Gift Guide #13: Ladies
With extra sparkle, please.
By this point in the holiday season, you may very well say to me, “No need for gift guides. I finished my shopping before anyone had time to pass the pumpkin pie!” Or you may have a bit of gift guide fatigue after the endless slew of emails promising guidance on giving the perfect gift, when in fact the guide is disappointing and full of everything everyone else is pushing. (Reader, I am in the second camp. Notifications = Off!)
I hear ya, and yet there is one group that still has yet to be represented here in this tiny corner of the web, and that group includes the wonderful women in your life. Hopefully, the guides I create can serve you long after the holiday season has come and gone. Birthdays happen all year!
My goal with this particular guide centered around recommending gifts you may not have seen yet on other lists. I also wanted to pick items that would get to you – or them – quickly given we are a few weeks out from Christmas and Hanukkah. Most of these ideas are centered around the fact that you very likely have already purchased the big-ticket items and are perhaps looking for a few small bits and bobs to round out the space under the tree. Or maybe you just remembered one gift you’d previously overlooked.
Some gift ideas are fraught with potential to be a miss. Clothes may not fit, vacuums may suck in more ways than you intended, and gadgets may just end up collecting dust. I’ve suggested a few clothing options that are sized in such a way that they are likely to fit most any body type. And I’ve suggested a few food items that are unique and hopefully will spark a bit of joy. I’ve also included a handful of luxury items priced at the lower end of their usual pricing scales. I mean, if you can’t indulge in Christmas, when can you?! Like luxury brands or not, there is something magical about opening a blue box. (Or a red box. Or an orange box.)
At any rate, I hope you find something here that is helpful.
I doubt most of us will be gifting the ever-elusive Birkin Bag this year, but this new line of nail polish from Hermes is a beautiful small indulgence all wrapped up in that iconic orange box.
If your sister has allergies, skip this next recommendation. But if your sister does not have allergies and is looking for a new perfume or perhaps a small set of perfumes to wear while traveling, may I suggest this scent library from Penhaligon’s? The British perfumery has been making perfume since God was a child (JK, since 1870), and they’ve earned several Royal Warrants. If it’s good enough for royalty, it’s certainly good enough for your sister! This set ships via Nordstrom.
This eye-catching Dutch oven features artwork from a Maine-based artist and comes in at a reasonable $100.
For those among us who enjoy cooking or have turned watching cooking shows into a hobby, a virtual class from Ireland’s famed Ballymaloe Cookery School would be a unique way to learn from some of my favorite chefs and cookbook authors.
I’ll admit it, I was majorly influenced by a popular “influencer” and as a result purchased a piece from the Spanx AirEssentials line. I haven’t looked back, nor have I taken off the turtleneck tunic I purchased for myself.
I don’t even know where to start talking about this next gift idea from a small jewelry company based in Brooklyn, NY called Catbird. My experience with Catbird goes so far back, I don’t think I can even tell you the origin story. Catbird has always been there. This is the place I go for small gifts for my favorite people, full stop. It’s also the place I go to celebrate milestones in my life. Their small rings and bracelets may appear dainty and delicate, but do not be misled into thinking they are weak. I never take off the five gold stacking rings I wear. (Ha! A Christmas song comes to life!) My permanent bracelet is still going strong two years on. And their exclusive line of candles have become a sort of perfume for my house. Originally known for gold jewelry, Catbird recently branched out to offer select pieces in silver, much to the delight of my dear friend T. This silver ring with stars or this silver hammered ring would be a really lovely gift.
Not too long ago, I saw a few people were using this precious Longchamp La Pliage makeup bag as an evening clutch. Maybe because I’ve carry the larger version as a handbag/computer bag/shopping tote/how much more stuff can I shove in here before I board the train bag, seeing this miniature version in person nearly made me want to squeal! At $100, it’s a heck of a lot less expensive than say this $2,500 clutch from Dolce & Gabbana (girl math).
I promise this non-alcoholic sparkling rosé is delicious. I know, I know, that sounded like one big oxymoron there, but you’ll just have to take my word for it. It’s also a good gift idea because it works if your sister is planning for a dry January or is planning for a January with lots of bubbles. Bonus: it’s available via Amazon.
Jewelry is having a moment. Silver is sorta back, but gold isn’t going anywhere. The trend du jour says bracelets and rings are meant to be piled on in glorious stacks. It’s a fun time to be a jewelry fan. If your wife or girlfriend loves jewelry, here are a few smaller brands offering beautiful and affordable costume jewelry. Vivan Drew earrings range from sophisticated studs to playful tassels. They even have a range of jewelry for the woman who’ve never missed a college football tailgate. Goldbug Collection is a relatively new shop based in Charleston, SC. If the pieces feel familiar to you, that may be because the shop was opened by the sisters also behind the city’s iconic Croghan’s Jewelers. Think of Goldbug Collection as a more affordable—and maybe a bit more playful—relative to Croghan’s. This double twisted link bracelet is a fraction of a solid or plated gold version ($150), and at $145, this delicate bezel bracelet is perfect for stacking.
If precious metals are more what you had in mind, the iconic Cartier Trinity Ring is just the ticket. And before you keep scrolling with a scoff, this ring was far less than the amount I’d been estimating for all the years I’ve admired it. Really! It’s a gorgeous ring to last a lifetime and then some.
Maybe you’re looking for something sentimental? If there is a restaurant that holds a lot of meaning for you and a significant other, All the Restaurants may be of interest to you. It sure has been to me! So much so that when the artist put out an open call for commissions of Washington, DC restaurants, I submitted a request for a restaurant my husband and I hold very dear. My request was accepted! You can see that print here. Other prints – all drawn in ink with no corrections and finished in a single color—include restaurant facades from New York City, Paris, London, Philadelphia, Chicago, and more.
Every month without fail, I upload ten photos to a magical platform called Mootsh. In a matter of days, a beautiful sleeve arrives in my mailbox with high-quality prints of my photos. This service has been a fun way to get photos off my phone and to share prints with loved ones. This is an especially amazing gift for anyone with small kids or who is an avid photographer.
Last year I treated myself to a set of pajamas from LAKE, and it’s been such a good investment that I am wearing them as I write to you. One year on, and they are still soft and hold the vibrant hunter green they held the day I opened them. LAKE has a limited collection with Brooks Brothers in addition to pajamas in beautiful holiday colors and patterns. I’ve heard their line of clothing is wonderful, too, but I’ve yet to try that.
May I suggest a hot chocolate trio from Dandelion Chocolate for when she’s reminiscing about that short season she lived in San Francisco?
I’m on again about Catbird, but this time to say their gold threadbare rings are just perfection.
I flagged Alexa Pulitzer’s shop a couple of years ago, and I keep going back to marvel over her whimsical designs. It’s hard to describe them in a way that fully conveys their detail, beauty, and fun. It’s as though you’re in on a joke with the most sophisticated person in the room. When you see the sketch of a lion dressed in coattails, holding a martini up high, you’ll see what I mean. The notecard of the Royal Labradoodle had to have been made with my friend M in mind. I’m not quite sure how quickly the site delivers, so maybe check to see if there is a stockist near you.
A Dyptique candle because she’ll never buy one for herself.
This customizable print of a guest check because you always ordered the same thing at the Zabar’s counter on your mother-daughter trips to New York. May not arrive in time for Christmas.
I promise I am not being paid when I suggest yet another top from the Spanx AirEssentials line. It’s just that I think their cardigan might be a great gift for your mother-in-law. Or aunt. Or mentor. Or yourself.
Here’s a set of Portugese foods and small home goods because jet lag is the worst and Portugal is the best. Order by December 15th for delivery by Christmas. Use Obrigado for $10 off.
This set of three small candles from Jo Malone would make for a nice gift for your aunt who loves London and tried to model her bathroom after that charming English cottage from the movie The Holiday.
Hear me out on this next one. A Skylight Frame isn’t like digital frames of yore. There are no annoying SB cards with this one. You’ll need to download an app (everything seems to require an app these days), but family members near and far can contribute to the collection of photos on the digital frame simply by emailing your unique address. It’s like magic. And it’s really special. The frame comes in the standard black but also a sleek white and a beautiful gold. Available via Amazon, so it will arrive fast! Affiliate link used.
More Alexa Pulitzer because she’s just that good. These slim notepads adorned with whimsical animals would be perfect for grocery lists.
One evening a couple of years ago, my husband received a package from a company called Malley’s Chocolate, based in Cleveland. We opened the box and were introduced to the most incredible chocolate almond clusters thanks to one of his grateful colleagues. When I say these are superb, I mean it! And they are very affordable. The family-owned chocolatier also offers a wide arrange of other chocolate treats and nuts.
Wool wrist warmers from Campbell’s of Beauly in Scotland because your mom runs cold. And while you’re at it, throw this gorgeous hot water bottle cover made from Liberty of London fabric into your shopping cart.
Flowers are always a yes. Urban Stems will deliver just about anywhere, and they offer the option of including a beautiful vase and accompanying gift.
Whew! May the ladies in your life feel especially loved this holiday season!
A few of these items include Amazon affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may (or may not! Who knows with the Amazon overloards!) earn a small commission.