The first time you ask me for my senior fashion editor-approved summer staples, I'll recite the pieces all over my For You page: The Row's Barn Tote, Chloé jelly sandals, a celebrity-tested white tank top. Ask me again, and I'll be more honest: My true New York City heat wave holy grail is a $9 portable fan.
A portable fan became my anywhere-and-everywhere plus-one in roughly 2022. That year, it felt like sweltering summer temperatures crept into September, melting me into a puddle when I'd run between shows and appointments around the city during fashion week. I never regretted making room for a fan in my purse: They're lightweight but hard-working, and they usually cost less than $20. (Even when it's not Amazon Prime Day.)
