A Gift Guide That's Actually Good (Part II)
No paywall on this one either.
Greetings Spendthrifts,
Back in your inboxes with the rest of my ‘evergreen’ gift guide - link below for Part I:
…And keep reading for Part II which, as I mentioned on Monday, is a more eclectic roundup of individual items (as opposed to entire brand/retailer recommendations). No paywall on this one as it’s a quick one, and also… Christmas, y’know? Let’s get into it.
Probably not a great idea to open a gift guide with a sold out (at the time of writing) item but a) it’s my gift guide and I’ll include what I want to, and b) I imagine this’ll be restocked at some point in the future. Also the ‘Big is moving to Paris’* meme gives me SO MUCH JOY every time I see it on Twitter/X, I couldn’t not include this ashtray (which I also badly want made into a t-shirt).
(*a meme explainer for those of you who aren’t as Chronically Online as I am)
Brought to you by Add To Wishlist brand partner Liberty.
I mention Liberty all the time in this newsletter as it’s my favourite shop to wander around when I’m at a loose end - especially the Fragrance Lounge on the Lower Ground Floor, where you’ll find the gorgeous display that houses the Liberty LBTY. Fragrance collection.
Created by some of the world’s top perfumers (or ‘noses’, per the industry term), the fragrances take iconic Liberty prints as their inspiration - and their newest fragrance Liberty 1875, a bold, smoky tuberose scent, actually features a bottle cap design inspired by the Tudor architecture of the Liberty building itself.
I recently dropped by the store to explore the LBTY. collection, where one of their supremely knowledgeable store assistants talked me through each scent (and in fact, I think a fabulous gift idea if you’re not confident enough picking out a perfume for someone is the Into The Archive consultation service they offer in the Fragrance Lounge) - I ended up leaving with a bottle of the incredibly moreish Adelphi Sun (very fresh, very green, slightly citrusy).
All Liberty LBTY. fragrances come in 50ml, 100ml, and an 8ml travel size - any of which I can guarantee your loved ones would be delighted to find under the Xmas tree this year.
Socks too good to cover up, in every colour of the rainbow c/o Comme Si - I’d go for the Yves or Agnelli styles.
Comme Si’s loungewear is also tres chic. Boxers, for women? J’adore.
Been dying to share CC Moulton’s Cache collection with you guys ever since it launched a few weeks ago - take your pick from the lipstick-slash-cigarette case, the card sleeve, or the jewellery case, all available in a variety of decadent fabrics (my favourites are the silk moiré).
I got this ‘Write Your Own Memoir’ journal for my dad last year, and I think it’s my favourite present I’ve ever gotten him (and yes, he loved it too) - there’s only so many socks/scarves/jumpers one man needs!! A DIY memoir journal containing over 75 thoughtful questions designed to tease out your life story, it’s a great gift idea for older relatives - and you can customise the cover with their photo. Order by 16 December for Christmas delivery.
Zara Home has made the EXCELLENT decision to bring back these colourful aperitif forks (which I shared in last year’s end of year newsletter but they sold out in practically no time). Snooze ya lose!
I’ll be honest I think I’m just putting this J Crew satin pouch here because I want it myself ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Or how about an annual Tate Modern or V&A membership? The Marie Antoinette exhibition at the V&A alone is worth getting a membership for...
A traditional Japanese kenzan from design studio Naum House for ikebana-style flower arrangements (get one of their bowls too for the full flower arranging kit).
Art historian and broadcaster Katy Hessel’s new book How To Live An Artful Life is a calendar of daily quotes from noted artists and writers, each of which is aimed at bringing creativity into our everyday lives. Here’s a good interview with her on the thousands of hours of interviews she drew on to inform the book.
And finally, I’ve had my eye on these pretty little Zafferano glass tumblers for years now - you can get them in lots of places, but Am*zon’s currently the only seller with availability sooner than 3-4 weeks. Get a full set all in one colour or mix it up… the possibilities are endless!
Alright. That’s it for today - I’ll be back in your inboxes post-Christmas!
Until then,
