I can’t believe we are heading into the first week of November. I’m writing this on the plane back from a work trip to Germany, and will be arriving back in NYC right in time to participate in Halloween and marathon festivities. I’ve never been a Halloween person, but having a Little does make this holiday more fun (though coordinating what felt like a week of Halloween outfits from afar was another job entirely).
I was in Frankfurt for work, and as I was walking around I kept thinking about how much I love seeing a less common city. Travel, especially via feeds, feels so reductive these days. I want less of the twelve spots everyone saves, and more of whatever happens to delight you as you walk across town.
Being somewhere I hadn’t had much exposure to, or time to research gave me a different lens. So I’m thinking of a Frankfurt recap, mostly the 6+ outfits I squeezed into one carry-on and the mixing and matching I was, frankly, very pleased with. As many of you know, when you don’t work in fashion, a work outfit has a very specific brief: exciting enough for you, yet still appropriate for the room.
I also made it to two vintage shops, and at one I came away with not one but three (!!) pieces. The owner, Emily, was a joy and sent me down a few rabbit holes that made for great transit entertainment. Is this a recap you’d want? Tell me.
This week, though, is a special request from a girlfriend (and subscriber!). She asked for gifts, so here were my rules:
Useful and broadly helpful, but not necessarily already in everyone’s arsenal.
I personally stand by all of them, and I have many of them.
A range: prices, vintage and new, home and fashion, with a preference toward small shops, because you know me.
Some could be personalized and make a great gift for someone specific over the holidays. Others are host and girlfriend gifts: buy five and have them on hand.
For the vintage ones, use mine as inspiration. The rabbit hole idea is half the gift!
It isn’t technically a holiday gift list, but it easily could be, as we are approaching the season.
Tissue box covers
I know this is seemingly basic af. But a tissue box cover is one of those things you can always use another of, or have none of at all, and a covered box makes a room feel put together in a way I can’t fully articulate.
There’s a style for every girlfriend. The Row-wearing Mayfair Finance Girl (if you haven’t read her first diary on Plum Sykes’ Substack, highly recommend) would only go for tortoise or lacquer. Marbled paper for your maximalists. Vintage brass basket weave for your thrifting girlfriend. ABCs for your friend who’s expecting.
Speaking of, I recently got this striped cover for my son’s room from a small husband-wife shop I discovered at the Spoils market last weekend.
Embroidered dog collars + leashes
This is one of my favorite small makers, based in Sun Valley. I’ve been buying their Guatemalan-made collars and leashes for years (you can see one I have in this picture, coincidentally). They’ve held up incredibly well, which is more than I can say for many other things our dog has owned. They also do great men’s belts, very similar to the La Matera Argentinian belts you see often, but at a better price point and more unusual colors and patterns.
Uniqlo Pufftech + Heattech
This seems silly (and very unsexy) as a gift, but it’s one of those basics I swear even the person who has everything will use (I’ve gotten countless girlfriends hooked).
If you live somewhere cold, you know layering is essential. But I loathe the bulk and would frankly rather be cold. I will never not layer with this Uniqlo Heattech cashmere (I take the xs). It’s tissue thin but still extremely warm, and I wear it under every sweater all winter. Crewneck over turtleneck when layering, personally.
While I’m talking Uniqlo, I don’t travel without a collarless puff (vest or jacket). It’s thin enough to layer under a “fashion” coat and packs down to almost nothing. With it being collarless, it’s chic enough to wear on its own (down to breakfast with a shawl one morning, perhaps). I have both the jacket and vest in a dark and a light color. It’s not sexy, but it’s a great price point and gift.
Vintage pill boxes
This one falls in the category of things everyone can use but no one really has: a mini pill box. It’s a fun rabbit hole to fall down, hunting-wise, with loads out there at different price points. As you can see above, I am particularly fond of the vintage silver ones (unsurprising, I know).
I would love to receive one from a friend or family member who picked out a specific one for me. Great for travel, and for the spare Advil or melatonin you need in a pinch, instead of the one rolling around the bottom of your purse. (These could also be a cheeky “get well” gift.)
Pair it with Busacca Bazaar’s idea of a magazine from the recipient’s birth year, and it’s perfect, thoughtful, and a 10/10 from me.
New here? Hi! Five months ago I started PMLF as a running record of what I’m hunting for, how I plan on styling it, and a few other creative pursuits sprinkled in. My goal is to make vintage feel approachable and wearable.
Chic folding umbrellas
Do not underestimate the chicness of an attractive umbrella. I am partial to the bamboo-handle ones and bring me joy on rainy days. I think they look great over your arm or hanging off your bag. I was once gifted one of my favorite gifts of all time (this umbrella), then tragically left it behind in a taxi one night.
Since then, I’ve kept my umbrella spending modest. The ones above span a range of prices, and all of them are timeless. I prefer folding (aka mini) style, as they are easier to tote around town and stuff in a bag.
Potted paper flowers
This is a splurge gift I gave myself two years ago, and I get compliments every time we have people over. It’s especially great if you travel a lot, or want the feeling of flowers in a room that doesn’t get much light (or you can’t keep anything alive). There are other approaches on this front (Apartment 387’s silk flowers are great), but I like the potted-plant feel and paper. It’s an investment, but it’s also very much a work of art.
Cuyana’s small accessories
Also something I have and love, and would happily keep adding to. Cuyana’s leather is really nice, and they keep their colors consistent enough over the years that you can build a collection over time. Also, the personalization is chic and understated (an important detail in my book).
Between my sister and me, we have 8+ pieces (some are over 6 years old). You can’t go wrong, but I use my laptop case, tech case, and flap case (for my passport and wallet when traveling) the most. I love red, as it’s easy to spot and pull out of an overstuffed bag.
Vintage wine baskets
A dear, offline friend gave me a wicker wine tote more than five years ago, and five summers in, it’s still a joy to use. It has carried bottles to picnics, to dinner at friends’ houses, and onto the boat, and it makes a bottle of wine feel like a proper gift. There are new ones I love, but the vintage hunt is so fun and there are plenty to choose from.
Vintage YSL silk scarves
Similar to how some girls have a token nail color (mine is red), I have a token silk scarf: vintage YSL. Very specifically the geometric patterns. I find them incredibly wearable and timeless.
Don’t be afraid of color here. The best surprise has been an almost neon yellow one I wasn’t sure about, which turns out to work incredibly well with otherwise all-dark colors, or tied on a bag. Scarves are a great gift imo, because someone can do a multitude of things with one, and they’ll likely have it for decades.
SJ Pottery mochaware
You know I love mochaware, and I’ve been championing SJ Pottery since one of my first posts, More plates on walls, please. So imagine my delight walking into Nickey Kehoe last week to find they’ve followed in Tory’s footsteps and partnered with Sue and John too.
They don’t otherwise make these little plates, which would make a fabulous gift, maybe for a mom or sister. (You’ll also have a gifting theme to always fall back on for other holidays). I held them in person—they’re thick and chunky and feel delightfully handmade (because they are!).
Vintage wine coasters
I’ve mentioned these before, but I love a wine coaster. When someone is hosting and pulls one out, they enter another tier of hostess. It’s a fun thing to build a collection of, or to gift with some champagne for a birthday. There are plenty to hunt for, though I have several friends who this shell one would be perfect for.
See? Gifts, even hostess gifts, can be vintage. It just means someone went down a rabbit hole on your behalf, which is, in my opinion, is quite the thoughtful gift.
So there you have it: twelve things I would love to receive, as someone who reliably wins “hardest to buy for” among her people (an award I never campaigned for). I hope this sparks some ideas, whether for birthdays, the upcoming holidays, yourself, or just because.
Finders keepers,
SN
Some of these links may earn me a small commission, which I appreciate as these posts take a lot of time (and love!!). Each week(ish) I’ll be sharing things from across home, fashion, travel, and littles…mostly wherever my vintage hunting and rabbit-hole deep dives take me. Thank you for the support <3
Brooch brooch city bitch
Quick heads up that this is an insanely long post with 80+ vintage links. It will get cut off in email inboxes, so I highly recommend reading it in the Substack app or in a web browser.
i've consumed a lot of gift guides, and this one is actually the most inspiring & delightful. the silk YSL scarves for under $100!? Chic tissue box covers!? obsessed
My grandparents collected the National Geographic magazines from everyone’s birth month and had them all together on a shelf growing up. Such an easy, sweet gift idea! Loving so many of these! I feel like I could definitely benefit from a full scarf deep dive. Never know what to do with them!