Gift Guides

Valentine’s Day! If my informal research is any indication, you probably think of it as either your favorite holiday or the worst day of the year, but no matter which you choose, it still comes around once a year, every year. And if you’re in a relationship, that means that you still have to find ways to gently guide your significant other toward the right kind of Valentine’s-appropriate gift. We have a few ideas, obviously, and they’re all shaped like handbags.

This Valentine’s Day Gift Guide is our first of two, and it’s for the partner that wants to hit this Valentine’s Day out of the proverbial park (or who simply has an enviably large discretionary budget and wants to spend it on you). From $270 to $2595, we’ve got plenty of red and pink bags that make great gifts and that will remind you of a very happy V-Day every time you use them.

The month of Valentine’s Day, Fashion Week, and my anniversary is upon us. This month also holds all February birthday babies, whose birthstone is a gorgeous, deep purple amethyst. Purple is one of my favorite colors, as it works as a deep neutral in place of black or brown.

From the chicest Beats by Dr. Dre headphones that I have ever seen to a luxurious phone case to the best purple bags out there right now, I have nine birthday gift ideas for the February birthday girls in your life.

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean gift-giving has ended. There are so many other opportunities for us to shop for ourselves and others, one major event being birthdays. For 2012, we will be making birthday gift guides to help you choose the bag you want to ask for or want to give.

Garnet, the birthstone for January, is a deep red stone that signifies eternal friendship. Many say the stone has a resemblance to a pomegranate seed. The hue of red is deep and alluring, also perfectly fitting for the bitterly cold and often snow-filled weather of January. If you want to give a January baby a great birthday gift, pick from one of these nine handbags that are sure to be a long-lasting handbag to add to her collection.

Did you guys know that tomorrow is my birthday? Well, it is. Also, Sunday is Christmas. I bet you knew that part, though. As you might imagine, this is a time of year when people ask me what the hell it is they should buy for me even more than most people get asked that question at the end of the year, and I never have an answer. Ever. I spend my days trawling online retailers for work, so when I see something I HAVE to have, odds are I’ve already broken down and bought it for myself.

For example, I really wanted the Proenza Schouler Blanket Print PS1, but I bought that for myself two weeks ago. And then I really wanted some Dolce & Gabbana oxfords, but those came in the mail today. I’m an utter nightmare when it comes to gift-giving. In the spirit of having some Friday fun, I came up with an array of things that I’d love to find under the tree (or in some birthday wrapping) this weekend. Let us know what you’re hoping to receive in the comments!

Let’s be real here: Internet Christmas shopping is basically done. It’s the 22nd, Christmas is on a Sunday this year, life is hard. Our super official Holiday Gift Guide 2011 has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of interesting ideas still left rolling around in our heads (or rolling around the vast and unknowable Internet, for that matter). Plus, Christmas isn’t the only time for gifts – people have birthdays every day, right?

Because we have to come up with content until Christmas and you have to have something to read at the office while you wait for vacation to start and pretend to look at an Excel spreadsheet (I know what you’re doing, I’ve been you before), I’ve found a few weird tchotchkes for the person on your list who would shun any item you could find on a gift guide for reasonable people. Or, if you don’t have one of those friends, here’s some pleasantly odd stuff that you can buy on the Internet. For yourself. Because if you don’t know who the weird one in your group is, it’s probably you.

You’ve made your list, you’ve checked it twice and…you’ve found some gaps. Although everyone is covered, technically, there might be some people on your list who you feel deserve a little bit more, or maybe a few people who you’d like to give a token of your appreciation. Naturally, though, you don’t want to go overboard; not only do we all have budgets, but buying something too lavish for a casual friend or colleague can be a faux pas.

That’s where this last-minute installment of our Holiday Gift Guide 2011 comes in: Stocking Stuffers!. From $15 to $98, we have plenty of suggestions to soothe your gifting panic. Hurry up and order, though – shipping takes time, which is something you’re running out of quickly.

So, buying presents for dudes. To be honest, I’m not an expert. I have a brother and a dad, and I’ve bought presents for boyfriends in the past, but normally I’ve gotten them something technology-related and gadget-y, which suited both them and me just fine. I’m guessing that many of you have gone the same route, and that’s a perfectly acceptable choice.

But what if you have a man who’s interested in style, or alternately, you have a man who you’d like to nudge in the direction of stylishness? That’s a little bit more difficult, but to give you a helping hand, I’ve scoured the men’s sections of some of our favorite e-tailers to give you some last-minute gift ideas as part of our Holiday Gift Guide 2011. It won’t be ties and socks for Christmas this year, fellas – today is a very special Man Bag Monday.

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is all the treats. Whether it’s homemade batches of grandma’s cookies or peppermint chocolates or a warm cup of hot cocoa with whipped cream, my sweet tooth is on hyper-drive for the entire month of December (ok, it started with Halloween). I receive sweet treats as holiday gifts and I enjoying giving them out as well.

If you’d like to give the perfect sweet for the gal who loves her accessories, I have found 9 of the best choices out there to surprise and delight your friends and loved ones. From chocolate shoes to handbag-shaped cookies, there is the perfect option for the sweet love in your life.