on angie’s list i really like the bra fitting, i just encouraged a grown woman and her mom to make a fun day of it as a celebration of their curves.

secondly i am a big fan of kendal farr’s book – i think that’s how i first found youlookfab.com (about three years ago), googling for ms. farr. most women will enjoy reading that book.

on the creative side i know a family that washed friends’ windows as their christmas present. the family drove up to the home (they must have known the gift receivers were home) and “blitzed” the outside of the windows to clean them.

personally i either give chocolate ganache (in empty spice jars) or chocolate espresso cookies. i guess i’m into food.

A lovely gift is the gift of time…..I like giving several hours of babysitting to an exhausted mom, yard care for my elderly friends and this year we are giving a year of yard care to an officer deployed to Afghanistan. We’ve even taken care of other friends horses and pets.

I agree with being carefuland having the right realtionship for some of these things. But great list, Angie!!!!

I think these are great gifts to give to people you’re close with. Two of the best gifts I’ve ever received were like this. The first was a haircut for my wedding. I’ve been in love with professionally done hair since, and look much better for it. Also, I was given a makeup session. The make up artist was really fun and taught me how to apply it. My friend bought me the products. This helped me to be confident in applying my makeup beautifully.
Other great style gifts: a blue purse from B. Makosky, a dainty necklace, and a designer watch.
These wonderful gifts have truly increased my style quotient and I am very lucky to have such good gift-givers in my life.

Fantastic ideas!! I have a hard-to-buy-for friend and I think she may just be receiving the Kendal Farr book and the shoe care kit. Thanks so much for the help!

I love the idea of a make-up session. I’m someone who doesn’t wear makeup at all except the very occasional lipstick for special occasions. However, I’m curious about make-up and might consider wearing a little bit of something at least sometimes – but I have no clue where to start. So I’d love the gift of a make-up consultation for beginners. If you have a friend whom you’ve had such a conversation with it might make a great gift (not cheap, though!)

Angie, I also like your less intimate items with the gift of accessories. I have included several accessories in this year’s list. There is also a wide price range to match everyone’s budget.

It’s a tradition in our family that Santa always brings underwear (there, now I’ve revealed too much!). And he often brings socks too. That Santa sure knows how to give the gift of style!

I agree that replacing neglected wardrobe items is a great idea. One year I got my mom a new black evening bag to replace the one she had been using quite possibly before my birth, she loved it and said she never even considered replacing the one she had (which she did carry a few times each year, and was showing it’s age). Last year, being a student and short on cash, I got my boyfriend’s 13y.o. niece a selection of fun little things (earrings, necklaces, shoelaces) carefully chosen from a cheap accessory store @ 10 for $10. I wrapped them in a hollowed out book from the thrift store which made for great presentation.

I have so many friends whose closets I’d love to clean out! What a great idea, Angie.

I don’t think I’d be comfortable giving some of those things for the reasons you mentioned, but only a few. A bra fitting is a bit awkward for me, even among my closest friends and family, and to be honest, I’d be disappointed if that’s what I got. Same with neglected items. I guess it’s nice that *I* don’t have to spend money on them, but if I’m going to get all excited for my Christmas gift, I don’t want to be disappointed with practicality! I guess it depends what you think of practical gifts. Personally, I’m not a fan.

A haircut is a really nice idea, especially if it’s for someone who isn’t happy with their hair or unable to maintain it. I know so many people who don’t regularly cut their hair. At least this way they can’t use cost as an excuse!

I also love Audrey’s idea of a makeup session. In fact, I would be very happy to get that on Christmas. I would like to start wearing makeup again, but I am utterly overwhelmed by the choices. I used to wear it when I was younger, but I got lazy and just didn’t see the point after a while, and now knowing all the things I know about cosmetics, I don’t think I could go back to using the usual drug store brands that I used then. It would be nice to have someone narrow my choices down a bit.

I don’t typically give fashion-related gifts so I have no other advice to offer. Interesting ideas though.

I’ve been stuck thinking of gift ideas for my teenage nieces. I have boys so I forget about lipgloss, accessories, fun socks. Girly stuff! Thanks for the reminder.

I’ve been thinking that some microfishnet stockings or the reversable Spanx tights would be a good gift for a couple of women on my list. I don’t think they’d get them for themselves.

I think they are all great ideas – I’d be happy to get any to them I plan to give at least 2 people workout gear and I am giving my daughters those flower broaches.
For many people who don’t or can’t spend much money on themselves, these present would be lovely. I have appreciated gifts to have my hair done ( I usually colour it myself), nightwear, tops.
My brother never buys any clothes for himself – relies on the gifts of female friends and rellies!
Year ago someone gave me a style book, and wrote in it something like, “not because you need it, but because you’d like to read it” which was thoughtful.
Another fashion related idea idea is to give magazines, either a sub or a single issue, if it is for someone who likes reading them, but would never buy them.

I am so glad you published this list. I was already planning a gift of time to my mom, aunt and sister instead of a material gift. My thought was a “coupon” for a day or two of closet or other cleaning and reorganizing. I am good at it (easier to do others than my own) and since I will be laid off Dec 31 I will have time to give (and money to save).

Great list and some good reminders. I am a fan of giving experiences as well…for my nieces & nephew’s birthdays we take them out somewhere to a play or sporting event they would like to give them something different and to spend time with them individually. It’s fun and hopefully gives a memory, rather than stuff.

I love the idea of gifting a haircut!

Along with a properly fitting bra, a good haircut can work wonders for your looks! But like getting a good bra, it’s often overlooked – mostly because you often feel too over booked to take time to get one!

I’d love to receive anything on that list, however I probably would not opt to give any of the more intimate ones, like the bra fitting, to people outside my family for fear of it being taken the wrong way. The person might think that I have a low opinion of how she looks. Accessories however are a great way to contribute to someone’s style quotient without being too obvious about it.

My 12 year old daughter’s all time favorite gift was a gaggle of funky and unusual socks. She prefers to wear mismatched socks, so it was right in line with her funky style. When I buy her socks, I’m inclined to buy her packages of matching socks because they last longer and it makes laundry day easier. So getting crazy socks was a special treat.

She’s also into painting her fingernails really obnoxious colors (and whenever friends with young daughters visit, she likes to paint the little girls fingers and toes too). So when asked what would be a good gift idea for her, I suggested a nail polish in unusual colors.

I have 3 20something women to buy for, all three are getting iTunes gift cards and an individual gift that I think will suit their lifestyle. The Harvard Divinity Grad Student is getting a set of Enviorsax that Angie blogged about, The Leslie College Grad student is getting the Grey Patent Gap Tote that Angie blogged about, and the Paralegal living in New Hampshire is getting a hoodie to keep her warm in her apartment.

I also love to give gifts of costume jewlery to my female friends. I think it’s fun to wear something you might not pick out for yourself–and maybe open up a new style for yourself. Another standby gift for me this year is scarves. I’ll be giving several out as well.

Women are so much easier to buy for than men, aren’t they? The men in my life are getting weird things like solar powered battery chargers, jigsaw puzzles, and messenger bags. (yawn)