If you’ve got a question that needs the female treatment, chances are you’re not the only one who wants to ask it. Beth is our source for the answers. From opinions on men’s style to decoding the sometimes mysterious ways of women, she’ll take on a different question every Thursday. She also might provide an answer without waiting to be asked. That happens from time to time too. Click here to get to know Beth, then get in touch with her by sending your question to: askawoman@dappered.com .
Happy Holidays from the women of Dappered! We are back with another gift giving guide for the women in your life. We tried to curate a good collection of romantic gifts, practical gifts, and fun gifts to cover all your bases. This year in addition to Mrs. Dappered and Beth, we pulled Amber in to get her ideas. The result? MEGA gift guide! Enjoy and happy holidays one and all.
If your lady friend is a big fan of the Benedict Cumberbatch version of Sherlock (and if she isn’t, you probably shouldn’t be with someone so lame…I kid…sort of) this is a great gift. This DVD/Blu-ray combo includes lots of extras and bonus features that will thrill those obsessed with the show. But the best part of this set are the busts of Sherlock and Watson. Delightfully kitschy. Ideal for the rabid fan who wants to be reminded of her favorite show every time she passes by her mantle.
Saturday is the more economical little sister to the elite Kate Spade brand. If your gal loves Kate Spade, she’ll love the Saturday brand, too, and your budget won’t take such a big hit. One of my favorites is this basic locket. Comes in blue, fuchsia, and gold and is a modern take on this classic jewelry staple.
I bought this cookbook last year and I love it. The premise is that so many of the basic ingredients in our pantries and fridges are still highly processed, and they needn’t be. If your other half is interested in making and eating whole foods, this is a great gift. Amazing recipes for fresh salad dressings, healthy granola, even things like mozzarella and vanilla extract. Beautiful pictures and easy to follow instructions.
This gift is a funky mashup for the food-and-music lover. Each month the recipient gets a box with three seasonal recipes, one to two dried ingredients needed in the recipes, tasting notes, a 7″ vinyl of an up-and-coming artist, and a digital mixtape that you can access through the website. This strikes me as a good gift for the person who is hard to buy for–it’s really original and fun.
Beauty products have a tendency to get…everywhere. Ya got lip gloss over here, brushes in that corner, bobby pins clogging up the sink. You can take back your bathroom, and give a gift with this beautiful cosmetics bag.
These sterling silver earrings are timeless and lovely. Yes, that’s a big price tag for simple earrings, but frivolous or not, there’s something special about unwrapping a gift and seeing that Tiffany blue box. You do get amazing quality and service from the Tiffany brand, as well as a heritage piece your wife can pass on.
Sometimes it’s hard to keep the house clean…like when the baby won’t give you back the dustpan. The solution? A gift of cleaning. Is this romantic? No. Is it classic? No. Is it AWESOME? Yes. After my son was born, my parents paid for a housecleaning service to come for a couple months. It was one of the best gifts I’ve ever gotten. Every other Tuesday these magical women came to my house and turned it into a bright, shining beacon of hygienic hope. If your spouse or sister or mother is overwhelmed by kids or career or stress, call a housecleaning service, give them your credit card number, and point them in the direction of a woman in your life who deserves a break.
Yep, that’s one expensive purse. But, for a Coach bag, under $200 is a pretty good deal, especially since this isn’t a tiny cross body that you can only fit a phone and some ChapStick in. Coach is a luxury brand any girl would be happy to sport. And this purse ships from Nordstrom, so you’re not picking up shipping, and she’s not picking up return shipping if she wants something different. Comes in black, dark brown, and red.
The iPhone 6 itself is a hot gift this season, but if she already got her hands on one, give her a case that will reflect her style. The Kate Spade “Lenticular Eyes” case is a fun one. As you shift the case around the left eye winks. Unfortunately this case won’t ship until December 20th, but who was ever disappointed to get an extra gift AFTER Christmas? And there are plenty of other cases to choose from that you can get in time for Christmas. Ships from Nordstrom.
Does the gal you’re gifting enjoy fitness? Especially on the go? Is she the type that embraces fitness and wouldn’t see a fitness related gift as you being a complete jackass? You’re not a complete jackass are you? Excellent! Then this should be right up her alley. The Koreball combines hand weights, a medicine ball, and the kettlebell. Just fill the collapsible bladder with water or sand to create the amount of weight you need to workout (up to 20 pounds), and you’re set to have a challenging core workout. Since the bladder collapses it’s easy, and light weight, to travel with.
A nourishing trio of body butters, if you’re gifting to a lady that has a penchant for citrus auromas try gifting this set. Us girls tend to slather on the lotions and butters during the winter months, and a body butter with a citrus scent can perk a girl up on a dark winter day. Another offering from Nordy’s, so shipping won’t cost you a thing.
For the home cook that likes the details that go into preparing good food. This is a guidebook on how to shop for, store, prepare, and cook meat, plus 425 recipes. Here’s an interview on Fresh Air with Bridget Lancaster and Jack Bishop of America’s Test Kitchen, talking about the book and revealing some of the tips contained within. The home chef shouldn’t be disappointed with this one.
Cozy pajamas, especially during colder months, are always a welcome addition to a girl’s wardrobe. One of the best things about these pj’s are the pants. The legs are cuffed, so there’s less twisting and bunching under the covers. Plus these are stylish, but modest, so if she’s taking a trip to a cabin with the family, she can roll out of bed and make her way to the kitchen for that first cup of coffee without flashing too much skin at uncle Fred. You can’t say that about all the “pj’s” offered by Victoria’s Secret.
For the theater goer, a pair of tickets, or better yet a season pass, will make a perfect stocking stuffer. Whether it’s an outdoor amphitheater, or a cozy community setup, supporting the arts in your community will benefit not only the person receiving your gift, but the artists that make it possible.
Diamond earrings are a classic and always welcome gift. Like pearls, a small set of diamond studs can be worn with anything, and are an easy way of taking an outfit up to the next level. Think about purchasing in-store, to guarantee quality and clarity of the diamonds.
A great addition to the iPhone case shown above, these cashmere gloves will guarantee that your lady friend can keep up with all her email/social media/texting needs while keeping her hands warm and cozy. Gone are the days where she has to take her gloves off in order to access her phone. And, what woman wouldn’t want something lined in cashmere? Available in Brown and Black.
Are you noticing a trend here? Cashmere is a great gift at any time. Throw in the added coziness for the cold winter months and you’ve got a sure winner. RedEnvelope has a great selection of cashmere options right now. Rest assured that whatever you buy will be well received by any discerning lady. Comes in Charcoal or Oatmeal.
This might not be for the coffee purist at heart, but nothing can really beat the convenience of a one-cup Keurig machine. Does your gal like coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cider…or almost any hot beverage? A Keurig removes the hassle of having to brew a whole pot of coffee, or wait for the water to boil for tea or hot chocolate, and they have a huge variety of drinks to choose from. This would be a fun and easy addition to any kitchen or office. Consider getting a sampler of “k kups” to get her started.
There are a lot of things that women would love to have, but would never buy for themselves. Consider this one of those things. Quality underwear is something that all women deserve, but will see as an indulgence. $16 for ONE PAIR!? Incredulous. But, oh so comfortable. You can buy the pairs individually, or sign her up to receive a new pair every month. She’ll love it.
Is she a beauty junkie? Does she love all things product when it comes to lotions, scents, serums, glosses, beauty balms, corrective creams… you get the idea. Then this is the perfect gift for her. Get her a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription to Birchbox. Each month she’ll receive a box, catered to the beauty profile she sets up, chock full of beauty sample delights. And if she loves something in the box she can easily go on the Birchbox website to pick up the full sized product.
Got something brewing in your life? Send me an email’style, etiquette, relationships’I answer it all: askawoman@dappered.com
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