Skyrim's mod-ability lends to the game's status as an undying cultural icon. It's fun to mod Skyrim (and any game in general)! I made this page to share some standout mods that I enjoy. I prefer playing on Anniversary Edition, so this is the version I'll be suggesting mods for.
I highly recommend using Mod Organizer 2 for managing your mods.
Weapon Mods
Unique Uniques - Gives various unique weapons their own custom models.
ArteFakes - Unqiue Artifacts Replacer - Same thing as above. More unique weapon models.
JS Unique Utopia - Daggers - Ditto, but just daggers. I typically load this after the above.
Thane Weapons Reborn - Gives unique models for all of the weapons you receive when you become Thane of a hold.
Zim's Immersive Artifacts - Tweaks the stats on multiple underpowered artifacts.
Visual Animated Enchants - What it says on the tin. Makes weapons have an animated aura around them when enchanted.
Fulcimentum - More Staves & Wands of Skyrim - Adds wands and staves to the game.
Armor Mods
Dark Brotherhood Armor - Replaces the Dark Brotherhood armor to with a new set that looks like the Oblivion Dark Brotherhood's armor. I just think it looks cooler.
Practical Female Armors - Modifies the body armor for multiple femme models to match the masculine models.
Shields of the Holds - Replaces the guard shields.
Fashions of the Banditry - Adds a shit ton of bandit armors. Kinda goes into NSFW territory.
Clothing / Robes / Jewelry
JS Unique Utopia - Adds unique models for a bunch of rings.
Vex's Wizard Brim Hats - Wizard hats.
Keeping Warm - Scarves & Mufflers - What's on the tin.
Colovian Noble Clothes - Adds various clothes. I also recommend this author's other mods, including Colovian Fur Outfit or Imperial Fine Clothes.
Misc. Textures & Visuals
Ice Cave Parallax Improved - Adds or improves the parallax effects to the glacier caves.
Digitigrade Beast Races - Gives Khajiit and Argonians their peets from Morrowind back.
Fluffy Spiders - Makes Frostbite spiders fluffy. I highly recommend this mod author's other mods as well for replacements of various odds and ends throughout the game.
Potions Redone - Replaces the potion bottles.
Gameplay
Immersive World Encounters - Adds a shit ton of random encounters into the game.
At Your Own Pace - Tweaks how multiple quests in the game work to accomodate more roleplaying-centric playthroughs.
Bandit Lines Expansion - Adds additional voice lines for bandits - they comment on an assortment things, from your character's race or choice of weapons to you killing their comrades.
Relationship Dialogue Overhaul - Adds a shit ton of lines and restores cut dialogue for numerous NPCs.
Follower Commentary Overhaul - Similar to the above, thoiguh specifically for followers.
Archery Gameplay Overhaul - Tweaks gameplay with bows. I recommend using this with Arrows and Bolts Tweaks.