10 Things That Delighted Us Last Week: From Jane Pratt’s Boxers to This Summer’s “Mary-Kate” Sandals

The Met Gala was Monday night, and as we scrolled through red-carpet photos, we couldn’t help but noticeAndré 3000’s accessories: In addition to a three-quarter-scale baby grand piano slung on his back to promote his latest experimental jazz record,7 Piano Sketches, he carried averyfamiliar trash bag. “The argyle flex pattern and wide gray drawstring made it unmistakably a 2025 Glad Heavy Duty ForceFlex,” our senior writer,Michael Zhao, writes. (It also happens to be our pick forbest extra-tough trash bags.)

We knewJane Pratt, the founding editor ofSassy, Jane, xoJane, and, now,Another Jane Pratt Thing, is especially particular about her things — and just as particular about her explanations forwhyshe likes the stuff she likes. When we spoke to her about said things, she told us she’s been wearing men’s boxers to sleep in for most of her life, and her perfect pair is from Sunspel. “The prints are gorgeous and classy, and they never, ever wear out or stretch or lose their elasticity or anything,” she says. “They can also be worn underneath pants or a skirt — the prints look so sweet peeking out over the top.”

Our writer Lauren Ro spotted theseall-black Keenson Paris boutiqueRendez-Vous’ Instagramfeed and loved how they were styled with a billowing skirt, only to realize that they are the adult version of thesandals her kids wear. “Somehow, the monochrome, tactical look registered completely different, and now I want a pair,” Ro says. They are a water-sandal-hiking hybrid, a.k.a. the perfect summer sandal that can take you from the beach to dinner, no shoe change required. This title previously belonged to theMary-Kate Olsen Tevas, which senior editor Simone Kitchensfirst wrote about in 2022. “The Newports are, perhaps, a podiatric improvement on the Voya Infinities in that they provide more coverage and traction,” Ro explains, adding that they are practical yet stylish in a gorp-y way.

As the Strategist’s kitchen and dining expert, senior writer Emma Wartzman has gathered a ton of intel from chefs, recipe developers, accomplished home cooks, and her own testing. She’s amassed alist of ingenious toolsthat aren’t reallynecessaryfor the basics, but they make cooking easier, more efficient, and more consistent. Chicago’sCommon Decencychef-owner Mark Steuer insists you need a spaetzle maker, like this made-in-Germany Goldspatz gadget. In addition to using it for spaetzle, “it makes perfect mashed potatoes, presses garlic, and juices citrus,” Steuer says.

Strategist Beauty Brieffans can rejoice because in our new roundtable series we’ll be interviewing experts — doctors, aestheticians, nail artists, and more — about their favorite products and best beauty advice. For the first edition, senior editor Crystal Martin and beauty writer Dominique Pariso chatted with New York–based hairstylistMiguel Riosabout something he is extremely good at: blowouts. He told us that one way people tend to mess up is skipping a heat protectant, leading to bad hair damage. Rios recommends Red-E to Go, his go-to for every texture. “It doesn’t weigh the hair down, and it gives a nice polish to the hair,” Rios says.

In a new installment of “Strategist Brain,” we heard from our writer Rachael Griffiths, who went on amini-tour of Italylast month with her boyfriend. Their first stop was Florence, where they spent a week, and Griffiths says they spotted this Bruttocookbookalmost everywhere. “Thanks to myEater-subscribed boyfriend, I already knew that there was a Tuscan restaurant of the same name in Clerkenwell, London, but I had no idea that the restaurateur Russell Norman’s cookbook had become so prolific,” she says. So when she arrived back in London, Griffiths bought a copy and found practically every restaurant that had been recommended to them listed inside, along with recipes for their best dishes. “I am currently attempting to perfect the ribollita — I’d like to make it for our upcoming anniversary as a reminder of one of the nicest weeks of the year,” she says.

“There’s nowhere that athletics and fashion collide more directly than on the tennis court,” says contributorYoungna Park. And most everyday tennis aficionados are just as obsessive about what they’rewearing or carryingonto the courts as the pros are. Park spoke to a dozen tennis devotees, who, like herself, try to hit the courts as often during the week as possible. Brooklyn-based writer and editorLiz Kriegerrecommends “theseshorts and only these shorts. The price is sweet, and it has a little shorts liner for tucking balls, as well as pockets and no dumb drawstring.”

Editor’s note: These shorts are currently sold out, but you can sign up for restock notifications on theproduct page.

Your cookware might be covered in the skillet department, but what about asaucepan? Wartzman says they’re useful for making rice and noodles, whisking up sauces, simmering soups, and more. She regularly turns to All-Clad, the industry standard for stainless-steel cookware, in her kitchen, which is why the D3 model is our best overall pick in the category. It’s durable with a sturdy and well-connected handle and a tight-fitting lid; plus, it has an aluminum core for fast and even heating. It also comes with a pouring rim, known as a pour-lip, which lets you neatly pour liquid from the pan “without any annoying drip,” saysPatch Troffer, culinary director atRow 7 Seeds.

Longtime Strategist readers will know we’reDanskodevotees. In last week’s “Don’t Dillydally,” we featured the latest iteration of theclogs, which are getting the Madewell treatment: blue denim studded with brassy nailheads.

Mother’s Dayis today, and if you decided to wait until right before brunch to decide on a present, you’re in luck. Our deals editor, Sam Daly,recommendsa Spafinder gift card as a non-flower gift. It can be used at any participating location, on any service, and right now you can save $10 on your purchase.