideas.

Read a Physical Book

A great way to spend some screen-free time is by reading. I know not everybody enjoys reading, but if you have the patience, finding the right book for you might be all you need to do. I’ve been getting into more non-fiction lately, but there are so many genres out there. If you’re interested in something, I guarantee there’s a book about it.

Drink Some Tea

Maybe it’s just because I’m not a coffee person, but I find tea to be the perfect cozy drink. It feels good to drink it, like I’m helping my body in some way. Plus, the warmth is exactly what I need to help me get calm and ready for bed. Of course, you can drink whatever drink makes you feel the coziest, whether hot or cold. Maybe you even have a special drink that is only for cozy winter nights, like a chamomile tea or hot cocoa. Drinking tea while reading is an A+ combo, as well.

Start a Skincare Routine

Clean that face! Moisturize! As someone who has struggled to stay on top of my skincare game, having the cold weather dry my skin out has definitely pushed me to keep up with it. It seems like every year I have a couple different dry spots on my face. This year it’s the side of my nose and above my lip. Just by doing the basics, like cleansing and moisturizing, my dry patches are gone and my skin is soft as heck. Naturally, everyone’s skincare routine will be different, and I am no expert on the subject, so I recommend looking into what you will need to take care of your skin.

Be Present

Reflecting on your day and being grateful is a great start! But sometimes being present in the moment can really help you think clearly and feel better about yourself. It can be a difficult thing to do, which is why meditation is ideal. Don’t let the idea scare you, though. In simplest terms, all meditation is is focusing on breathing and clearing your mind of unneeded thought. No, it’s not easy, but yes, it can really help your state of mind, as well as help you go to bed with a smile on your face.

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Those are just a few things that I have started incorporating into my nights. Seasonal depression can be a real bitch, so I’m trying my hardest to work on things before the holidays season ends and my heart yearns for the spring. These tips are nothing extravagant or original, but they are tried and true to me. Even adding just a couple to your night can help you wind down and feel those cozy vibes all winter long.

What are you doing to make your night routine cozier this winter? I’d love to know!

Why T-Shirt Dresses Are The Literal Best

T-shirt dresses have easily become a staple in my tiny wardrobe. I now own three, all of which are coincidentally striped. Just like my love of stripes, I only recently discovered the awesomeness of t-shirt dresses. Arguably the most comfortable, yet stylish, articles of clothing ever to exist, t-shirt dresses combine the ease of a dress with the casual feel of a t-shirt. Versatility is one of their best qualities. They come in so many styles and patterns that they can easily fit into just about anyone’s wardrobe, and they are great at transitioning through the seasons. Also, because they tend to fit loosely rather than hug the body, I feel like with the right outfit combo, the t-shirt dress is a great way to bring a dress into an androgynous look.

What I love about this particular dress, however, is the subtle feminine quality it has. The small ruffle on the sleeves and bottom of the dress adds a softness to an otherwise basic piece. To continue the girly detail throughout my outfit, I wore some frilly white socks. Sadly, they have seen their end of days, as my washer chewed them up after only about three wears. I suppose that’s what happens when you invest your love in $1 Target socks. RIP.

The unexpected colors of this dress give it a cozy feel, making it flow perfectly into the changing seasons. I threw a wintery sweater over top of it to make the outfit a bit warmer, while also adding layers. Leggings or tights could also do the trick in colder weather. I imagine wearing it with some dark maroon leggings and a beret to kick it up a notch for the holiday season. Of course, my wardrobe does not yet contain either of those items. But a kid can dream…

With the ability to be dressed up or down, t-shirt dresses are undoubtedly my favorite things to wear at the moment. Though I probably don’t need any more than three, I would like to get some non-striped ones, perhaps ones better suited for spring and summer.

Enough of me gushing! What do you think about t-shirt dresses? Is there an article of clothing that you can’t get enough of? Let me know in the comments!

Well, Hello There!

I considered countless ways in which to write this blog's first post. Four disconnected paragraphs later, and I realized that perhaps introductions are best done in as straight forward a manner as possible. No embellishments, no trying to impress with my writing. Just an honest start.

I’m an almost-26 year old non-binary kid living in upstate New York. I’m an artist, writer and overall creative person, trying to learn and grow as much as I can as a creator and as a human being. Style has been a love of mine since I was a kid drawing dog-inspired fashion designs in my sketchbook, and that love has carried with me through my scary wannabe-goth teenage years, past my accidental hipster phase, and up until now. As I fight through mental illness and self-doubt, I’m finally letting myself indulge in an interest that I previously distanced myself from because of body insecurities. With the push of discovering my gender identity last year, fashion finally feels tangible to me. It is a tool I can use to express myself in exactly the way I want it to. I can show my imperfect body how much I love it by adorning it with things that make me feel good about myself. I can express my gender in a proud, physical way.

Style is something that reaches beyond just clothes. For me, it is a driving force behind all of my creative endeavors. Allowing myself to translate my style into fashion motivates me to want to be my best self, and to unabashedly be able to share that with the world.

The idea for this blog came to me not too long ago, and with the perfect mix of motivation, passion and purpose, I dove head first into its creation. As with every creative project I embark on, my number one goal is to be able to reach people, to be able to affect people’s lives in a positive way.

They/them/wear is a fashion and lifestyle blog by and for non-binary folk, as well as those who simply don’t fit the norm of what fashion is. As I grow my personal style and self, through experience and adventure, I hope to add to the overall voice of non-binary people in our society.

That being said, this blog is a place for positivity and creative growth. In other words, transphobia, and other hate, will not be tolerated. I hope in the future to grow this blog into something more community-based, but for now it’s simply a documentation of my adventures in everyday fashion and life, as well as a platform for me to experiment with style. I write only from my experience, and hope that you will share yours as well, in the comments or on my various social media.

I think that is as straight forward as I can get! I am excited to start sharing my world with you as I grow along with they/them/wear. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you will stick around to see what I create!

Love,
Emerson