From stylish stocking fillers and hostess gifts that won’t break the bank, gift ideas for fashion loving-friends and family members, to fashion-flavoured tech accessories and little treats for yourself, here’s our holiday 2013 gift suggestions roundup. 

Fashionable Reads

The Diary of a Nose: A Year in the Life of a Parfumeur, by Jean-Claude Ellena: Discover what inspires Jean-Claude Ellena, the exclusive perfumer of the House of Hermès, to create his evocative parfums in this collection of meditations on the world of scents.

Paris Street Style, by Isabelle Thomas: Deceptively easy and always polished, this style guide breaks down the je-ne-sais-quoi of Paris street style. With interviews and tips from designers, stylists, editors and street style fashionistas.

The Asylum: A Collage of Couture Reminiscences…and Hysteria, by Simon Doonan: In twenty-five autobiographical essays the creative ambassador for Barneys New York spills the beans about the kooky goings-on in the fashion world.

To Die For: Is Fashion Wearing Out the World? by Lucy Siegle: The Observer’s ‘Ethical Living’ columnist examines the changes required from both the industry and the consumer, and makes the case for a new sustainable design era.

Luella’s Guide to English Style, by Luella Bartley: Former fashion designer’s musing on quintessential English style in all its many forms.

Mascara Saturday, by Carol Conn: A fast-paced, satirical novel in which Rachel Holter’s life is turned upside down when she is diagnosed with “Shopping Impairment Syndrome”.

Visual Treats

Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel: Documentary chronicling the life and work of this influential fashion editor who discovered models Twiggy and Lauren Hutton.

In Vogue: The Editor’s Eye: For the 120th anniversary of Vogue in 2012, HBO created a documentary about the boundary-pushing fashion editors who, over the years, contributed to the magazine’s legacy. More on the subject in the accompanying book.

Mr. Selfridge: TV-drama series, based on historical events, telling the story of Harry Selfridge, who wants to launch a modern retail empire in early twentieth century London

Rear Window: The holidays are the perfect time to rewatch a classic Hitchcock thriller. Worth it just for Grace Kelly’s ubër stylish movie wardrobe alone!

Tech Accessories

Kate Spade iPhone Case in Hazy Check: A blurry argyle pattern in a somewhat unexpected colour palette. Modern and smile-inducing.

Lodis ‘Los Feliz Kylie’ Hard Shell Phone Case: Synthetic hard shell, snap-on phone case with black and white houndstooth pattern. Simple, yet impactful.

Kate Spade Literary Glasses Resin iPhone Case: From afar this looks like a tiny black and white abstract painting. Then you discover it’s actually reading glasses that are adorning this iPhone 5 case. Delightfully playful.

Due Soli Cell Phone Case: Phone case with wood panelling effect for the fans of quirky illustrations with an edge. Also available in black and white.

Elliott Lucca Smartphone Wristlet: Leather zip-around wallet with cute peacock feather illustration that holds your cash and cards, and provides easy access to your smartphone.

Kate Spade iPad Mini Sleeve in Color Splash: I love the strong, bright colours. They remind me of a hectic painter’s palette. Also available as a laptop sleeve and an iPhone case if you are in the mood for matchy-matchy.

No more freezing fingers while using your touchscreen devices with these cosy, 100% cashmere Nordstrom ‘Touch Tech’ Cashmere Gloves that come in an array of happy colours, or the elegant Ralph Lauren Tech Touch Button Gloves with fun button detailing at the wrist. 

Stylish Stocking Fillers

Pinch Provisions Skinny Minimergency Kit: Handy, compact kit in three fun colourways containing 21 must-haves for emergencies while out and about.

Well-Kept Screen Cleansing Towelettes: Pretty package with fifteen moistened screen wipes to keep your phone, tablet or computer screen spic and span.

Kate Spade Two-Pocket Business Card Holder: Strong graphic lines and fab colour blocked design on a leather card case that you’ll love to haul out every chance you get.

How is your holiday shopping coming along? Do tell if you’ve come across other fun stuff that will make the fashionistas in your life smile.

It’s hard to find tailored boots for narrow calves because most styles are made to fit calf circumferences between 14.5 and 16 inches. As a result, most tall boots are ill-fitting and gape at the top when you can’t “fill them out”. But fear not. There is hope for us narrow calved gals. 

I recently highlighted the brand Aquatalia for their outstanding narrow-calf boots. But since they are quite pricey and I hear the question about boots for narrow calves so often, I thought I would expand the list. So here are thirteen more great options that fit a 12 to 13 inch calf measurement and represent a variety of price points.

Knee High and Tall Boots

• Paul Green Optimist Boot: Ignore the calf measurement of 14.5 inches because this boot fits my 13 inch calf perfectly when tightening the strap by one more hole. There is room to tighten the strap even further, so this boot will probably also fit a 12 inch calf. Extremely comfy, supportive, and tapered at the ankle. Fab Sleek Ruggedness. 
• Delman Lilia Boot: Beautifully elegant for Team Tall with Long Legs. A modern classic that will stand the test of time. 
• Stuart Weitzman Setaside Boots: This version of Stuart Weitzman’s “50/50” boot works well for narrow and slightly larger calves because of its stretchy back. I have a version of these that are four years old and they’re the most comfortable boots in my wardrobe. They’re pretty beaten up because I’ve worn them into the ground in rain, snow and slush, but I can’t part with that level of comfort just yet. Their annual visit to the cobbler is still a worthwhile investment. You might need to size down half a size.
• Robert Clergerie Prisca Stretch Suede Boot: A classic sleek boot ideal for dresses and skirts. 
• La Canadienne Gaetana Boot: Weatherproof, casual and for Team Wedge. 
• La Canadienne Daliah Boot: A less expensive weatherproof version of the Robert Clergerie. Read the rave reviews. 
• Donald J Pliner Nikko Boot: Another dressy classic that slims on the ankle. 
• DVF Grace Boot: Stunningly fashionable if you can manage the higher heel. A little ‘70s in true Diane von Furstenberg fashion. Available in three colours. 
• Enzo Angiolini Deanja Boot: Slim on the calf but roomy on the ankle, which is the nature of the style. (Watch the video to see the boot fit in motion). The style might wrinkle at the ankle if it’s too long in the shaft, or you can’t “fill out” the ankle portion of the boot. 
• Aldo Floria Boot: The built-in sock does a wonderful job of creating a tailored fit at the opening of the boot. Good in relaxed settings.
• Frye Melissa Tall Lace-Up Boot: The laces can be pulled snugly across the lower leg to create a tailored fit on a narrow calf. A little steampunk fabness. 

Mid-Calf Boots

• Aquatalia by Marvin K. Lotus Weatherproof Patent Boot: Not so tall, so I didn’t mention it in my previous Aquatalia roundup. I have happy clients in this low-heeled, mod beauty. Weatherproof, comfortable, and beautifully made. It’s casual but neither rugged nor equestrian. Aquatalia makes this style every year and I always hope for a version in cream. Its strong retro integrity has a high longevity factor. 
• Bed Stu Eagle II Boot: A little shorter and distressed, but perfectly tailored on a narrow calf. Size up half a size.  

Further tall boot resources for narrow calves: 

• Duoboots: Choose a style and have boots tailor-made to fit your calf measurement (narrow or wide). My clients and friends who went the Duoboots route are extremely happy with the results. And despite being tailor-made to fit your measurements, you can return the boots if they’re not quite right. If Duo had the colour and style of boot I was looking for, I would have gone this route long ago.
• Slimcalfboot: I have not seen the product in person, but it looks interesting and the prices are more affordable than the styles I’ve listed above.

I’ve found that I have to pay a pretty penny for better-end knee-high boots if I want them to create a tailored fit on my calves. That’s why finding mid-calf boots and booties is so much easier. Some of my clients and friends have had the circumferences of their boots altered to fit narrow calves. It’s a pricey exercise with mixed results. I’m all ears if you have further tall boot recommendations for narrow calves.

Lands’ End makes great puffer coats, or parkas. I like them for many reasons. They are good value at the price and quality. They’re weatherproof and available across a variety of thicknesses and lengths. They come in colours across regular, petite, plus and tall sizes. And of course, they look stylish.

Lands’ End is currently offering 30% off all Winter essentials, which ends just before midnight tonight. The following styles are particularly good:

• Women’s Regular Down Chalet Long Coat: This is the puffer coat for Team Tall with Long Arms. The length is divine and the quilted squares are surprisingly flattering and fashionable. Comes with a removable hood. 
• Women’s Regular Everyday Down Maxi Coat: Another excellent option for tall ladies, or for shorter lasses who need extra coverage to keep warm. The curved seaming is also surprisingly flattering, as is the waist defining silhouette. 
• Women’s Regular Quilted Insulator Coat: Lightweight, ladylike, and suited to warmer Winter temperatures. Read the rave reviews. 
• Women’s Shimmer Down Coat: A shorter and more conventional puffer style with faux fur trim. The horizontal seaming is less flattering, but that’s offset by darts that add structure to the coat. 

Lands’ End puffer coats feature in my clients’ wardrobes every season across many styles and colours. They tend to run a little big so if you wear a very small size, you might be sized out of their extra small.

It struck me how catalogues, magazines, retailers and fashion bloggers are combining breezy footwear with warm Winter outfits. Insulating top layers like sweaters, wool coats, puffer coats and beanies are finished off with breezy footwear like sockless slipper flats, ballet flats, pumps and peep-toe booties. To my eye these outfits look seasonally confused and top heavy. It makes even less sense from a practical standpoint, because if it’s cold enough to wear a wool coat or puffer, surely you need to insulate your feet with socks and boots to feel comfortable?

I see “summer footwear” worn with woolly Winter outfits on the streets of Seattle, and shiver at the sight of their cold feet. 

I started thinking about how these seasonally confused outfits might make sense. Maybe others don’t get cold feet like I do, and tend to overheat. Or they are prepared to brave the cold outside in order to be more comfortable in heated indoor temperatures once their outer layers are removed. Or perhaps they are taking into account that temperatures heat up during the day, and they are dressing their feet for the warmest part of the day.

Whatever the rationale, these options don’t work for me no matter how fashionable the combination. Wearing knee-highs with pumps and slipper flats wouldn’t keep me warm enough either. I’m grumpy when I’m cold, so I must insulate my feet when I’m wearing warm top layers. I would much rather feel too warm than too cold. 

I do have a double standard when it comes to seasonally confused outfits. Wearing Winter shoes, like booties or boots with flimsy Summer dresses, skirts and shorts, makes complete sense to me. Some people view those outfits as seasonally confused and bottom heavy, but to my eye they look grounded because the weight is at the bottom and not on top. Others would also call the outfit impractical because if it’s warm enough to wear a dress or shorts, why wear Winter footwear? Well. I like to keep my feet covered year round so wearing slipper flats and closed toe shoes in warm weather works for me. Men wear covered shoes and socks with Summer outfits, so why wouldn’t the same concept work for women? 

Over to you. Does wearing a warm Winter outfit with breezy footwear look and feel seasonally confused?