Guide
5 ballet flats for people who can’t stand them
by Stephanie Vinzens
Five easy tips on buying fashion-related gifts
2.12.2024
Translation: Katherine Martin
Giving clothes and accessories as gifts can be pretty tricky. Don’t worry, though. Following these tips will help stay you on the safe side.
Whether it’s an itchy sweater, ill-fitting shoes or earrings totally unsuited to the style of the person receiving them, it’s so easy to land a dud when scouting for gifts in the clothing department. Luckily, though, it’s just as easy to get a present the recipient will love. If you follow these five tips, there’s not much that can go wrong.
1. Don’t take any risks on sizing
It’s difficult enough finding clothes or shoes that fit you – despite the fact you know pretty much everything about yourself. So, trying to land something great for another person when they haven’t tried it on and you don’t have all the necessary information is quite the gamble. In most cases, I’d advise against buying clothes in specific sizes as gifts.
Instead, go for accessories or jewellery that’ll fit any size, such as scarves, bags or necklaces. If you do opt for clothing, choose pieces that are slightly more forgiving in terms of fit. Think loungewear, pyjamas, oversized-look garments and clothes made from stretchy materials.
2. Play detective in advance
With something as personal as style, there’s no room for guesswork. So pay particular attention to the person you’re buying for in the weeks leading up to the special occasion. Have they mentioned anything they’d like or talked about a particular brand? Hints like these are worth their weight in gold. If you haven’t picked up on anything yourself, don’t be afraid to ask a close friend of the person for advice. In my experience, this really pays off.
3. Go for high-quality, functional basics
4. Think twice when buying for fashion-conscious people
5. Don’t hesitate to give vouchers as a gift
A gift voucher looks all the more personal if you put some love into preparing it. Looking for inspiration on how to spruce up a voucher? My colleague Pia Seidel has some for you:
Has endless love for shoulder pads, Stratocasters and sashimi, but a limited tolerance for bad impressions of her Eastern Swiss dialect.
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