It’s that time of year when blogger gift guides pop up all day every day!
I think they are a lot of fun and I have such a great time assembling my own gift guides for you guys, so today I am sharing the first in a short series of PBF gift guides.
Below you will find some of my favorite fashion and beauty finds.
Nothing is over $100 and I tried to cover various price points. I hope these ideas bring gift-giving inspiration to those of you who are at a loss for what to get your loved ones this year!
Fashion
This jewelry is so delicate and beautiful and I adore the sweet messages that come along with each piece. The simple necklaces can easily be worn with casual clothes or add a little sparkle to a feminine date night dress. I think this is a great gift for a girlfriend, sister or sister-in-law. My favorites are the horseshoe necklace, guardian angel necklace, mother/daughter heart necklace and the small cross ring.
This bag reminds me of the gorgeous (and much more expensive) Marc Jacobs bag I’ve been eying ever since Janae blogged about it last month. I love that the bag has both a handle and a long strap. More cute satchels: Steve Madden, Kensie
- Vintage Cocktail Ring
Ever since Merri gave me a beautiful vintage cocktail ring as a bridesmaid gift when I was in her wedding, I cannot stop wearing it! The ring adds a little flare to almost any outfit. Check local antique stores for vintage finds near you. (NYC friends, Merri found these rings at the Antique Showplace.) I also found some stunning rings on Etsy by searching “vintage cocktail rings.”
My friend Merri’s mom makes the cutest ear warmer headbands and after she gave me one last year, I fell in love with the look. My girlfriends and I have been trying to get her to open an Etsy shop, but until then, I found a bunch of similar styles to share with you guys. This gray cable knit ear warmer and this braided lilac headband look scozy and feminine at the same time.
- Crossbody Bag
At only $10, this Old Navy crossbody bag is an awesome find! (Plus, you can use the code ONSAVENOW to save an additional 20 percent.) I am all about crossbody bags because they’re both functional and cute.
- Slippers
I’m sure I’m not the only one out there who is in love with slippers! Even living in Florida, I cannot have too many pairs and love sliding into a soft pair of warm slippers at the end of a long day.
Some cute slippers that caught my eye this year:
- Soft Pink Breast Cancer Awareness Slippers
- Michael Kors Sparkly Slippers (available in sliver and gold)
- J.Crew Moccasin Slippers (available in navy and tan… I also found a cheaper version available in lots of colors here)
- BEARPAW Comfy Slippers (available in lots of colors)
Beauty
If you have a big-time beauty product lover in your life, a Birchbox subscription might be something they would absolutely love! For only $10 a month, Birchbox subscribers receive a selection of beauty samples, from both well-known and emerging brands. The women’s Birchbox contains everything from skincare to makeup samples. You can give someone a three, six or 12 month subscription.
I blogged about my beloved Smashbox primer last year and I stand by the excessive praise I gave this fabulous product. I started using primer two years ago and I cannot believe I went so long without adding it to my makeup routine. Smashbox primer goes on light and makes my makeup last 10,000 times longer. It’s amazing! It’s also pretty expensive, but one bottle lasts me more than a year.
The classic print on this cosmetic case simply called to me! This water-resistant case is oh-so-pretty and is the perfect way to transport your favorite beauty finds!
I finally found a curling iron that seems to work! After years of curling iron frustration, I spoke with a woman at Ulta who encouraged me to buy a curling iron that gets extra hot. She assured me this would make a big difference and help my curls last longer. I walked away with this Hot Tools curling iron and have been using it at least once a week ever since! (And for those who asked, yes, I have been curling my hair differently and I promise to post a hair curling tutorial soon. It’s on my to do list!)
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Note: This post is not sponsored in any way and is simply a list of some fabulous fashion and beauty finds that I think would make a great gift for loved ones this year. Some affiliate links are included and I sincerely appreciate your support!
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Please Help: Gifts that Give Back Gift Guide
Last year I featured a Gifts that Give Back Gift Guide that highlighted quality gifts that give back. I am planning to put together another blog post highlighting these amazing gifts and would love your help! Please let me know of any fabulous gifts out there that give back in some special way. I’d love to help spread the word. Thank you!
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Whoaaaa that delicate necklace is so beautiful and cute! I love how versatile delicate jewelry is because you can pretty much pair it with anything. 😀 And I’m a lover of slippers because I grew up wearing that kind of stuff around the house. I think most Korean households do? Since we take off our shoes at the door.
I know! I actually bought one of those necklaces for my friend for Christmas. 🙂 So pretty!
Hi Julie,
A woman I know has started a non-profit in Costa Rica and there goal is to help the Guyami women, an indigenous people group in Costa Rica, reach economic independence. They sell products and the money goes back to these women. Here is the website for this non-profit. It’s called Hands producing Hope. http://handsproducinghope.org/about-us/our-story/ and I know that any products bought by them would be a gift that would definitely give back.
Thank you so much for sharing!
What a great guide! I can’t wait for your updated version of ‘gifts that give back’ 🙂
Also, I can’t believe that Old Navy bag is so cute and affordable…I definitely need to give that store a second chance!
Love the headband scarf!! If she put them on Etsy I would for one buy them! 🙂
Ohh man I want all of those things.
Aww so happy you love your ring 🙂 If anyone has questions just let me know! I love slippers too, it becomes an obsession, I feel like something is missing when I don’t have them on in the house. It’s weird, I need them on ALL THE TIME! I need a new pair though, my are pretty sad looking. Also you can tell people they can order headbands from my mom if she emails her: barbiedoll610@aol.com (<—yup, that's not a mistake, she still uses aol). FYI – she left a bag of festive headbands for us girls to wear during SantaCon weekend! 🙂 xxoo
Those headbands look so awesome! Cute and warm = win!
Love all of your ideas! I may just have to add a few more things to my list. 😉 I am in love with those necklaces you shared – especially the Faith one with the sideways cross! I’m all about cross body purses these days. Like you said, super cute and also so practical! They’re nice with a baby since I’m carrying a big diaper bag most of the time too.
Great list!! I am in love with slippers lately too!
I got the birchbox last year AND LOVED it. it was the gift that kept giving and super fun! I want it again this year 😉 <3
I bought a thick headband like that for NYC and love it!
Plus it hides my greasy bangs…
Check out Janji – runjanji.com. All their running gear is tied to a different charity!
Perfect! I’ll check it out! Thanks, Adrienne!
That necklace is beautiful!! And I need to check out that primer. Sweeeet!
That necklace is beautiful and I love that satchel too.
I can’t wait for that hair tutorial and it is interesting about getting an extra hot curling iron. I’ve found spraying the hair with hairspray whilst it is in the curling iron works really well but so isn’t the best for your hair.
I’m sure you’re loved ones love these posts…at least if they can’t think of anything they have some ideas of what to get you!
Hi Julie! Very interested in the HotTools curling iron after reading your review (I also failed miserably at my attempt to curl with a flat iron after watching your tutorial :-D). Could you please tell me which size you got?
The one inch!
I have wanted to try Birchbox for so long — maybe Santa will bring it to me for Christmas!
I adore the Tory makeup bag!
ideas for gifts that give back- just learned that for qualifying purchases bought at smile.amazon.com , Amazon donates .5% of the purchase price. I love love love Amazon Prime, and all the benefits work the same!
all those necklaces are so cute!!
I’ve been dying to try Birchbox! I love that cosmetics case, too! Might have to hint to my husband about that one 🙂
I’m all into gifts that give back! If you’re spending money, why not do it in a way that impacts lives? I did a Gifts with a Cause post last month (http://lifemeetsgrace.wordpress.com/2013/10/29/gifts-with-a-cause/) and some of my favorites are Freeset (adorable, sturdy bags made by women out of prostitution), She Does Justice (ADORABLE scarves, money to a different cause each month), and Feeding the Orphans (I went to Ghana with them last year. Their shirts are super soft and bags are cute)!
Links:
http://freesetglobal.com/
http://www.shedoesjusticeshop.com/
http://fto.storenvy.com/
Sorry, just super passionate about this! Thanks for sharing!
thank you so much! i’ll definitely share these!
That brown satchel is exactly what I’ve been looking for! I’m not opposed to buying myself a Christmas present and I think that will be what I decide on. Thanks for the great ideas!
I knew your hair looked different! I have an older hot tools curling iron but I think it’s time to upgrade to a hotter iron. 🙂
I love that bag. It’s gorgeous. Looks like a million times more expensive purse than it is.
Ohhh I am loving all of these gifts! Now I want to get that Smashbox primer after hearing how great it is! I am also a huge slipper person! As soon as I get home I put my slippers on.
Kristen
A Little Look Inside Me
I love my UGG slippers. They are the best!
I too have been obsessing over that Marc Jacobs bag that Janae blogged about!!! So much that I visit it every day on Nordstrom.com and will myself not to hit the “Buy Now” button. One of these days I’m just going to do it. But it’s an investment!
I had been in a curling rut too lately and recently started using a curling wand! I absolutely love the type of curl is gives my hair– less tight, more of a relaxed, beachy wave. You can probably get the same effect by curing your hair around the barrel of your curling iron instead of clamping it, if you want to switch it up 🙂
Great list girl! I’m actually working on mine now and this is such a great inspiration – I didn’t even know where to start – but I like the price limits 🙂
I also LOVE the idea of the gifts that give back sharing!! I actually work for a non-profit that does so much to give back – National Aquarium! We offer tons of amazing ways to visit, support, etc. and ALL that money goes towards our mission of inspiring conservation of the world’s aquatic treasures! My favorite gift to give (that gives back) is probably an Aquadopt! Who else can say they adopted a dolphin? or turtle? or shark?! The program adds donations to our animal care funds, plus you get to claim you adopted a great animal! http://aqua.org/contribute/donations/adopt-an-animal
Can’t wait to see what other great pieces you find and share!
I love that knitted headband! It would be SO perfect for Montana!
Great ideas!
Here are a couple of options for “charity gifts”… The Jimmy Fund is one of my favorite charities. I rode the PMC this past summer and they donate 100% of their proceeds to the Jimmy Fund which helps find a cure for cancer. They are selling a pretty Alex & Ani bracelet as well as many other fun gifts!
http://www.dana-farberholiday.org/site/apps/ka/ec/catalog.asp?c=ahKSLaNNLkJ0G&b=8724413&en=9iLHIUOzG8KQJ4OCI7JNL1NNLjLKL2NNIkIRL4NRIsI7E&CategoryID=978571
Another option is Cycle for Survival. I participated in a spin-a-thon last winter for this charity and it was inspiring to hear stories of those who the charity has helped. I think the ornament would make a cute stocking stuffer or Yankee Swap gift.
https://secure2.convio.net/mskcc/site/SPageServer/?pagename=cycle_battlebike
Love, love, love the idea of giving Birchbox as a Christmas gift. My sister and I gave a year subscription to my mom two years ago, and once it ran out, she renewed it! Best thing ever. Also, I’m listening to the Straight No Chaser Pandora holiday station now thanks to you. It’s so good!
Hot Tools curling irons are THE BEST! I discovered them about 3 years ago and my hair has never looked better. I have heavy hair and at the end of the work day, my hair is STILL curled!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE slippers. They are the ONLY thing I wear around the house. (Dang look at how many all caps words I wrote. I must really love slippers. Haha.)
I would also love that headband, if it weren’t still 75˚ here in Cali. Sigh.
I love all of the things on your list! I especially love that Nordstrom bag though! I love bags that have a handle and long strap too.
Love that Tory Burch cosmetic case! And so nice to see so many things for reasonable prices!
I love dogeared. I have the lucky bamboo and wishbone necklace. They are so dainty and pretty!
I love the TopShop satchel and that is an outstanding price for a bag!! The necklace is also adorable. And yep, slippers are on my Christmas list this year. I hate walking around on cold tile.
Great ideas! I love the necklace, and you can’t go wrong with a good pair of moccasin slippers! 🙂
I’m obsessed with cross body bags at the moment!
Your list is great! I’m in love with everything! The give back is such a passionate work! I’ll be checking till you post! Thanks for sharing with the rest of us 😀
I just ordered a couple bracelets from http://isanctuary.org/home. The jewelry is absolutely stunning, and it is all handmade by survivors of human trafficking. It’s an amazing organization!
I will definitely check this out. Thank you!
Those MK slippers are adorable and look sooo comfortable. I also love Give-Back gifts and make a point of including at least one gift like this every year.
That Old Navy bag is super cute! My best friend got me a Birchbox subscription last year and I loved it!
I love infinity necklaces/rings!
Phoster Candles is a brand of ethically sourced and sustainably produced candles – we donate 50% of the proceeds from every candle to an organization that is working to end human trafficking, prevent disease, or bring electricity to rural villages. Check out our website or find us on Facebook!
Thank you for the hilarious link to the Peeta article! I’m still laughing! Love your holiday round up too! 🙂
Some shameless advertising. My sisters and I just convinced my mom to open an Etsy shop. She’s currently selling infinity scarves and throw pillow cases, and the scarves are made-to-order so you can request a specific color if you wanted.
Most of the proceeds are going toward impoverished people in Vietnam, a cause close to my mom’s heart. Before moving to the U.S., she was a social worker in Vietnam. She fled from Vietnam in 1979 after the war and left her former life behind to raise five girls while our dad went back to school. At the time, our family was poor in American standards, but she knew that we were much more fortunate than those in Vietnam. Now that us girls have left the nest, she found a new interest in sewing and knitting and is finally taking on a venture that is solely her own.
Her name is Dam Ngo, hence the shop name, Dam Fine Designs.
Check it out: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DamFineDesigns
and follow us on Instagram: http://instagram.com/damfinedesigns
Great list! I’m glad I’m not the only one that can’t stop thinking about Janae’s Marc Jacob’s bag! 😉
ear warmer headbands are always a great gift! i love receiving them and i feel like you can never have too many since they’re are tons of different colors/styles!
Have you heard of Kiva? It’s a nonprofit organization that offers people the opportunity to give small but powerful loans to those working their way out of poverty around the world. You can buy someone a Kiva Card that they can then use to choose borrowers they want to support. Once the loans are repaid, they can choose another borrower!
Check it out at http://www.kiva.org/home
Olga