I polled my wife (mtn/road/tri athlete, and Ob-Gyn) for some opinions. Her thoughts:
She prefers bibs, though also likes shorts that have a very wide elastic band, rather than a “pinchy” narrow band. She also like baggy shorts for MTB, though is more conscious of her appearance in them.
She really likes her roadie-centric long sleeve thermal jerseys; so much so that she uses them both for riding in cool/cold weather AND for days at the hospital where she finds it too cold.
She mentioned other things for a new cyclist might be glove options (weather/temperature options) or sunglasses that fit differently or have different color lenses (she is surprisingly picky about those).
Bonus stocking stuffer - if you live somewhere colder, she says you should absolutely give her the disposable toe warmers that stick to your socks inside your shoes. She uses them for both her hands and her feet, so we tend to stock up at the beginning of winter.