Sarah W. is a long time member of the Dappered team, typically working behind the scenes editing posts, taking some photos, and keeping the books in good standing. Occasionally she’ll come out from behind the curtain to offer her two cents. Here they be.
Well, here we are again. The most wonderful time of the year. Or something. The holidays can be a lot of fun, getting together with family and friends, eating comfort food and drinking delightful libations. But they can also be stressful, and one of those points of stress can be getting the right gift for the women in your life. Hopefully this gift guide can help, either with an actual gift, or by sparking an idea. This collection of gifts spans quite a wide price range, taking into account all types of budgets and tastes. With that in mind, away we go…
Allbirds Wool Runners – $95
Recommending these because I own a pair. They’re extremely comfortable and are wearable year round (when weather is dry). The body is 100% merino wool, and even the insert is covered in merino. They’re comfortable without socks (although they do pick up some stink per the usual when going sockless), and machine washable. Plus you can order new insoles when the originals wear out. Dappered has long sung the praises of wool. Who woulda thunk all that would apply to some sneakers for your lady?
Timex Watch – $32-$75
Ladies have the luxury of being able to really display their style sense with the watch they wear. The sky’s the limit on what type of band they prefer. The Weekender Floral is a great gift for the woman that likes to inject bits of bright color into her looks. For the more classic leaning gal, the Originals Tonal in Grey/Rose Gold is a casual-posh looking timepiece without the price tag to match.
National Book Award Book
Most of you out there have a reader in your life. There are so many books published each year though, it can be daunting to figure out what to get for the bibliophile on your list. Not to worry. The National Book Foundation distills down four categories (fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and young people) to what they consider the cream of the crop in submitted works for the year. You can also check out a full collection of award winners on Amazon, or the New York Times notable books list.
Kendra Scott ‘Tessa’ Stone Stud Earrings – $65
Drusy quartz is really popular, and these hexagonal studs can be worn either casually or dressed up. Nordstrom has seven different color/metal combinations to choose from. A fun gift for the girl in your life that likes to wear a bit of sparkle.
FavoriteStory Mini Desk Calendar – $8
This sweet little calendar set up is a great gift for the stylish girl that likes to keep her desk as put together as she is. Sold by Etsy shop FavoriteStory, they also have full size desk and wall calendars. Yes, it’s easy enough to find the date on your computer or phone, but items like these are all about aesthetics.
Nordic Ware Botanical Pumpkin Loaf Pan – $21.21
I don’t bake, and I got excited about this loaf pan. An easy way to make something that typically looks fairly plain into something extraordinary without extra effort. If you know a baker, this might make for a fun gift. Plus, you might just score some tasty bread as a thank you.
Foodstirs Subscription – $74 for 3 months
Or perhaps you have a girl in your life that wants to learn how to bake, or is just getting started. A subscription service like Foodstirs can be helpful. The monthly shipment contains most things needed to created fancy baked goods.
Echo ‘Touch – Zip Bouclé’ Tech Gloves – $39
One of the most annoying things during the winter months is having to pull a glove off to operate a touch screen. Yes, there are much bigger problems in the world, but it’s something we can all relate to. These tech gloves are highly reviewed on the Nordstrom site. The color combinations are fun, reviewers say they’re really warm, and they work as they are supposed to on touch screens.
Tiny Mountain Pride Necklace – $9.99
If you’re gifting to a girl that loves heading to mountains whenever possible, recognize that love with a little gift like this. And even if she’s not necessarily in love with the mountains, this makes a cool layering piece regardless. Sold by Etsy shop Muddy Pixels.
Standing Garden – $185
Paging Santa… I could use one of these for next year (hopefully Santa reads Dappered). There are cheaper elevated garden beds out there, but they’re typically made of plastic, so won’t have the life span that a treated wood planter will have. This is a great gift for the lady (or guy) that has to stick to patio gardening, or someone that has a hard time bending down to garden. The planter is deep enough for large plants and even root crops, plus it’s self watering.
Halogen Floral Intarsia Knit Sweater – $47.40 ($79)
A fashion forward sweater that can pull double duty with dark denim, or a black pencil skirt and riding boots. Feminine, but striking.
SoxEra Cute Cat Crew Socks – $9.99
Yep, cat socks. Us girls are weird, we like stuff like this. This is a great stocking stuffer for the younger cat lover in your life.
TOMS Suede Desert Wedges – $69
One of those gifts the recipient can feel good about receiving, knowing that a pair of shoes was provided to a child that needed a pair. And black suede wedges are always a good choice, lots of ladies will make good use of them.
FasciaBlaster – $89
From the standpoint of vanity, the claim of this tool is that it can eradicate cellulite, which most women would banish as quickly as possible from their bodies. I have a friend that uses it, and she says she’s noticed a difference in her cellulite. Regardless of that, if you know a woman that works out a lot, or suffers from muscle pain or tightness on a regular basis, this might be a good gift for her. Here’s how it works.
Never Myth a Trick Jewelry Stand – $59.99
Truth be told, as a little kid I totally believed jackalopes were real. And I loved them. So all things jackalope still capture my imagination. Regardless of my strange affection for this hybrid creature, white ceramics, antlers, and woodland creatures are all the rage right now. So even if the lady in your life has no idea what the hell a jackalope is, if she’s up on her trends she’ll probably like this. For more critter themed gifts, check out all the offerings from ModCloth.
A Nice Vase (or two)
If you know a woman that likes to keep fresh flowers around her place, give her some extra vessels to put them in. You can gift one larger vase, or a collection of small bud vases. West Elm carries a variety of vases to suit every aesthetic, but their prices can be higher if they’re not offering a discount code. If you’re looking for more of a bargain, try Target or H&M, or you can brave going into a store like TJ Maxx or Ross. They can be good sources for home-goods at a discount.
OXO Softworks Handheld Spiralizer – $11.24
Got a friend that’s planning to up her health game in the new year? Spiralizing veggies is an easy way to add more into your diet, and cut down on carbs. It’s also a good way to get kids to eat a few more vegetables too. This handheld spiralizer might take a little elbow grease. To make the process easier, you can pay a bit more for a different version.
Cover her next Salon Appointment
It’s no secret, girls spend A LOT with their stylists. We tend to get our hair cut and colored every 6 to 8 weeks (sometimes more often if we’re trying to conceal the true color of our hair, or we keep it short). If you can find out what salon the receiver of your gift uses, pay for her next appointment in full (this will likely start around $90 and go up from there). If her stylist can note the credit, you can gift it by giving your recipient a card that says at some point in the future she’ll get her gift. Nothing wrong with a little suspense, and it’s always fun to receive something kind out of the blue. Or you can give her a gift certificate or gift card. (photo credit)
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer – $399
Yes, this is a ridiculous splurge. It’s a hair dryer. But after close to 200 reviews on Sephora it has received 4.4 out of 5 stars. Seems like it really does dry hair twice as fast, and leaves hair a lot softer than the average dryer. Plus, it’s a Dyson machine, so I’m sure there’s some sort of warranty, and it’s built to last. Still, $400. Yikes. Lucky be the girl who finds one of these under the tree…
iPhone Wallet Case – $54
Sold by Joy Merryman Store on Etsy, you’ll find a ton of different fashionable iPhone and Samsung hard and soft cases, and wallet cases. The above example caught my eye, but there are a number of styles to choose from. A cool thing about the wallet case is it will also act as a stand for the phone when she wants to set it down (but propped up) to watch a video.
Form•Function•Form Penney Clutch – $154
Fine Leather Goods. As a recipient of one of these beauties, I have to say it is a little work of art. I received the Alpine Grey Suede version, and it’s quite stunning. Constructed from a single piece of laser-cut thick Horween leather. Very simple, and very elegant. It is a bit darker in person than it appears on the FormFunctionForm website (at least, the piece I received was), but I found that darker shade to be just as attractive and perhaps even more versatile.