While we love a good scroll through a review section both for entertainment and should-I-buy details, we also know the absolute best recommendations for clothing, TV shows, desserts, books, and the like usually come from friends. (Case in point: I—Dimity—just bought this mascara because my friend, over a dinner of chicken parm, recommended it. “It’s grocery store mascara but it’s the best,” she said. I agree: easily five stars.)

So we’re introducing a new column this year which is, simply, Our Favorite Things. We’ll switch the focus monthly; the idea is to scroll through a few of the favorites we’ve gathered from the AMR Team, and then add your own in the comments below.

Although the snow may be deep in your neck of the world, we’re starting with our favorite non-running shoes. The shoes that you reach for when you want the support and ease of running shoes, but not necessarily to wearing your actual running shoes.

Arizona Birkenstocks.
The only shoes I wear outside of necessary boots. I have black ones, white ones, pink fuzzy ones, among others, and I LOVE LOVE them. I  need a ton of support since my house is all hardwood floors and I am never barefoot. These take a bit to mold to your feet, but once they do, they are like slippers but with necessary support.
—Jen Harrison, Heart + Sole and Triathlon Coach