I like this tiny thermometer that hangs on the zipper pull of my jacket or daypack. It settles the question of exactly how hot or cold it is. The Sun Zipogage ($21) weighs only half of an ounce (13g) and is digital with an on/off button. (Tiny analog thermometers are not readable or accurate.) – KK
These nearly flat ThinOptics reading glasses are made from elastic nitinol metal and shatterproof polycarbonate and weigh less than two sheets of paper. The genius is their magnetic case, which attaches to your smartphone for quick access and secure storage. — MF
I bought this Beyond Yoga dress based on the reviews to be my go-to travel dress because it’s packable and doesn’t wrinkle easily. I’ve worn it many times, both while traveling and at home, and I love it so much that I had to buy another one in a different color. It’s the perfect length and so soft that I’ve even slept in it. It’s a bit pricey, but I wear it so often that it feels justified. I’ve washed it many times now, and it’s still buttery soft and wrinkle-free. — CD
During a recent move, our movers suggested replacing our bulky plastic hangers with super-thin, non-slip velvet hangers — and they were right. They maximized my closet space while keeping clothes from slipping off. The 360-degree swivel hook makes it easy to adjust items so that they all face the same way. At around 50 cents per hanger for a pack of 30, they're an affordable way to instantly declutter your closet and give it a more uniform, boutique-like appearance. Best of all, no more clothes on the floor! Here's a photo of my closet with the hangers. — MF
Wool T-shirts are now my goto shirt. Modern 100% merino wool fabrics are better than cotton even in topical weather. They dry quick, never smell, feel nice. Since I live in perpetual autumn, and work indoors, I wear long-sleeved wool t-shirts. Logo-less brands, such as Meriwool and Merino.tech are not expensive ($49) and offer a long sleeved T in three weights from light to heavy, and many colors. — KK
I wear one pair of shoes for everything. Given that I walk 5 miles a day on a treadmill, they started to smell bad. I bought a spray bottle of Elite Peppermint Foot & Shoe Deodorizer and sprayed my feet and the inside of my shoes with it. The bad smell instantly went away, and now I smell like a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s, which I approve of. — MF
Shoewear is such a personal preference that I normally wouldn’t recommend any, but I was complimented on my sandals many times in Cancun — even stopped on the street — that I feel it warrants a review. These are my first pair of Birkenstocks I’ve ever owned and I finally get what all the hype is about. The footbed offers a lot of support and comfort for all-day walking, and the platform heel makes them cute enough to wear with dresses at night. I also took them to Egypt last year while visiting pyramids and tombs, and never had any issues walking or climbing in the rough and sandy terrain. I own a pair in pecan, but for the next trip I might have to buy them in black. — CD
I’ve noticed that shoe stores have fewer and fewer styles or sizes. Their selections are particularly slim for anything not trendy. I’ve gone back to Zappos, the online shoe store, because they have fantastic choices in all sizes and widths. I order a bunch of variations at once, to get the perfect fit, and they make it super easy to return the unused for free. Despite this apparent inefficiency in shipping to and fro, in the end, Zappos is the most efficient way for me to find the kind of untrendy (and wide) shoes I like. — KK
After a couple of years of walking five miles a day on my treadmill desk, my knees and feet were starting to feel worse for wear. I read Craig Mod’s recommendation for TSLA lightweight trail running shoes with a wide toebox and high-quality insoles and bought them. A month later, I’m pleasantly surprised that my knee and feet pain is gone. I just bought a second pair in another color because I don’t want to wear any other shoe. — MF
For multi-day hiking, the best base garments are merino wool. They won’t ever stink, and even in warm weather, they breathe. They feel good against the skin, are machine washable, and surprisingly durable. I have been slowly migrating all my hiking base clothing, from toes to head, to Icebreaker brand merino garments, such as this Icebreaker short sleeve shirt. – KK
We remove shoes in our house so we need super easy-to-slip-on clogs for going in and out. Cheap knock-offs of Crocs are what we have settled on, stashed outside each door. The Amoji Garden Clogs ($25) look better than Crocs, are extremely comfy, washup in water instantly, and are lightweight enough to double as camp shoes. — KK
I’m still wearing a face mask indoors. But my ears are paying the price, especially on long flights when the pressure of the loops against the back of my ears becomes painful. Last week I started using these Velcro face mask extender straps, which pull the loops away from the back of my ears. I should have bought these things two years ago. — MF
I like to feel comfortable in whatever I’m wearing and have never considered what my personal style might be. For the past two years, it’s been loungewear, but this comic strip by NPR Life Kit inspired me to change that. It’s a cute, visual guide that will walk you through cultivating your personal style and developing a shopping philosophy. — CD
I started running a few months ago and needed running socks. These six-packs of Saucony Socks are just what I needed. They are slightly cushioned and have arch compression. As an added bonus, they are too weird-looking for my wife or daughters to be tempted to swipe. — MF
I recently found myself at a mall trying on $100+ sunglasses when I had the realization that I did not want to be doing that or spending that much money on sunglasses ever again. My husband had been raving about Carfia’s $20 and below polarized sunglasses, so I bought myself a women’s pair for $13 and I love they way they look on me, and how the polarized lenses make the outside world look clear and sharp. — CD
I’ve been using Puracy laundry stain remover for a year and am now on my third bottle of the stuff. For bad stains, I’ll spray a lot of the liquid into the fabric and let it set for a couple of days. I haven’t come across a stain it won’t remove. — MF
I’ve learned through trial and error that dark green washes me out and makes me look sickly. But after uploading a selfie to Colorwise.me, I was able to play around with seasonal color pallet wheels to discover the most flattering colors for my skin tone, hair color and eye color. — CD
Handheld steamers are pretty inexpensive now, and I’ve had mine for almost two years. I never use our old iron. Steaming kills bacteria and removes odors so I’m washing my clothes a lot less. Here is a great how-to article on dry-cleaning your clothes at home. “It’s a lot less complicated than it sounds—you only need homemade spray, a clothing brush or a steamer, and you’re ready to DIY dry clean.” — CD
I rarely drive anywhere these days, and aside from taking walks a couple of times a day in the neighborhood, I’m sheltering in place. I decided to give my feet a break and I’m wearing slippers instead of shoes around the house. These $15 memory foam slippers from RockDove have an open back that makes them easy to slip on and kick-off, and the memory foam insoles are incredibly comfortable. Importantly they have a thick waterproof sole, so I can wear them in the backyard. — MF
I work from home 80% of time and was in need of comfy footwear more substantial than flip flops but not as relaxed as slippers, in case I need to run outside. These Sanuk Yoga Sling Sandals were exactly what I wanted. They are cushiony and comfortable for standing at my desk, they keep my feet warm, and in my opinion, look good with jeans, plus I don’t feel like a slacker when I’m working without real shoes on. — CD