Too Sick to Function, Well Enough to Curate
Because nothing heals like a well-styled collage of scarves & citrus.
Like clockwork, the minute I start exercising again, my body files an immediate complaint. It’s as if one brisk Pilates class sends my immune system into shock: “We DID NOT agree to this level of ambition.” And, of course, teaching in a school means I’m surrounded by germ carriers who pass around colds at the same rate they share TikTok links… enthusiastically and without warning —she said as she grimaced.
This time, though, the sickness came with a familiar lesson: slow down, listen, rest. Like properly rest, not “rest” while reorganizing a closet or checking DM’s with one eye closed. And each year, I find myself feeling a little less guilty about it.
So, in my waking hours at home, wrapped in a blanket the size of a modest tent, sipping tea, looking like I was haunting my own living room—I made a moodboard. Something to capture the textures, color palettes, and cozy traditions that make this season bearable, even beautiful.
Somewhere between the wool swatches and the burnt-orange color schemes, I started to feel human again. I highly recommend this exercise next time you’re bedridden.
• Wool coats in earthy olive, bark brown, and that specific winter grey that looks expensive the moment you put it on.
• Candles clustered together. Glowy, amber, almost devotional in their effect.
• A bundled coastline-walk for a breath of fresh, crisp air.
• Oranges punctured with cloves, smelling like childhood traditions with grandma.
• Dinner plates scraped clean, the muted clay tones making even leftovers look poetic.
• Star geometric tiling that resemble the star of Bethlehem in storybooks.
• Dried citrus garlands in shades of honey and tangerine, hanging with that casual, effortless charm (that will take me an absurd amount of effort to recreate.)
• Burgundy socks paired with shiny loafers. Academia chic, but make it cozy.
• Dickinson offering her lantern line like it’s the season’s thesis statement.
• Lace cuffs adding a whisper of romance to otherwise sensible layers.
• Curling up with a furry friend, the palette muted, warm, endlessly comforting.
• Tan leather gloves with red tips. Practical, but with a dramatic flair.
• A rain-glossed vintage car hood balancing a latte, proving that even parking lots remain to be a fun gathering place when breaking from hibernation.
• A braid tied with ribbon. An aesthetic flourish that exists purely for joy.
• Mulled spices that take me back to winter walks along the Thames in London.
A season rendered in textures and scents. Wool, leather, citrus, linen. And colors that feel both lived-in and quietly luxurious.
What I love about this season is how aesthetics suddenly matter in a deeper way. Not as decoration, but as grounding. Textures, palettes, and tiny traditions become little lifelines when the days get short and the weather gets moody.
A citrus garland isn’t just a decoration. It’s a ritual, a sensory reminder that beauty can be made slowly.
A board game on the table is less about the game and more about the color and comfort of gathering.
Even socks—especially socks—tell a story through texture, thickness, softness. (Honestly, it may be the very reason why I find comfort in reformer Pilates).
So consider this the start of it all. When I’m finally done being sick, I’ll resurface with mulled wine, unreasonable scarves, and a moodboard that’s equal parts wool and wishful thinking. Until then, I’ll be sprawled somewhere dramatically, pretending it’s creative incubation.
xo,
Alexia Carroll