How To Give Great Gifts and "Hermès Junior" Handbags
Issue No. 03
‘Tis The Gifting Season
Who's on your list this year? Undoubtedly, repeat holiday recipients and recent additions in a new friend, colleague, or family member. Gifting can quickly become a stressful time of year for anyone, especially when you want to surprise and delight. But it can be hard to give thoughtfully when there are so many people to gift and so little time to always be in the know of their new interests and desires.
I've historically exchanged "wish lists" with family and friends and continue to do so in some instances, but it's not so much my preference. This is not the easiest way to think about it, given that some people are hard to buy for and others struggle with what to buy for someone.
However, come that holiday exchange moment whether, at a holiday brunch, Secret Santa, work party, family gathering, after lighting the candles, or first thing in the morning, it's become inevitable that you aren't entirely surprised since you did indeed state exactly what you wanted. Not to be left ungrateful by any means, it's always nice to get a gift that you actually want. But there's not always a thrill of amazement in this for either party.
This year, why not try something new? My personal styling client, Deb from Michigan, and I were talking about gifting recently, and she shared her new endeavor to make giving and receiving more special. To develop new or long-term relationships with people we care for in a less anticipatory manner, even still within the guardrails of what the recipient actually values.
The solution: a Holiday Questionnaire to send early and fast to the recipients on your list. I've added a few layers to the original form that Deb shared and will be using her tool to help me gift family members and close friends. How it works: share the form/questions with anyone you're gifting and ask that they complete it by an early enough date for you to address your shopping. Once you get the responses back, think about unique gifts that align with their interests and desires. For instance, "A skill that I like to get better at is: speaking Italian." Insert an annual subscription to the Duolingo app.
Start now on your gift planning, if you haven’t yet. Gift guides are out early this year in preparation for delays, supply chain shortages, and any unexpected bumps in the weeks leading into all the holidays ahead. Retailers alike have shared similar sentiments on availability and shipping estimates. Planning ahead will hopefully help remove any of the added stress that can pile up this time of year. Happy gifting!
Need extra help with gifting this season? Interested in changing up your gifting approach with something new that’s sure to please the people you love? Let’s work together. I’m assisting clients, their families, and businesses on intentional, outside-of-the-box gifts that are sure to please. Email me to discuss how we may best work together and support you in a seamless, easy, confident gifting season: connect@lauraksawyier.com
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Let Your Bag Do The Talking
A hero accessory, no doubt. And one that we can interchangeably swap out and rely on in the right styling moment. Handbags are a longtime statement piece that’s both form and function (most of the time).
Looking to the classic, eternal investment of core bags, I’ve styled Hunting Season handbags (you’ll meet them below) for four activities on your calendar.
Shop Look 1 | Housewarming Dinner - Stella Pardo Mansi Fringe Sweater; Monbouquette Jewelry Trois Bubble Drops; Hunting Season The Top Handle; MOTHER The Insider Faux-leather Cropped Trousers; The Row Zipped 1 Leather Ankle Boots; and don’t forget your housewarming gift of The Lighter from Hunting Season.
Shop Look 2 | Holiday Cocktail Party - REDValentino Chantilly Lace-paneled Floral-print Silk Crepe de Chine Midi Dress; Madeleine Thompson Leysin Fringed Cashmere Cape; Hunting Season The Envelope Clutch; EF Collection 14k Diamond Signet Pinky Ring; Manolo Blahnik Hangisi Crystal Satin Mules.
Shop Look 3 | City Sightseeing - J.Crew Tissue Turtleneck; Sacai + KAWS Quilted Camouflage-print Shell Jacket; Hunting Season The Saddle Bag; MOTHER The Hustler Ankle Fray Jeans; Converse Chuck Taylor® All Star® Lug Sole Sneaker; Supergoop! Mineral Mattescreen Sunscreen SPF 40 PA+++.
Shop Look 4 | Relaxing Getaway Essentials - Naadam Wool Cashmere Cable Knit Turtleneck Tunic; Slip Silk Sleep Mask; Hunting Season The Weekender & The Voyage Travel Pouches (the double as a clutch); Jenni Kayne Shearling Mule.
Affiliate Disclosure: I occasionally use affiliate links, which means that if you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This is at no cost to you. Thank you for continuing to support my work!
Meet Hunting Season
Not the hunting season you may be thinking. Designed and crafted in Bogotá, Colombia, this luxury leather goods company launched in 2006, initially with their timeless handbags like the iconic top handle and sleek, compact clutch. Expanding over the years into accessories such as table lighters (a supreme coffee table l'objet), travel pouches, and a star-studded collaboration with Rosie Huntington-Whiteley that teed up the quintessential beauty case (doubles as a viable little top handle tote to wear out to dinners in faraway places).
The New York Times coined Hunting Season as "Hermès Junior" in 2019. That's accurate (quality’s the same, but nowhere near the price tag). If you're into timeless, modern heirlooms that are durable enough to wear every day, then this is sure to be your joie de vivre. With emphasis on the real value in a product's story, Hunting Season continues to be on the hunt to grow its partnerships - drawn to craft, tradition, and design. Their collaborations with local artisans, whose rich heritage of weaving techniques, passed down through generations, have become their brand's signature. Each collection is created with carefully sourced materials, including metal-free leathers tanned in Italy and brought together by expert craftsmen in Spain.
Hunting Season initially joined me (and many of you) for a SALON event in 2019. It was a natural relationship of brand affinity and appreciation for the women behind Hunting Season to invite them back to share once again with you. I spoke with founder/creative director Danielle Corona and business partner/COO Lena Baranovsky about their exciting expansion into newly announced home goods, arriving in 2022, and their commitment to slower, thoughtful creation of timeless, limited objects to adorn our bodies and homes with (watch here). Perhaps the right place for a unique gift this season?
Love what you've discovered?
Take 20%-off your order, site-wide, at Hunting Season by using code at checkout: STYLESUB20
Offer valid November 9 - November 25, 2021. Free ground shipping in the US. Returns accepted within 15-days of purchase.
Have styling questions about Hunting Season?
Send me your questions/thoughts to: stylesubstance@lauraksawyier.com
The Latest
Glitz up your holiday outfit: A fine way to dress up your LBD, sparkly sheath, all-over tartan, or velvety two-piece, Monbouquette Jewelry puts the fun in functional for elevated multi-wear, clever jewelry in gold, diamonds, pearls, and silver plating. Take 20%-off your order at Monbouquette for a limited time - now through November 18, 2021. Use code at checkout: STYLESUB20 ($5 flat rate shipping & free returns within 45-days of purchase).
For the moviegoers: House of Gucci comes to theaters Thanksgiving weekend. If you’re into fashion, fantasized true crime, incredible Italian-made ensembles (like the bombastic GG monogram pantsuit brought to life by Oscar-winning costumer designer Janty Yates), Lady Gaga, and panoramic scenery from placid waters, stately villas, and cosmopolitan city living, this is worth checking out. I’ve been enthusiastically waiting for the release ever since we first saw images of Gaga and Adam Driver in their Gucci glory. Fun fact - Gaga never worn anything twice in all of the shooting, that includes jewelry.
Happy shoes need mending: Receive 20%-off your cobbler repairs at Jim’s Shoe Repair/Cobbler Concierge by using code at checkout: StyleSub* (case sensitive). Text 74637 to start a repair order now. Restrictions apply. Offer valid through December 31, 2021. More details here.
Bundle up: It’s getting cold out there (well, in most places across the US, it is). I’ve rounded up my favorite quilted jackets and puffy parkas for all the locales across the country - whether temps are steadily dropping or you’re experiencing hot days and chilly nights, these styles cover it all.
