Sure. Just for context, I grew up and completed the Scouting program as a teen. So I've been consistently hiking and backpacking since I was 13 years old. I'm a bit of an outlier compared to most adults when they are introduced to hiking. My wife started hiking as an adult.

Firstly I like hiking cause it has all kinds of opportunities to meet many types of people. It's probably the easiest of any outdoor activities with a pretty low overhead cost. Basic equipment (boats, socks, jackets, etc.) may be initially expensive but with basic care equipment can last for years. Hiking can be done all year, you can go with a group or you can go alone (hopefully with plenty of experience and safety in mind). You can get familiar with one type of trail and as you're experience grows you'll learn to read maps, follow hiking markers on trees, how to pace yourself crossing rough terrain. Your confidence will grow learning new skills and trying out different places. It's also great exercise with minimal recovery time. When the time comes and you feel ready to you can challenge yourself against longer trails, steeper hills and more rugged terrain. And those kinds of hard but memorable hikes are in the Mid-Atlantic region like Section A of the Billy Goat trail off the C&O canal, Old Rag Mountain in VA, or the Falls trail at Ricketts Glen State Park PA just to name a few. Or you can do weird trails like the Abandoned Highway in PA (my wife is to scared to try this one). Hiking can take you all kinds of places and learn from new challenges.

Two books my wife read when she was starting to get another women's perspective on hiking was: Becoming Odyssa: Adventures on the Appalachian Trail, by Jennifer Pharr Davis, and Grandma Gatewood's Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail, by Ben Montgomery

These days I mostly hike trails based on what time permits for and what my wife is capable of doing. When we don't have a lot of time we just walk a 3 mile circuit through our neighborhood that has one decent hill. We complete that in about a little over an hour. When we're both home during the weekend we'll do longer hikes that last for a few hours and vary between 5 to 7 miles. I try to get most of my hiking done in the morning so there's enough time for sunlight while we're out. It's good idea to avoid hiking in the evening to prevent getting lost, loosing situational awareness, or having to rush a hike to get it done before the sun sets. To keep hikes interesting once and a while we'll do something different that's less about hiking and more about nature. For example we'll go on a bird hike with the Baltimore Bird Club, attend a state park nature program hosted by the rangers, go walking around ArtScape or some weird Baltimore festival. All kinds of stuff to do, just have to pick a theme your interested in and sneak in a couple of miles while attending it.

There's a ton of contextual stuff you'll come across getting started. Drop me a message if you have any questions regarding you're journey with hiking. Good luck!

She likes Smartwool socks. They are mix of wool and synthetic fibers. Good at wicking moisture from your feet making them less prone to blistering. If you experience blistering may also want to look at bodyglide. It's an anti-chafe bar to prevent blisters forming on areas that you're prone to get hotspots on feet. Another strategy to prevent blisters taking an extra pair of socks along. If the pair you're wearing get wet (from water or being to sweaty) you can change to the dry pair.

Cotton is a comfortable fabric for casual and short-term activities. But hikers learn to avoid wearing cotton when possible. You may hear hikers and backpackers use the saying "Cotton kills". What they mean is wet cotton close to your body leads to heat loss and may ultimately contribute to hypothermia. That's kind of an extreme example for someone just starting out. So for you, functionally you want fabric that will wick humidity away from your body. Especially from your feet. Moist feet are prone to hotspots that leads to skin blistering. Blisters require recovery time to heal meaning you'll walk less frequently. Here are articles explaining in more detail:

Why does Cotton Kill?
https://sectionhiker.com/why-does-cotton-kill/#:~:text=If%20the%20air%20is%20colder,if%20you%20become%20too%20chilled.

Why Do Hikers Ignore Hot Spots and Blisters?
https://sectionhiker.com/why-do-hikers-ignore-hot-spots-and-blisters/

Do Sock Liners Prevent Hiking Blisters?
https://sectionhiker.com/do-sock-liners-prevent-hiking-blisters/