Hi. Since I just landed a job this year, this will also be my first time to go on holiday shopping for my family and friends. Do you have tips on how I can shop wisely for clothes as Christmas gifts? Would corporate clothes make good gift ideas? Thank you.
Clothes are always really difficult to give as gifts. I usually try to avoid giving clothes as presents. Instead, I would go for accessories. That way you don't have to worry about getting the right size. If you do get clothes, I would stick with stuff that fits multiple sizes like T-shirts, baggy sweaters, etc.
I think you can't go wrong with giving food as gifts. People love coffee gift baskets, cookies you baked yourself, etc. If you have a friend that just moved into a new apartment, hit the Dollar Tree and get them some kitchen stuff like oven mitts and baking pans and make them a holiday housewarming gift basket. Dollar Tree has adorable hair accessories so you could buy a little girl a bunch of cute hair accessories, colorful socks, a diary and lip gloss and put it in a gift bag.
Some people consider this against the "Christmas spirit" but I don't: ask people what they want. Tell them to write down exactly what brand, style, and color, and size, and then get that. That way you're guaranteed to get the correct thing. If you try to add the surprise element, you'll probably end up wasting time and money buying things in the wrong size or that the person doesn't like and won't wear.
Clothes are so hard to pick for gifts. I would only gift stuff like t-shirts, but nothing else. Pants are the hardest to find. You just never know people's sizes too and don't want to offend them. Don't forget that gift receipt!
If you really want to give clothes as gifts, it's a good idea to know the taste and size of the person you are buying for. This is usually easier for family members. For others, clothes accessories, such as scarves, socks and gloves are easier choices. I have found the week of Christmas to be the best time to shop for clothes. Christmas Eve is actually the best day I've seen. The markdowns are drastic. If you can deal with the crowds and last minute shopping, you will get a lot of good bargains. If,however, you're not sure about sizes and tastes, gift cards are great. Then the recipient can enjoy after Christmas bargains.
5. Get easy gifts out of the way early. I have a friend who sets aside money for cash gifts -- to the paper boy, the babysitter, the hairdresser, the trash collectors, out-of-town nephews -- before Thanksgiving. That way those presents don't have to come out of her December shopping budget. (See our Tipping Tip Sheet for guidance.)
Clothes can be quite hard to find for others. However if you are hell bent on the idea, try a gift card to the person's favorite store or perhaps instead of clothes you can buy accessories like hats, gloves or scarves. They are functional and practical gift and low cost.
Like everyone is saying, clothes are really hard to give as gifts. But if you know your family members well when it comes to fashion and clothing size, go ahead and give it a try. I always love getting a pretty blouse, sweater, or dress for Christmas. I especially love it if it's more expensive than what I usually spend on clothes. Tips: 1. Stick to tops and flowy/A-line dresses for women. Tight dresses require proper fitting and a certain a shape. Bottoms are harder to size correctly, even with the correct size. Women come in a huge variety of shapes. I know I have a ton of problems finding the right pear of jeans. 2. Add in some fashion accessories that you know your female kin will love. Unless they are allergic to certain metals, many women love a new pair of earrings. 3. For the next few weeks, pay attention to what your family wears often. Everyone has a fashion preference. You can cheat and take a peek in their closets. Here's what to look for: loose pants vs tight pants, jeans vs trousers, tight skirt vs loose skirt, loose blouses vs tight tees, prints vs solids, conservative vs bohemian, modern vs old-fashioned, bright colors vs soft colors. Do they wear ties, cuff links, headbands, earrings, scarves, wraps, rings, bracelets, necklaces? I personally wouldn't care to receive T-shirts, sweatshirts, pencil skirts, Tye-dye tops, and headbands because I rarely wear that stuff. But that's because it isn't my style right now. But it could totally be someone else's style. 4. As for discounts... finding discounts are always good. But it's hard to give advice on that. Not all stores are equal on discounts and not all stores offer the same fashion. As for corporate wear... if you're talking about business suits, I wouldn't go there. Too many things can can go wrong. If it's business formal separates and accessories, that's a bit easier. For a guy ties are always easy to give. If you have access to their shirt size, you can give that too. Nice sweaters and sweater vests are also great to give. For a women, a cute blouse is always appreciated. Oh and congratulations on the job!!!