Clothing or gear that just worked in unearthly ways. Memories clouded by heavy nostalgia welcome.
Examples:
My ugly-as-sin Sporthill longsleeve from college, under a jacket works for any conditions 10-40 degrees, somehow maintains the perfect temp and feels totally dry. Still wear it.
My friend's ugly-as-sin running mitts that her mom sewed in the 90s, hands never cold and never overheated through New England seasons. Still wears them.
Bonus: I grew up in a rural area in the 90s, so I wasn't exposed to many clothing options. Wore all cotton well into the '00s. Went to the "big city" once and found some magic tights and a magic sweatshirt at TJMaxx that were crazy, they kept me warm in temperatures where layers of cotton failed. I was honestly dumbfounded.
Fleece. They were fleece.