When I was little, the bigger the pile of wrapped presents under the tree, the better. Now that I am an adult I know even when it comes to gifts, quality trumps quantity. I'm perfectly happy with a solitary gift if it was purchased with thought and love. While my last gift guide of items I'd love were more... reasonable, this is a gift guide of items I'd love to get but are more on the extravagant side. Those gifts that likely would be the only item under the tree yet awesome enough that they stand strong on their own. These are all things I've been drooling over recently, things I'd love to get myself for Christmas or any other time of the year!
- I'm a leopard gal, and over the years I have owned many leopard coats that missed the mark. This alpaca-blend reefer coat from Burberry is an elegant take on a leopard coat but still has a rock & roll vibe. I'd rock the heck out of it with jeans, cocktail dresses, and everything in between. I'd love to think I'd still be wearing this coat many decades from now. The price is pretty insane but when I think how many $75 - $250 coats I've bought over the years that I have worn, worn out, grown weary of, admitted were not a good choice and have sold or donated I could likely have purchased just one great coat like this.
- A cashmere bathrobe is so decadent! This cashmere robe from Saks Fifth Avenue Collection is even more so; a foot-grazing length is luxe and keeps your ankles warm and the wrap style will keep you well wrapped and chic enough to open the door (likely with a cocktail in one hand, a full face of makeup, and a perfectly messy yet chic updo). Gosh if I had this I may style it with a bunch of bold silver jewelry and wear it out of the house!
- I have silver bamboo name earrings... well I still have them but they're not wearable. I'm really disappointed in the quality and service from the now-defunct Etsy seller from where I bought them. I wanted them in time for my blog party and they arrived a week prior but two left earrings (meant my right earring would have my name facing my neck). The company offered to replace if I paid for shipping. I ended up wearing the earring backwards (put in from back of lobe to front with clasp in front) and continued to wear like that because I thought shipping and possibly not getting back would be risky. And though the earrings were advertised as sterling, they began to get dull and couldn't be polished, and the post on the backwards earring broke off while I was wearing them. Needless to say they're a waste and I'd love to replace with true sterling silver hoops. These classic bamboo name hoops from Soul Jewelry appear to actually be sterling silver and aren't much more than the "silver" crap I bought back in May.
- I love Diane von Furstenberg, I love red with pink and orange, and I love silk scarves. All of that together with the DvF "Midnight Kiss" 50″ square silk twill scarf that would be an awesome statement to my wardrobe.
- This black leather pouch decorated with an "evil eye" isn't really that pricey, but it's something I surely don't NEED and can't justify buying. But I adore it and it has been sitting in my Etsy shopping cart for the better part of 2015. I gotta say I love a good percentage of the fabulous things that cloverhunter, this Etsy seller has in her shop.
- My silver pumps are one of the best purchases I've made in a few years. I'd love to upgrade with the 'Abel' pump from Jimmy Choo in mirror-finish silver leather. It's an elegant and classic shoe and even more shiny than the pumps I currently own and such a gift would utterly floor me on Christmas day.
- Karl and I love ourselves some Mr. Lagerfeld. Maybe it's because he and my husband share a first name, because he's such a fascinating personality, because he's a talented designer and visionary, or likely the combination of all three. I think both he and I would comfortably rock this heather gray sweatshirt with Karl Lagerfeld's image on the front, though he'd wear his as-is with well-loved jeans and black Chucks and I'd cut the neck out of mine and wear them with my leopard print pencil skirt and the silver mirror Choos! And honestly, for this price I could get us each one so we could be that obnoxious couple that dresses alike...
- Call me basic, but I have loved the Clare V. foldover pouch in spotted haircalf for a long while. I'm a clutch gal; I love wearing them with dresses but also jeans and casual clothing. I have a leopard cloth clutch I wear a lot, but love the texture and interest that haircalf adds to an outfit (for those who are curious, what exactly is haircalf).
- Now that I better know my style, I know I am most at home in printed maxi dresses for evenings out. As previously mentioned, I love DvF and I think her prints are fantastic. This maxi dress has a floaty swirly feel thanks to the chiffon and the print has every single color I adore all rolled into one. I own two DvF wrap dresses from the late '90s but they are too small for me to wear right now. I'd love to have some of her line that actually fits my current self!
- I recently did an online feedback/focus group for a company I partner with and in thanks I was given a $100 Amazon gift card. I spent it on these sunglasses. I had these sunglasses, I loved these sunglasses, and I have no clue what happened to these sunglasses. Sure I have my gold and green aviators and can borrow the gold and gold ones Karl took for himself, but I miss the black glasses which weren't as shiny, as obvious, and looked a bit tougher (and also went with all types of metal jewelry!).
- As I have gotten older, I have more sensitivity to metal. While I'm okay with sterling silver rings and thin chains, I can't wear earrings every day. Sure, I love to rock some bamboo hoops for a night out (and then have my ears rest for a day or two), but I've become a fan of ear cuffs which don't cause any irritation. With my side part I like wearing one earring or cuff, and think this one from Etsy seller Knobbly Studio makes quite a statement.
- I do NOT need these chartreuse leather moto gloves from Banana Republic. Seriously, I do not. I have perfectly fine black leather gloves, and even a pair in purple. But gosh if these gloves aren't the most awesome thing I have seen in a long time. Imagine them peeking out from my black puffer coat, or even a leopard alpaca-blend reefer coat!
- For years I have wanted a green leather pencil skirt. I always imagined more of a rich emerald color but this bottle green leather skirt from White House Black Market is a good alternative.
- I had a pashmina this same color of light aqua. I chose the color because it was on clearance. I figured I'd be more of an orange or emerald green sort of gal, but was surprised how happy this color made me. I wore that thing to DEATH, even when it got a hole from being caught in my office chair, even when a pen blew up on it and I could never get out the stain. I finally donated it when a friend called it my security blanket, it made me realize how ratty and un-chic it had become. Since I have bought pashminas in other colors but miss the light aqua. This one is a thick 3-ply 100% cashmere version that I would baby much more than my last one so it could be comforting like a security blanket but not end up looking like one. (by the way, this store has amazing prices on 100% cashmere and free shipping - NOT an affiliate link, just a PSA!)