Today's gift guide comes from a girl who's face you see on this blog almost as often as mine! That's right, it's Tully! Her first name is actually Hailey, but I don't call her that so you don't have to either. Tulls and I always say that our style is almost exactly the same except for one, critical difference. In the Venn diagram of our (formerly) shared closet, we intersect with jewelry, accessories and the basics, but on her individual side she leans feminine and I lean masculine. She's the heels to my flats, the dress to my separates. If you're thinking that together we had a near-perfect wardrobe at our disposal - you're right. Anyway, because she's so girly and great, I asked Tully to create the ultimate gift guide for the ultra-feminine gal on your shopping list.

Please
don't get me wrong-- I'm not hating on menswear inspired pieces. I love a
good flannel and I even own a pair of boyfriend jeans. However, I like my
androgynous apparel to be more prim and tailored than frumpy and
loose. It's amazing what a daring slit or well placed hem can do for an
otherwise manly pattern. In my opinion, feminine fashion is as current as
it is classic and it’s not so much about bows and boustierres, (although those
are fun too), but more about having an endearingly effeminate personal style.
Clutches:
Being
a girly girl kind of makes you a crazy bag lady and when it comes to purses I’m
a total clutch kleptomaniac. My closet is filled with clutches- some worth keeping
and some that have seen too many nights out on the town. I value a designer
handbag as much as I do a vintage flea market steal but trendy bags come and go
so it’s important to choose your investments wisely. Considering both my
passion for clutches and my love of leopard, the House of Harlow 1960 Orlina
Clutch is at the top of my covet list. I’m also dying for the Embellished Maze
Clutch from Forever 21- talk about the perfect New Years bag!
Florals:
Everywhere.
All the time. From dresses and tops to bedspreads and couches to scarves and
backpacks- anything can be made girly with the touch of a floral pattern. I
believe that floral is eternally beautiful and almost always
acceptable. The Free People Long Sleeve floral patterned dress is not only
affordable, but can totally make the transition from winter to spring. And for
more floral fun, the BDG High Rise Grazer Cigarette jeans will show your
regular wash jeans what’s what.
Dresses:
All
day, every day. Dresses are the ultimate girly must have and I believe there's
a style for every girl. Whether it’s empire, drop waist, mini or maxi, you have
a dress soul mate, believe me. Dresses are a necessity like, say, water. So I’m pretty sure
they’re always on my wish list no matter what the season. I’m lusting over the
Versace for H & M dresses - that gold number is simply stunning!
Skirts:
Speaking
of girly girl necessities, SKIRTS top the list as well. When I was five, I wore
a pink tutu over every outfit for a whole year. Now that’s dedication! As a
loyal skirt wearer I believe the more the merrier, and I refuse to acknowledge
that women’s “work pants” are a real thing (much like belly chains or Crocs).
So I interpret business casual to mean skirts only. I’m currently looking to
add to my collection and I’ve been obsessing over the Baroque Mini Bodycon from
Top Shop as well as the adorable Asos Mini Skirt (with Bow). Both skirts are
elegant, feminine and offer tons of ‘dress up or dress down” potential.
Perfume:
A
girly girl has to SMELL like a girl. I’m a bit of a perfume collector and I’m
constantly updating my scent. Most of us have a go-to perfume that we chose
depending on what smells we’re most attracted to and what scents are most
attracted to our skin. My absolute favorite is Burberry Brit - can’t explain why
the smell works for me but I think the answer has something to do with science.
So in doing my research for new scents I’ve recently stumbled upon Miss Dior
Cherie - it’s sweet and slightly seductive and best of all, it’s not so potent
that you’ll scare your friends away.
Candles:
My
roommates think I'm the resident fire marshal since I once said Christmas trees
are a "fire hazard" and I've been known for unplugging hair
straighteners while they’re in use. But fire safety aside, I'm a candle
fanatic. Not only do candles fancy up a room, they are just plain sexy. I don't
go for seasonal smelling candles, (just because it's the holidays doesn't mean
the entire house needs to smell like cinnamon). I like to play it safe with
mild scents like Voluspa’s Ambre Lumiere, for a sweet yet subtle aroma.
Jewelry:
Never
leave home without it. Like any
girly girl or hip hop artist, I’ve often been known to wear too much at once.
That being said, less really is more. Minimal pieces with an elegant edge, like
the Rhinestone Crescent necklace from Forever 21, are an excellent and
inexpensive way to make a statement. The same goes for simple gold and silver
pieces. Lately, I’ve been in love with the Baublebar monogrammed necklaces as
they are a divine mix of trendy and classic style. Seriously, my initials have
never looked so good!
Fur:
Like
diamonds, I’m talking faux here. A faux fur jacket or vest instantly feminizes
any ensemble and when you don’t want to throw on twenty pounds of layers, fur
is the perfect way to warm up. I love the affordability of Zara’s Leopard coat
as well as the Winter Faux Fur Vest from Quiksilver. Gimme.
Shoes:
Guess
what? There IS such a thing as comfortable five inch heels. Here’s a hint: the
thicker the heel, the longer you'll be able to walk. And wedges are a great
place to start. Leave the toe cleavage out of it and find a heel that gets you
farther than the front door. When you can't afford designer labels, brands like
Aldo and Steve Madden excel in making affordable, sexy footwear. As I tell
Taylor, practice makes perfect and before you know it wearing heels is a
breeze. And when isn't, well, that's why we have skin colored Band-aids.
Books
I guess you
don’t have to be a girly girl to love the Real Housewives. You don’t even have
to be a girl. You just have to enjoy trashy TV- and I DO! But the least trashy
of all the housewives is definitely Mrs. Lisa Vanderpump. Not only is she a
successful restaurateur, she’s got killer feminine style. Her entire house is
covered in fresh flowers and pink accents, and she’s basically draped in
diamonds at all times. Lisa’s book is full of how-to’s for being a fantastic
party hostess. I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to read up. If you’re not
in the mood for reality TV and want some advice from a real real woman, “The Modern Girl’s Guideto Sticky Situations” is the best book in town. It’s full of witty and wise
solutions to handling any situation life throws at you. Spolier alert: I’ve
actually read it. But this book is full of SO much useful info that it’s worth
another few reads.
Additional
Goodies:
I
love having an adorable makeup bag and the Kate Spade Live Colorfully
collection is perfect for holding all that eye shadow! Some additional,
fabulous goodies that made my list are:
Sidewinding
Cuff – Anthropology
I
Love New York Perfume- Bond No. 9
Party
Clutch- Zara
Ralph
Wrap Dress- Rory Becca
Sweetie
Soft Bralette- Rebecca
yay tulls! great picks!
ReplyDeletelooooove the pics Tulls :)
ReplyDeleteah-mazing!! Wonderful choices, I have to say that I am more of a feminine girl myself
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You got this spot on! Everything would be a perfect gift!
ReplyDeletehttp://styleservings.blogspot.com/
Tully = a girl after my own heart. LOVE all the pics.
ReplyDeleteIn Pursuit of Style
Tullz, can you just finish my Christmas shopping for me?? Loved reading this and everything on here! Especially the fur...(hint, hint)
ReplyDelete