As two lusty libra writers and hopeless romantics, we're easily seduced by the seasonal aesthetics and micro-trends that dominate our TikTok feeds. It was the summer of the brat, and we - along with the rest of the internet - had Charli XCX on repeat, embraced lime green, indulged in Y2K style, and blasted girly pop anthems while crying in the shower. Liz identifies with the coastal grandmother aesthetic year-round, collecting breezy linen button-ups, dreaming of residing in the Hamptons and filling her home with books, fresh flowers, and quaint antiques à la Nancy Meyers. While Katie fancies herself a Bronte heroine and indulges in an algorithm (and life) littered with cameo charms, Edwardian blouses, Victorian nightgowns, and prose that lament the beauty and pain of being a woman.

We didn't need Aubrey Plaza to tell us that we're shifting from brat summer to witch fall because every autumn, we welcome the excuse to wear all black, cast love spells, romanticize a season defined by death, and reunite with our favourite on-screen witches in classics like Practical Magic, The Craft, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Hocus Pocus, and The Love Witch.

So, why do women, in particular, yearn for an aesthetic to define what they wear, the content they consume, and how they exist in the world? Our take is that it's a chance to escape everyday life's mundane, harsh realities. These aesthetics are the fun and frivolous worlds we escape to. They are the soothing distraction we desperately need while the world burns (literally and metaphorically) on our TV screens and news apps. They are the crumb of hope and flicker of joy we all need now, more than ever.

As another holiday season descends upon our algorithms, we've made an important decision—our new aesthetic will be Little Women Winter (LWW). In other words, Plaid is the print, dim is the light, yearn is the verb, and writing about the small corner of the world we occupy (like Jo, the character we relate most to as female writers) is the vibe. We're putting on our nightgowns the second the sun goes down, paring down the excess that summer brought, and dreaming of petticoats and fireside Christmas morning feasts.

Katie's Little Women Winter

I'll be spending the holidays at my parents' house in Maine. A summer home we've been coming to since I was ten that holds all the charming quirks and wistful nostalgia of a weathered Victorian with a deep history. It's always fifteen degrees colder inside than outside, the wood-burning stove is the center of the downstairs floor plan, and it's quite haunted (friendly ghosts only). You get the idea. It's not hard to embody the spirit of the March sisters here. I plan to blast the soundtrack from Greta Gerwig's most recent version of the film. At the same time, I write push notifications and product descriptions (the glamorous life of a working writer), go on chilly walks to the sea, and pray for snow on Christmas morning. Essential to my LWW will be finding the beauty and meaning in the quiet life I have instead of pining for the grandiosity social media sells. I'll be attending all the small-town holiday events I possibly can (Christmas markets, local performances of the Nutcracker, tree lighting) and savouring the quaint New England Christmas vibes before the anguish of January comes crashing down the coast. I usually enforce an Instagram detox between Christmas and the New Year and have two books (one reread, something Gothic like Dracula or Jane Eyre + a newer thriller or a juicy romance) on my nightstand for when I feel the urge to consume strangers' lives like candy.

Liz's Little Women Winter

My holidays will be spent bopping between my parents' place in the suburbs and my in-laws' cozy house on the Sunshine Coast in Vancouver, Canada. I have a four-year-old son, so Christmas is naturally completely chaotic, and like most moms, I feel the pressure to make it magical for him. I draw the line at Elf on the Shelf. Still, we go all out with gingerbread house decorating, baking, matching family pyjamas, peppermint everything, and Christmas movie marathons. When it all starts to feel like a little too much, I plan on escaping into the aesthetic dream world of Little Women—because Marmies need magic at Christmas, too.

For me, that will look like cozying up with my comfort movies (see recommendations below), rereading old favourites by candlelight, and daydreaming about Timothee Chalamet as Laurie (and Jacob Elordi, Jeremy Allen White, I could go on) while lounging in my nightgown. I'll be foraging greenery, making garlands, and thrifting for Christmas decor that captures the March family's crafty, pioneering spirit. My gifts will be wrapped in gingham and toile fabrics and tied up with sumptuous velvet ribbons. The stockings will be Plaid, the fire will be roaring, and the hot toddies will be flowing.

Feeling inspired to have your own Little Women Winter? Here are some of our recommendations for having a cute, cozy, coming-of-age holiday season!

The Clothes

No one does a bougie Victorian nightgown like the iconic and irreverent brand Doen. The frillier, the longer, and the more man-repelling, the better. This one fits the desired aesthetic flawlessly. If you want to avoid blowing your holiday budget, browse the Victorian Classics nightgown page and spook your family on Christmas morning. Katie's dad says she looks like "an apparition" in the Joanne–– fun!

Because Plaid is the official print of the March sisters, we'd be remiss not to mention the Nap Dress in Plaid, which is perfect for lounging, celebrating, swooning, etc. This Damson Madder dress also fits the bill. Plus, it comes in multiple colour combos! I'm doing the chocolate check for Thanksgiving and the blue check for Christmas Day.

Channel your inner Jo March and write your domestic dramas by the fire cuddled up in cashmere socks and arm warmers.

Whether you're out in a sweeping skirt and statement blouse or at home in your sweats, velvet hair accessories make any outfit feel Little Women-worthy. We're particularly obsessed with these from the Canadian brand A Bronze Age.

This shirt—because obviously.

The Books

Of course, you have to reread Little Women. There are some beautiful vintage copies on Etsy. They say Blue Sisters by Coco Mellors is a modern-day Little Women, and we have to agree. In general, we recommend whatever makes you feel cozy, whether it be a dark and moody gothic or mushy rom-com bliss.

Katie's coziest books: Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Dracula, The Rachel Incident, Secret History, everything Sally Rooney, and Eileen.

Liz's coziest books: Anne of Green Gables, anything set in Paris, Practical Magic series, Emily Dickinson poetry, both of Catherine Newman's books.

The Films

To remain on theme, you should watch Greta Gerwig's gorgeous version of Little Women all holiday season and any time you need to be moved to tears and filled with hope. The 1994 adaptation starring Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Kirsten Dunst, et al., is also worth a watch/rewatch. For films with similar vibes and aesthetics, try these:

Lady Bird (for more Greta & Saoirse)
Pride & Prejudice (2005 Kiera Knightly version)
Emma (the 2020 adaptation is stunning)
Mona Lisa Smile
Marie Antoinette
Steel Magnolias
Sense & Sensibility
Carol
Jane Eyre (2011)
Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022)

The Vibes

"New" is the enemy of the LWW aesthetic. If you want to feel like you're at Marmie's house this holiday season, head to your local antique store or thrift shop and buy some vintage ornaments, at least one weathered silver bowl (filled with fruit), and PLENTY of tarnished candlesticks and candelabras.

Cozy up your living room by casting a country Christmas ambience.

Go for a walk with no headphones to make room for classic thoughts.

Find a bulletin board with local event announcements and make a plan with friends or family to go to at least one.

Cut red berries from the side of the road and fill a whisky barrel with them and tons of greenery. Both our moms keep garden shears in their car for this express purpose!

Have a theme for your gift wrapping so your presents stand out under the tree. This year, we're into velvet ribbons, dried fruit, and vintage gift tags.

The Perspective

Writers will remember that Jo had some early success selling salacious stories about hauntings and murders but didn't really hit her stride until she started writing about life at home with her sisters. She told stories about all the little ways they passed the time, how they kept each other company when they needed it most, and all their domestic joys and struggles. There's a lesson in the way that Jo March made magic out of the mundane. The holidays don't need to be over the top—they can be a time for reflecting, getting cozy at home, surrounding yourself with simple beauty, and being with the people who make your heart sing.

Liz Hammond is a writer and freelance copywriter.

Katie O’Donnell is writer and editor.

Little Women Winter and the Endless Search for a Seasonal Aesthetic