2020 is almost over—unless we’re about to find out we’re Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, but on a 365-day cycle. If we do wake up in January to find the year on repeat, fret not: At least we get to reread the best of Smart Style, in which we cherry-picked useful, interesting products to gift, give and share.
February: Double Charged
A handheld espresso machine that delivers crema on the go, a bracelet that doubles as an emergency phone charger and an artisanal tea sampler all made the list in our last pre-Covid gifting roundup—plus a portable white noise machine to put you to sleep (after all that caffeine).
April: The First Masks
Bridging the gap between memories of WFW and the new WFH, April featured refined silicone straws with a chic keychain case, a tiny disc that tracks the location on easy-to-lose items, sustainable socks that give back to the homeless population, and a two-in-one scarf/mask combo that comes in pretty colors.
May/June: The Summer of Self-Care
Smart Style Summer 2020 was all about wellness, with a gently waking alarm that works with your circadian rhythm, a streamlined, recovery-focused wearable, a low-alcohol canned cocktail and an all-natural sanitizing spray for anything you might have to touch “out there.”
August: Settling In
By August, you could tell we were getting used to that cozy home life with our Smart Style, which gave off work-top-with-pajama-pants vibes. A how-to-infuse book to spice up home kitchen life, satin sleep masks for that commute-free extra shuteye and an adult coloring book to fill the minutes between meetings with mindfulness.
October: Spooky Spotlight
When that fall chill came on, we started getting our masks and scarves tangled, realized it worked better if you put the scarf on before the mask, and then made these festive gifting recommendations. We showcased an ethically and sustainably conscious gift box, warming socks, artisan chocolates and a device for lighting up that office Zoom when they made you wear a costume.
