In our newsletter advice column, Ask the Strategist, we answer your most burning shopping questions by surveying friends, calling up experts, and drawing on our own personal experience. But we liked this week’s edition so much we wanted to share it with all of our readers. To get the next edition in your inbox, sign up here. And if you have an online-shopping question of your own, please send it to [email protected] with the subject “Ask the Strategist.” We’re here to help.
“In your 2022 story on down comforters, you talked about a down comforter you slept on in a hotel somewhere in Scandinavia. I was about to purchase it for my husband (who’d specifically asked for this) but saw it’s not on your 2023 list! Could you please help guide me?”
You’re referring to the down comforters from Dewoolfson, which were unavailable at the time of my last update. Interior designer Elizabeth Strianese discovered it a few years ago when she stayed at a luxury hotel in Sweden, describing the experience of slumbering underneath it like “sleeping under meringue.” They seem to be back in stock, and there are several options to choose from. The North Carolina–based brand’s most popular comforter is the Austrian Cambric, which is made from a chambraylike fabric densely woven in Austria from specialized cotton yarn that’s supposed to be downproof. It’s filled with 650 or 750 fill-power responsibly sourced European white-goose down and comes in four warmth levels, from Florida Light to Mountain Air. —Lauren Ro
“I am a small human. I want to dress in trousers à la Sofia Coppola, but I have a 24-inch waist and am five-feet-four. When I find good men’s items they just are too big for a tailor to make them look believably fitting. I tried boys’ twill trousers, but often they’re just not made well enough to last. I work in film and need to move around a lot; I need them to sit high on the waist, do a pretty little cinch à la Audrey Hepburn in Funny Face, and not do the butt-hugging thing. Help!”
I wondered whether the actual double-pleat pants (from Noah) that Sofia Coppola can’t live without come in a 24-inch waist, but those start at 26. Good news: There are alternatives that I think get at what you’re looking for (double-checked the measurements of each for you already). Eileen Fisher makes an elegant silk georgette crêpe trouser. Toast has these handsome cotton-twill pull-ons. Fellow writer (and one of our menswear-heads) Erin Schwartz mentioned Studio Nicholson (these, these, and these are all on sale) and thrifting through vintage Giorgio Armani pants on the Real Real. —Ambar Pardilla
“I’m trying to find a thin, nonslip, water-resistant mat for under my front door. I thought Porte + Hall was going to be the answer, but many reviews say that it looks ‘cheap’ and ‘chintzy.’ Plus the patterns aren’t that great.”
I’m going to assume you’re looking for an indoor mat since you want something not too thick that looks nice. These Waterhog mats from L.L.Bean might be your answer. They come in a bunch of patterns, colors, and sizes and are cheaper than the Porte + Hall ones (in the equivalent size) you mentioned. They’re made in the U.S.; have a rubber backing; can be vacuumed, swept, or hosed off; and have a door clearance of a quarter inch. (They can be used indoors and out.) — Lauren Ro
These trees are cute, if you want something more interesting.
“I am having the hardest time trying to find a good dresser. I had the Ikea Tarva for quite a while, but within a year, drawers broke and the bottoms fell out. After two drawers completely broke, I purchased a dresser from Wayfair. It was my second choice because it had hard particleboard bottoms. I put it together and the drawers were misaligned. I contacted the company to get a replacement. It came from Thailand, so I had to wait. After a lot of back-and-forth, I got a refund. If I had a car and money, I’d likely just spend it to get a nice all-wood one. Can you help?”
First, I want to say, I feel you — particleboard sucks. It’s the cornerstone of furniture companies using less and less durable materials to manufacture things more cheaply. Some intense Google searching turned up this dresser from an unfinished wood furniture store in Wilmington, Delaware, that ships free; it was originally sold at Home Depot and Amazon and has good reviews at both. (Here’s a smaller four-drawer version.) It’s made of rubberwood and has plywood drawer boxes, a step up from fiberboard. —Erin Schwartz
“I am a floor nurse and it’s time for new sneakers. The best pair I’ve tried is Hoka Arahi women’s wide, size 9 — it offers the best kind of support that my body needs; everyone is different, and my joints benefit from a wide base of support, and that’s a big limitation in my quest for ideal nursing shoes. The limitation of these Hokas is that they’re not anti-microbial or fluid resistant — sometimes I spill someone’s pee on my shoes! I tried the Hoka Transport shoe, but it doesn’t come in wide. I tried the Hoka Bondi shoe for professionals, but it’s too stiff with its leather structure. Can you help?! Thank you so much.”
I can see why this search has been tough! You need a shoe that can shed fluids, is antimicrobial, and isn’t too stiff. Maybe check out the Merrell Jungle Moc. It’s not a sneaker, but it has a comfy cushioned sole and an anti-microbial lining, comes in wide sizing, and is easy to wipe since there isn’t a tongue for laces where liquid can pass through to your feet. If you want, you could even apply a waterproofing spray made specifically for suede and nubuck. —Jeremy Rellosa
If that doesn’t fit the bill in terms of looks, consider a pair of On sneakers. My friend, who is a nurse, said that On’s Cloud shoes are the most popular she’s seen among her colleagues at the hospital. The Cloud 5 has a breathable, anti-microbial mesh. It doesn’t come in wide sizing, but the Cloudrunner does. May your feet stay dry and stink-free!
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