10 Fabulous Gifts For A Fashionista

Whether it’s a wife, girlfriend, mother, daughter, niece, or yourself (there’s nothing wrong with a little self-gifting!) most of us will be gifts for a fashionista this holiday season. Below are ten gifts (chosen by moi) that are sure to please any style-conscious friend or family member (and me).

10 Great Gift Ideas For A Fashionista

1. Magazine Subscriptions – Give the gift that keeps on giving – 12 months of fashion, style, and inspiration in the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, British Vogue, Lucky and other fashion & style magazines.

Bonus: Super affordable and no wrapping!

2. Nina Garcia’s Look Book $13.97 – Advice on what to wear for every occasion from the fashion director of Marie Claire and Project Runway judge, Nina Garcia. She’s smart, chic, and sharp tongued. Who wouldn’t take fashion advice from Nina?

3. Charm Bracelets - Charm bracelets are back in a big way. There are lots of fashionable variations (like this Juicy Couture braclet/necklace combo) and personalization shows that you put time and effort into your gift selection.

Bonus: Years of gift giving are in the bag! Mark memorable occasions with new charms!

4. Sephora by OPI $48 – Nail polish is an accessory just like a fabulous bracelet or necklace. The Sephora by OPI gift set includes 18 mini nail colors, from the lady-like to the daring, that compliment any outfit.

5. Gift cards – Fashionistas are one of the few people I recommend buying gift cards for. Style can be really personal, and you don’t want to buy the wrong size or color. If you ‘re going to give gift cards, make sure it’s for somewhere with a wide selection (like Sephora, Simon Malls, or a department store) and that the dollar amount covers the cost of whatever you had in mind for the person (say a new purse or pair of boots).

6. Echo ‘Driver Touch’ Gloves $35 – Gloves make a fantastic gift because you can buy a high-end name brand for a reasonable price (check TJ Maxx for brands like Coach and Michael Kors). I love the classic driving style and bold colors of these Echo wool gloves. So chic.

Bonus: Textured pads on the thumb and index finger allows you to use your iPhone and other touch devices!

7. TOMS shoes $54 – TOMS have a cult following, and these Glitter TOMS are so versatile and sparkly that anyone can see why.

Bonus: For every pair you purchase, TOMS gives a pair to a child in need!

8. Vintage Purse Camera Strap $30 – Photography and fashion seems to go hand-in-hand thanks to the boom in fashion blogging. What better way to make your camera fashionable than with a strap that looks like it’s straight from a vintage purse (namely one that rhymes with FoFo Fanel)!

9. Gem Headphones $29.50 – Not only are these Orbit Gem Hearphones from Delight.com slim and functional, they look gorgeous and demure.

10. Miniemergency Kit $11.95 – Every fashionista need to be prepared for the worst – unraveling hems, broken nails, runs in tights. The Miniemergency Kit from Kitson is adorable and contains all the necessities: hairspray, clear nail polish, nail polish remover, emery board, lip balm, earring backs, clear elastics, sewing kit, double-sided tape, stain remover, deodorant, pain reliever, tampon, breath freshener, dental floss, and bandages.

Shades of Greige – Fall Nail Polish Colors

My mom tried everything to get me to stop biting my nails as a kid. Neither manicures to show me how pretty my nails could be (if only I’d take my damn fingers out of my mouth!) nor foul tasting nail polish (which wasn’t so foul tasting after you got used to it) could break my habit. I was hardcore.

It wasn’t until recently, when I discovered Nail Tek, that my nails became presentable. Long and strong and perfect for polishing!

Since then, I’ve learned to embrace nail polish. It compliments your outfit, reflect you personal style, and can pull together a look in a snap. This fall’s coolest nail polish colors aren’t as harsh as last year (no red-blacks or royal blues) but they are just as brooding and moody in shades of greige (gray + beige).

Here are some of my favorite nail polish colors (at a variety of price points) for fall.

Paradoxal by Chanel is this season’s “it manicure” and is sure to sell out. It’s an iridescent, gray-violet hue that makes for a surprising neutral and was spotted on several celebrities during Fashion Week (Jessica Simpson occasionally gets something right).

If dropping $25 on a bottle of nail polish isn’t in your budget, you can find similar shades at your corner drugstore and look just as chic.

Merino Cool by Essie has that same gray-violet hue without the sparkle and is universally flattering, no matter your skin-tone. The whole Essie Fall 2010 Collection is perfect for fall, and even includes Limited Addiction red for the holidays.

OPI makes an entire line of fabulous polishes for Sephora, but Metro Chic is this season’s standout color. It’s a smokey gray with a hint of purple that looks gorgeous with olive complexions.

Tracy Reese for Sally Hansen has a great color out called Wet Clay that’s flying off the shelves – so keep your eyes peeled! Mudslide by Sally Hansen is another great creamy option if Tracy Reese is nowhere to be found.

If you prefer more neutral colors, You Don’t Know Jacques! by OPI and e.l.f. nail polish in nude are two colors from last spring that are still going strong.

Will you be sporting greige polish this fall?

The Perfect Nail Polish If You Can’t Pull Off Black

I have a new favorite nail polish:

OPI’s Lincoln Park After Dark

It’s almost black, but not quite.  It’s a very, very, very deep purple and I absolutely love the way it looks on my toes.  It makes me feel like I’m pulling off something a little edgier than my normal red (which is OPI I’m Not Really A Waitress Red thanks to Becky) or pink (which is rare and only worn if I’m wearing pink or let my daughter pick out my polish.)  But it’s not actually black because actual black looks a little too “I cover my walls with my own poetry because my life is so hard.”

Some women can wear an actual black and look sexy.  I am not one of those women.  But Lincoln Park After Dark is, I daresay, sexy on me.

Of course, as luck would have it, my favorite new nail polish is damn near impossible to find.  Locally, I’ve only been able to purchase it at nail salons, including an open bottle I paid $8 for because it was the only way I could get my hands on it.  (My husband bought a sealed bottle the same day, unbeknownst to me, from another nail salon.)  Online, this particular color isn’t available at any of my usual haunts.  The only place I’ve been able to find it is Amazon – for about the same price once you throw in shipping.

Click here to buy Lincoln Park After Dark on Amazon.

PRO TIP: while searching for a bottle in my local mall, I came across Lincoln Park After Dark in matte.  This is not the same thing and I would not recommend this ever unless – well, no.  Ever.  Ew.

Nail Polish That Doesn’t Chip? Oh, yeah.

It’s been years since I painted my fingernails with anything but a clear coat.

My toenails?  Pretty those babies up with reds and pinks and purples!

But my fingers?  No way.

There is nothing tackier than chipped fingernail polish, and even a manicure from the Ritz Carlton spa cannot make colored nail polish stay on my fingers.  The last time I had a manicure was on the way to the airport before a weekend trip.  By the time I reached the hotel in my destination city, my polish was chipped and peeling.

I vowed then and there to never paint my nails again.

Luckily, last spring I discovered how to fix my soft, peeling nails and make my natural manicure look beautiful.  What I didn’t realize at the time was that I held the key to my polish woes.

I apply Nail Tek II Nailcare to my fingernails almost every day.  Once a week I wipe down my nail beds with nail polish remover and start over.  It’s given me longer, stronger nails than I’ve ever had in my life.

Last week, I picked up a new bottle of Nail Tek II and happened to read the back of the packaging.

“APPLY DAILY as a top coat over polish.”

Could it be?

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