Reasons to be Thankful + an Easy Fall Outfit

I don’t know about you, but reading the news this month is just breaking my heart. There doesn’t seem to be a day without breaking news or some new development even more upsetting than the previous day’s events, and it can be an exercise in compartmentalisation to not let it crush your soul. But in amongst all that current affairs anguish, I am constantly reminded – by a random act of kindness from a stranger, by the kindest of words from a reader, or from a spirit-boosting date with a friend – just how much joy there is too if we only know where to find it (or pause to appreciate it).

Other than being a New Yorker at heart and (briefly) a former Washington D.C. resident, I’m not American and therefore don’t technically celebrate Thanksgiving other than by baking my annual pumpkin pie (it can only be made once a year because I can exercise no restraint and will shamelessly eat the entire thing in a single weekend). But I love that treasured tradition of coming together with family and loves ones, completely switching off from work, and taking the opportunity to appreciate all the things we’re grateful for. Seeing my social feeds filled with posts from all my American friends heading home for Thanksgiving made me think about what it means, so I’m taking this as my own annual prompt for an exercise in gratitude.

Below, a few things I’m especially thankful for this year, but I’d love to know yours too (because the only thing that amplifies joy more is sharing it with others).

Wearing: Coat // Dress // Beret // Bag // Boots

The important things: 

1. Getting to do what I love // I feel so privileged to be in the position where I had enough experience and financial independence that I could walk away from my stable career, go freelance, and get to decide what work I want to do and make my own hours doing it. I was happy to forgo a good salary in order to be able to be my own boss, but I am thankful every single day that I get to do what I do – especially when it means I can take a day off to see a friend and then work in the evening to make up for it, or when I get work from home when it’s cold and rainy outside!

2. My husband // Even though we only got married last year, my husband and I have been together for nearly 14 years and he’s still my favourite person to spend time with. He makes me laugh every day (even when I’m being irrationally stern at him about something stupid), always makes me a cup of tea, is always on my side, and is the smartest person I know.

3. My family and friends // I didn’t always have the easiest family relationships growing up and lost my mum nearly 15 years ago, so I never take for granted my close family and the friends who feel more like sisters (and have learned to let go of the relationships that will never bring happiness). The holidays remind me how grateful I am for those bonds, and I love the traditions – new and old – that celebrate those relationships; afternoon tea with girlfriends, holiday movie nights with friends, and Christmas day feasts with family.

4. Coco // Our cat, Coco, is a daily source of joy in our household. She’s hates being picked up and is afraid of basically anything that is not us (she’s a rescue and was already 6 months old when she came to live with us so is a nervous little thing), but she’s such a sweetheart, is obsessed with playtime and tissue paper and cuddles, and is the best cure for stress I know. What did we do to deserve animals?

5. Freedom // Even though our government seems to be a constant source of stress at the moment, I’m reminding myself how incredibly fortunate I am to be so privileged and have so much freedom that my predecessors had to fight for and which so many others still don’t have. I can vote, I can educate myself, I can petition my representatives and criticise my government without fear of political retribution, I can determine my own path, and I can live my life in peace and (mostly) as I want to.

The little things: 

6. Old movies // I’m an old-fashioned girl and a hopeless romantic, so I love nothing more than lighting all the candles and curling up with an old movie or a good book on a cold evening. Give me a night in with ‘You’ve Got Mail’ over a noisy pub any day.

7. Warm coats on cold mornings // I can’t bear the thought of wearing coats and tights for 6 months of the year, so always try to hold out as long as possible. But there’s nothing quite like the feeling of slipping into a big, cosy coat that first really cold week of the season. If you put on a great coat and some red lipstick, it doesn’t really matter what else you wear in my opinion.

8. Autumn // I never really appreciated the seasons until I moved to England, but goodness I love this time of year. Crisp sunny mornings, golden trees and crunchy leaves underfoot, cosy sweaters, hot chocolate, the smell of wood fires in the air, and the excitement of the holidays just around the corner.

9. Good mail // I feel so lucky that I am often sent lovely things in the post, but is there anything nicer than a lovely hand-written note or a thoughtful parcel landing on your doorstep? I always try to remember my manners and send thank you notes to those who did something thoughtful and care packages to someone whose day might need brightening.

10. Homemade pie fresh from the oven // Autumn always brings out the Martha Stewart in me, and I start nesting and decorating and de-cluttering and bake. Every weekend I make a big pot of soup and a treat of some kind; I am so glad to live in a world with pumpkin pie (and in a house that is cosy and smells of cinnamon sugar from October onwards).

Wearing: Warehouse coat (now on sale) // Whistles dress (now on sale) // ASOS beret (currently 20% off sitewide with code ‘HELLO20’) // Jimmy Fairly sunglasses // Chloe boots (past season but similar styles here + here) // Aspinal bag c/- (past season but similar styles here) // Michael Kors watch // Bobbi Brown ‘Red Carpet’ lipstick.

Lets share a little joy: I’d love to know what you’re grateful for?

Love, Briony xx

Photos by Joe Galvin