Back in the Celtic Tiger days, it wouldn’t be unusual for a family living beyond its means to have a secret stash of Christmas gifts. There might be a car boot stuffed full of just-in-case bottles of brandy or fancy preserves. Maybe someone bulk-bought sterling-silver jewellery to hand out to random nieces, willy-nilly, as they passed out the front door after visits full of stilted conversation and enforced jollity.
If there’s something to be learned from our past selves, it’s to be more frugal, plan accordingly and realise that one can only get so much pleasure out of giving and receiving overpriced jam. But the best-laid plans are always built on shaky foundations, and there’s an excellent chance you might just forget to buy a gift for someone special, or someone who remains an enigma to you in terms of taste. Here’s a selection of gifts to suit anyone – proper gifts, however, not stocking fillers – that any style-savvy person would be happy to get.
A simple wallet
It’s the ultimate starter gift: a wallet or structured purse will always be appropriate for someone you don’t know especially well. If there’s a parent-in-law, work client or business associate in need of a gift, a wallet will fill that need perfectly.
For work-related gifts, a business-card holder is also a nice option. This Cos envelope holder is bold in bronze, but other muted colours such as gunmetal grey and forest green would also be solid choices.
Slick headphones
Beats by Dre are the most covetable in terms of style if not sound quality, but there are more fashion-oriented headphones out there that do the job well. Frends headphones come with the option of interchangeable caps in rose gold, gold and oil-slick blue. At €169, they’re not cheap, but compared with Frends’ Dolce & Gabbana collection (which come in at €4,995) they’re a solid investment. More affordable are the Urban Ears Plattan headphones, which are available in a broad range of block colours, including black and white, khaki green, teal, fuchsia and lilac.
Anything cashmere
Show me a woman who doesn’t like cashmere and I’ll show you a woman who is probably allergic to wool. Cashmere is the closest thing you’ll get to being hugged by your clothes, so it will elevate the usual woolly-hat-and-glove gift sets from the banal to the sublime. A simple cashmere scarf is an excellent gift that will work for any gender. It isn’t the cheapest of all the fabrics out there, so if you want to push the boat out with a cashmere sweater, look to brands such as Marks & Spencer or Uniqlo for more affordable options.
A smart jersey T-shirt
A simple, well-cut jersey top or T-shirt is a pleasure to receive. Cover as many bases as possible by forgoing tops with all the bells and whistles. No sequins, no slogans, no logos. Instead focus on design and shape. Cos has some excellent offerings in both the menswear and womenswear departments. Don’t be afraid to switch up genders either; Rick Owens’s long, semi-sheer sleeveless T-shirt in tobacco brown will suit daring men as well as women, and Topman’s skinny T-shirts are well-cut enough in the chest to suit women and men.
Fashion book
Unlike a T-shirt or sweater, a good book will fit and suit everyone. Reading is always a good look, and the fashion industry has taken note: there’s an embarrassment of riches when it comes to stylish, well- produced coffee-table books.
Give the gift of Chloë Sevigny’s undeniable cool-girl nous with her eponymous title, published by Rizzoli. Inside are shoots spanning the past three decades, with work from photographers such as Juergen Teller and Mark Borthwick, as well as personal photos. Those who didn’t get to visit the mammoth Alexander McQueen exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London this year might appreciate the accompanying catalogue, which is full of images and never- before-published essays. It might be the best publication about McQueen so far.
