Just 10 Things To Try In November

Because we tried them for you in October.

1. Crest Charcoal Toothpaste, which will whiten your teeth without breaking your budget — and it won't turn your bathroom counters black, either.

Mikael M. Melo / BuzzFeed

"I've recently bought into the charcoal craze, but I didn't really want to go full charcoal (my white sink just couldn't handle the aftermath). So when I found out that Crest Charcoal Toothpaste would whiten my teeth, but not blacken my sink, I had to try it. I've only given it a week and so far, but my teeth are already substantially whiter, and I haven't even been avoiding coffee! I have super sensitive teeth so I was a little worried to try it, but honestly, it hasn't affected my sensitivity whatsoever. I highly recommend giving it a try for anyone trying to whiten on a budget." —Mikael M. Melo

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $19.99.

2. A midi dress from Anthropologie's plus-size section you can wear year round as-is, or layered with your favorite sweater or jacket.

BuzzFeed / Kayla Boyd

"I was so excited when Anthropologie started offering plus sizes! I just had to try something and I figured you can never go wrong with a midi dress. I picked this one because I'm a lover of animal print and this dress looked warm enough to wear during fall. Which I can confidently say it is after wearing it to work on a day of 63-degree weather. It's super comfy and it feels really well-made. The textured knit material is thick and lined. It also has a hidden side zipper and a removable belt (mine's tied in the back). I received quite a few compliments on it throughout the day and I felt so good and put together in it. I paired it with sneakers, but I also can't wait to rock it with some booties and a leather jacket!" —Kayla Boyd

Get it from Anthropologie for $150 (available in straight sizes XS–XL, petite sizes XS–M, and plus sizes 1X–3X).

3. A hexagonal productivity timer so you can break down your work day (or that huge product) into manageable chunks — and take breaks that actually HELP you get things done. Plus it'll look really cool on your desk.

Yi Yang / BuzzFeed

"I sometimes have a hard time focusing at work because I get easily distracted by my phone and conversations around me. After a particularly unproductive week, I decided to look into ways to boost my focus and efficiency. I remembered reading about the Pomodoro Technique somewhere, which essentially breaks your tasks down to 25-minutes focus sessions with five-minute breaks in between. I thought I might give it a try. To help me keep track of time, I ordered this rotating countdown timer, and lemme tell you — it is SO COOL!

Upon first glance, it just looks like a regular alarm clock, but when you rotate it, it becomes a timer. There are three volume levels — I have mine set on silent so as to not disturb my desk-mates. When I want to power through a task, I'll set the timer for anywhere between 15–45 minutes and put my phone away for the duration. Once the time is up, the timer will continue to track how long I've gone over. Since I bought this handy timer, I've been twice as productive. Honestly, it's one of the best investments I made for my desk in a while! " —Yi Yang

Get it from Amazon for $16.99.

4. A pearl sunglasses chain you can add to any pair of sunnies for a grandma-chic look that also happens to be really convenient — no one likes taking out, then putting away their glasses 85 times a day.

BuzzFeed / Maitland Quitmeyer

"As soon as I saw a few stores start to carry cute glasses chains (and a few on fashion week runways), I knew that I really needed one. Not only are they cute in a grandma sort of way (very much my style), but they also solve a problem I'm often frustrated by. When shopping, hopping on and off public transportation, traveling, etc. it is *SO* annoying to have to take out and put away your sunglasses every time you go in or outside. I usually end up just leaving mine in the purse and squinting — like why did I even bring them then?!

So as soon as I saw this cheap pearl glasses chain on Amazon (I bought both the solid pearl and the part gold chain, part pearl ones), I added to cart. And I'm so happy I did — I've been using it alllllll the time. I was visiting Paris in early October, and they came SO in handy on brisk, sunny days where I was popping in and out of stores and bakeries all day (aka my ideal travel itinerary). The silicone loops adjust to fit any size sunglasses arm, and the chain is sturdy enough that you feel totally confident letting your favorite sunnies hang around your neck. Just slide the loop on the arm to attach — it couldn't be easier, which means it's easy to swap which glasses you want to wear. And if I had to wear "real" glasses, I would 10000% use this with those too. And you know what, it's like a cute little necklace that also lets you show off your sunglasses collection, even when you're inside.

And P.S. if you're wondering which sunglasses are pictured here, they're my favorite cheap pair. I regularly travel with them so I'm not worried about losing them (they even held up incredibly well in the salt and sand of Greek beaches). You can get them from Amazon for $11.98 (available in six colors)." —Maitland Quitmeyer

Get it from Amazon for $9.23 (available n 15 styles).

5. A Scoop for Walmart faux leather moto jacket that's a classic for a reason. You know you're going to feel so cool every time you put it on.

Natalie Brown / BuzzFeed

"When I got this jacket, I thought that I might wear it like, once a week or so as a supplement to my regular fall rotation of sweaters. Cut to three weeks later and there's hardly a day that I don't grab it before I walk out the door! It's the perfect fall transition piece, because it's let me keep wearing all my favorite dresses and t-shirts even when the temperatures drop, and unlike my denim jacket, I don't feel weird about wearing it with jeans (although lots of people pull off that look flawlessly!). Oh, and while my denim jacket's great for warmth that keeps things casual, this adds a little dressed-up badass-ery to pretty much anything I pair it with. Turns out there's a reason leather (ish) jackets have been called staple closet pieces for like, decades!

Anyway, if you've been looking for one, this is a great choice because it genuinely looks like real leather both up close and from afar — the fabric has that distinctive detailed texture imprinted all over it, and I get compliments on it pretty much anytime I wear it — and it feels almost as soft as the real deal, but is 100% vegan. I have my fingers crossed it holds up to all the wear it's going to get through the next six months (and am holding out hope that it could go for like, three entire years, like my coworker Katy's favorite vegan leather jacket), but so far, so good!" —Natalie Brown

Get it from Walmart for $49.95 (available in sizes XS–3X and in navy).

6. A set of five nylon braided iPhone chargers of various lengths (one is 10 feet!), so you never have to hover near an outlet — you can even roll over in bed without unplugging!

Imaan Sheikh / BuzzFeed

"These have honestly changed my life. I was just looking for a couple of regular iPhone cables to keep in my bag and use at the office/home, but then I came across this multipack on Amazon. It comes with two three-foot cables and three cables longer than the regular length. I've always hated being constrained to a corner in the room (or to a side on my bed) just because I'm charging my phone while using it. I thought, "Hmm, five BRAIDED cables for $14.99? Sounds like it might not work, but what the hell!" Now, I'm so glad I put them in my cart.

All the cables worked perfectly, and I would've had a bunch of backups, too, if my fiancé didn't steal the rest of them. My favorite thing IN THE WORLD is the ten-foot cable. The freedom is ridiculous. I can be at the other edge of my bed and charge my phone! Also, other-third party cables I've tried have charged my phone very slowly, but this one charges perfectly. And the cables withstood my teething kittens (who have destroyed five MacBook chargers, countless iPhone cables, and two pairs of earphones). This is a very high quality product for the price and I just KNOW anyone would love it. It's been my best Amazon purchase in months." —Imaan Sheikh

Get the five-pack (two three-foots, two six-foots, and one ten-foot) from Amazon for $14.99 (available in two colors).

7. A set of acrylic hair clips when you want to look polished and on-trend, without actually (you know) *doing* your hair.

Amazon, Heather Braga / BuzzFeed

"OK so I'm pretty lazy when it comes to actually 'doing' my hair, but I still always want it to look like I at least made some sort of an effort. Enter this set of clips. The set includes a mix of five alligator clips, five barrettes, and five different styles for each type. Whether I wear my hair curly or straight, I can slide one of these in to look a little more put together. I love that they keep my hair out of my face AND they actually stay in place. Also — acrylic is very in right now, so that's definitely an added bonus! These are my new favorite hair accessory, hands down." —Heather Braga

Get a set of 10 from Amazon for $9.99.

8. A pair of Heist 80 denier tights that are worth the investment if you're looking for a perfectly opaque pair that stays snug without squeezing you.

instagram.com

"I get cold extremely easily, but also refuse to stop wearing dresses once the temps start dipping — so I always stumble upon the dilemma of finding thick tights that'll keep my legs toasty without actually feeling or looking thick and frumpy. You get me? Well, Heist has made a pair that I can't say no to: The Eighty. As the name implies, they are 80 denier, but they don't really feel like it. They feel light and smooth against my skin, rather than feeling like a bulky layer. They're perfectly opaque too, in my opinion. Let me clarify: what you typically see, aka the bottom portion peeking out beneath dresses/skirts, is black and opaque, but there is a little sheerness near the top/hand-sewn waistband. And my oh my, the high-waisted band is perfection — it's snug and never at risk of slipping or rolling down, but it also doesn't squeeze the dear life out of my stomach (lookin' at any tights with Spanx-like tech — sorry, but not for me).

They have great stretch, which means they're super easy to get into and I don't have to be ~delicate~ when pulling them up, and seem super sturdy, like they can take extensive wear. Because once I find a pair of tights I love, I'll wear them to death. I've gone through so many flimsy pairs of tights that are susceptible to forming holes over the course of one winter *and* don't keep me warm, so I'm willing to invest a lil' more $$ in tights that'll last many years, and most importantly, let me keep wearing my dresses and skirts (team no pants!!). —Sarah Han

Get a pair from Heist for $42 (available in sizes 0–18/20, mid and high waistbands, and in 30 and 50 deniers — all three denier options pictured above).

9. The Nintendo Switch Lite, which will keep you entertained with video games for hours, whether you're at home or on your commute.

Sarah Aspler / BuzzFeed

"I’ve never been a huge gamer, but I’m totally obsessed with my Nintendo Switch Lite. I used to download games or Netflix shows to watch on my commute, but it was taking up all the storage on my phone and would kill my phone battery before I even arrived at the office. There’s just something about playing games on a handheld device which makes me nostalgic about my Game Boy or PSP. (Remember the days!?)

With the Switch Lite, I can play games for hours without getting bored, and it can easily fit into my jacket pocket. I actually already owned the original Switch console and really loved it, but found it was a little too bulky and heavy to carry with me every day (plus my hands would get tired holding onto it). It’s also cheaper than the original system, so you can use that extra cash to buy some games. I also find that it feels more robust than the original, as it’s a solid piece and doesn’t have joy-cons that slide off and on. Plus, unlike the original, the Lite has a D-pad, which gives it a more tactile feel. The battery usually lasts me about three to four hours.

So, should you get the original Switch or Switch Lite? Here’s my recommendation: If you’re going to hook up and dock your Switch to a TV or monitor, the original Switch is for you. It’s probably the best choice for playing multiplayer games like Super Smash Bros. because of the bigger screen and detachable joy-cons. But if you’re like me and will use it exclusively as a handheld device or mostly play single-player games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Untitled Goose Game, I would recommend the Switch Lite." —Sarah Aspler

Get it from Amazon for $199.96 (available in four colors, and options to bundle with a memory card).

10. A Pokémon shirt you can customize by choosing your favorite Pokémon and print to reflect your own, personalized style. You can modify them right down to the cuffs, collars, sleeves, and color of the buttons!

Nusrat Sultana / BuzzFeed, Original Stitch

"Let’s get this straight: I am a huge Pokémon fan. I grew up with it and so Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu will always have a special place in my heart. So when I heard of this fashion collab between The Pokémon Company (yes, THE Pokémon Company) and Original Stitch, I knew I had to see it. Pokémon and fashion? Why hadn’t anyone thought of that before? I went to their NYC pop up showroom last month (it only ran for one weekend 😔 ) and KNEW I had to have one. I got to try a sample—that’s me in the Jigglypuff shirt!—and absolutely loved it.

The shirts themselves are quite amazing. There are both men and women’s shirts and each design features a Pokémon with a themed print that corresponds with it. Some of them are so subtle you can’t tell it’s a Pokémon shirt until you go up super close (as you can probably tell with my Jigglypuff one! The checkered design you see is actually tiny Jigglypuffs! The pocket is also modified). Some prints are so sophisticated that you can totally wear them to work or to a wedding. Meanwhile, others are so loud and in-your-face that you can tell from miles away exactly what Pokémon is on your shirt—these are great for everyday outfits and for showing off your casual style (but who says you can’t wear them to a wedding either?). My (and my brother's) personal favorite was the sky-blue Snorlax print. It had tiny Snorlaxes on it with even tinier Pikachus sleeping on its belly 🥺.

The best part of course, is the customization. Basically, you go to the website, choose the type of shirt you want (Dress shirt? Casual?) and then mix and match your favorite prints and Pokémon to create your own original shirt. The designs feature the first 151 Pokémon of the series, and styles range from super subtle to super quirky, so you'll definitely find something you like. You can modify the shape of the collar, make the shirt pocket a different print, change the inner cuffs and outer cuffs—it really is your shirt through and through and that’s what I think is so cool. The fit is boxy and cute, not too tight or too loose. The material is light and comfortable too—no itchiness or annoying tags, which right away earns brownie points in my book. The shirt does wrinkle easily so hanging it up is better than folding it away, and a few passes with your steam iron will set it just right. It’s a perfect gift for Pokémon fans and even for non-Pokémon fans. Japan got to enjoy it first but now they're available online all across Asia and for US fans too. BRB while I make my friends jealous with mine." —Nusrat Sultana

Get one from The Pokémon Company for $100+ (based on customization); delivery will be in 4-6 weeks due to time for creating your shirt.

Me adding all these to my shopping cart:

The Pokemon Company International

Check out October's, September's and August's editions for more reviews!

Want more? Check out our favorite online clothing stores for all your shopping needs, perfect places to shop for clothes if you’re in your 30s, plus the best places to order custom t-shirts online and the best clothing stores for petite sizes. Still not satisfied? Check out all of our clothing content for even more.

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