Getting dressed is a process, it’s more than just picking out clothes that look good together. You want to be comfortable in your clothes and prepared for the day. Being comfortable in your clothes is more than just picking a soft sweater or stretchy jeans, sometimes it takes a little extra help. Below are some essentials I always have in my closet that make me feel more comfortable and prepared.

Fashion Tape is a very versatile tool to keep on hand. It can keep a deep v neck adhered to your body so when you bend over your boobs don’t fall out. Fashion Tape can close fabric that is gaping from buttons. It can even temporarily alter the length of dresses, pants, and skirts. This is also a must for any brides to keep in your bridal emergency kit.

Blister Cushions I’ve learned the hard way to keep blister cushions on hand. I recently bought a pair of flats that left horrible blisters on my ankles. It’s much easier to prevent blisters than to treat them.

Dress Weights I don’t think a lot of people know that dress weights exist and I can attest they are a game changer. I have one dress that I swear will fly up even if someone exhales heavily near me. These won’t hold your dress down in strong winds but will prevent your dress or skirt from flying up on breezy days. You can take your dresses and skirts into a seamstress to get permanent weights sewn onto your garments, but I have always worried about washing them with the weights so I like this temporary solution.

I was having issues storing my hats on the shelves in my closet because the shelves were too shallow. After about the 100th time of them falling off the shelves I decided to create a hat wall. I think hat walls are so cute and in my case it was a really practical solution too. Below is a guide to creating a hat wall.

There are a few different display options when it comes to hat walls. Amazon sells a few hat wall displays (pictured below) but I ultimately I did not like these options because the hats might not lay flat, the clips could leave marks on the hats, and to be honest they all looked kind of cheap.

Instead of using one of the options from Amazon I used command hooks to display the hats. If your hats have a large enough tag, and you want them to be more secure, then I suggest putting them on the hook using the tag. However by hanging them directly on the hook your hat might not lay flat against the wall. This could potentially cause the brim of the hat to warp over time. I have my hats just sitting on the top command hook rather than on the hook itself. This helps the hats lay flat against the wall and I haven’t had any issues with them falling off.

I chose to only display the larger hats I own since those are the ones that didn’t fit on the closet shelving. I do also have baseball hats but chose not to display those because they’re not the most aesthetically pleasing and they fit perfectly on the shelving in the closet.

It’s no secret I love cooking, but I rarely create my own recipes. About 80% of the time I’m following someone’s recipe, rather than creating my own. Given how much I cook, and how may recipes I’ve tried, I’m well versed when it comes to picking delicious and reliable recipes. So what are my favorite cookbooks? Below is a list of my favorite cookbooks and why I love them.

Antoni in The Kitchen This cookbook has really unique flavor combinations that I wouldn’t think of myself. Some of the recipes call for ingredients that I don’t typically use (or have never used) and I like that it pushes me out of my comfort zone in that way.

Laura in the Kitchen Every recipe in this cookbook has been so well tested you just can’t go wrong with them. I love that it has a bit of everything from challenging recipes to quick dinners.

Cooking with Grandma Gina I love that this cookbook has super authentic Italian recipes that you would never come across on a place like Pinterest. Italian food is my favorite so this cookbook is a must for me.

I have a love affair with buying winter coats. They’re like wearable blankets, so how could I not? That being said, when it really comes down to it, I feel I really only need 4 types of winter coats. The 4 different types of winter coats I truly feel I need are listed below.

2. Short Insulated Jacket This jacket is best for active days like running errands and going for walks. LL Bean is a go to place to shop for insulated coats and jackets because they have temperature ratings. This particular jacket is rated for -10 to 40 degrees. I’ve had this jacket for years and I wear a couple of times a week during the winter. It has held up incredibly well and it’s the most practical jacket I own.

3. Down Parka If you live in a cold climate then you know having a down park is a necessity. I like to wear my down parka on snowy days.

4. Camel Color Coat I love this particular camel color coat because it could be dressed up or down. The color will look good with almost anything. This coat could be worn in almost any setting.

Some of the items listed above are currently on sale making the outfit $96.46. If the sale items were full price the outfit would be over $100.

When it’s chilly outside all I want is a hearty and warm dinner, but that usually doesn’t coincide with a healthy dinner. Below are hearty, satisfying, AND healthy recipes that I love and I think you should try this winter. Keep in mind everyone’s idea of “healthy” is different. For me, I don’t cut out any major food groups and it means not eating any heavily processed foods.

Chicken Noodle Soup from Laura in the Kitchen

This is by far the best chicken noodle soup I have ever made. It is a little bit more intensive than other chicken noodle soup recipes, but it is by no means difficult and that extra effort is worth it!

Chicken Cacciatore from Serious Eats

Chicken Cacciatore is one of my favorites meals because it’s easy and always delicious. You really cannot make it taste bad even if you wanted to.

Lentil Soup from recipetineats

Lemon Butter Cod from Cooking Classy

I am salivating just thinking about this recipe. Seafood is a real hit or miss with me and this recipe is definitely a hit! The cod gets this perfect crispiness on the outside that is so delicious, and the lemon really brightens the dish. I like to make it with roasted zucchini.

Portuguese Inspired Roasted Chicken from Laura in the Kitchen

I love any recipe that takes minimal prep work and the sides are made in the same baking dish, and this is one of those recipes. I like mine a little spicier so I add extra hot sauce. If you wanted to make it healthier you could always swap out the potatoes for carrots.

I’m not much of a shoe girl (much rather buy a new handbag) so I typically keep it minimal when it comes to shoes. Obviously you’ll want more than four pairs of shoes, and it a variety of colors, but I’ve complied the list below to meet all your winter shoe needs.

Shoes Sweater Joggers