THE PAMPER PRINCESSES

Dressing Gown & Nightwear

Sometime this is a lot easier than buying underwear for your wife or girlfriend , and a woman likes to have a lovely set of nightwear for weekends away and nights in after a bath, facial and manicure. Plus sometimes lingerie can seem like more of a gift for you, than for her, if you know what I mean! A dressing gown and nightwear can still be sexy and sensual, but feels like more of a treat for her. 
Shops to try: -

• La Senza (BEST ON A BUDGET)
• Boux Avenue
• Ted Baker
• La Perla (serious brownie points!)

Luxury Beauty Products

This fits in to the category of what every woman wants, but not all would justify spending money on in order to treat herself. A little indulgence when it comes to the beauty regime can really help a girl feel at her best! However we don’t mean bubble bath and shower gel here – we’re more talking time travelling face-creams, most talked about exfoliators and face masks, luscious lip balms and Beauty Editor top picks.

Best Beauty Buy Brands: -

• Sanctuary at Boots (BEST ON A BUDGET)
• Benefit (MOST STYLISH ON A BUDGET)
• Liz Earle 
• Dermologica 
• Lancome
• Eve Lom
• Estee Lauder
• Sisley
• Creme de la Mer (quite hefty in price, but the celebs use this stuff!)

(Try any good department store like John Lewis or Selfridges for these brands)

THE FASHIONISTA

Shoes!

Every fashionista loves her shoes and this is a relatively easy present for a man to buy his partner in the ‘fashion’ department without going too wrong, but it’s just (if not more) as appreciated as clothes. If your fashionista likes her heels, then why not treat her to a new pair – just make sure you get her size right before you hit the shops (which again should be easy to do – just look in her existing shoes, but bear in mind the style you intend on buying her. If you’re buying her heels, look in her heels for a size reference, not her flats or boots).

Shoe Obsessed Girls love: -

• Zara (BEST ON A BUDGET – but bear in mind you won’t get a pretty shoe box to wrap up!)
• Dune (BEST ON A BUDGET with a shoe box)
• Kurt Geiger
• Jimmy Choo 
• Christian Louboutin (serious brownie points, but you’re wallet will feel substantially lighter!)

Luxury Notebook or iPad / Phone Case

Depending on the type of wife or girlfriend you have and whether she uses notebooks and diaries; a beautiful luxurious notebook, diary or filofax can be a thoughtful and stylish surprise, and something a little different to open on Christmas day. If she’s more high-tech maybe a fabulous designer case for her iPad would be a good idea.

• Filofax do some special designs sometimes and are always practical
• Smythson Notebooks
• Reiss have some stylish phone cases
• NetaPorter.com for seriously impressive iPad cases
• Mulberry Notebooks - always a class act.

THE DOMESTIC GODDESS

Fun at HomeIf you’re wife or girlfriend is a real home-bird and enjoys getting her hands dirty with a spot of gardening or baking; or maybe just loves to be surrounded by luxurious furnishings and beauty, why not get her something she can enjoy at home such as: -

• Garden Goddesses – Celia Birtwell beautifully patterned garden accessories
• Baking Goddess – Peggy Porschen recipe cards or Cookie Kits
• Interiors Style Queen – A Missoni Throw or Alexander McQueen Cushions 

Developing Hobbies

Perhaps your better half just wants to keep improving and learning new skills to add to her already astounding repertoire! If so, why not look in to booking her on to a course or class that she might enjoy so that she can start her year off with something that’s just for her to enjoy all to herself. Often women with families and jobs can feel like their giving to others all the time, so this is a really nice way of treating her to some ‘me time’ but as opposed to the usual pamper day, it allows her to grow more as a person and find out more about her talents.

• Baking Courses – www.peggyporschen.co.uk
• Personal Stylist and Shopper Courses – www.mystyleacademy.com
• Make Up and Beauty - www.lond-est.com
• Jewellery making – www.inthestudio.com

THE YUMMY MUMMY

Travel Items & AccessoriesEvery woman wants to have stylish and polished looking travel accessories when she’s away with work; on an overnight stop or away on holidays, however most Mum’s don’t get the time to plan ahead or feel that they can justify such a treat for themselves.

• Designer Umbrella  - Marc Jacobs (BEST ON A BUDGET) 
• Purse – Michael Kors (at House of Fraser)
• Cosmetics Bag – Soap & Glory at Boots, Ted Baker at Boots (STOCKING FILLERS)
• Passport Holder – Aspinal of London
• Suitcases or Overnight Bags from - Jimmy Choo, Lanvin, Mulberry, Louis Vuitton

Personal Shopper for the Day!

If your lady likes to settle down on an evening and watch Gok, then perhaps treating her to her own personal shopping session with a style expert (and some money to spend on the day!) might be an extra special welcome surprise. A day to focus solely on her own style and wardrobe, without the kids, will leave her feeling brimming with confidence and sex-appeal again.

www.mystylecompanion.com are style experts and have had many happy wives and girlfriends whom were treated to a personal shop or wardrobe consultation, and comment on what thoughtful partners they had! Buy a gift certificate from My Style Companion and make 2012 a really special year for her.

TOP CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TIPS

• Start the day on a positive note. Get up early, have a good breakfast and get to the shops for opening times. 
• Do your research on the internet first and have a plan of what you’re looking for and where you can go to get it.
• Jot down an approximate budget for each person, so that you don’t have the shock of your life when you look at your bank balance in January.
• Gift receipts are a great idea if you’re unsure whether the gift will be suitable. That way the recipient doesn’t need to offend you by telling you it’s not right; or end up with something they don’t want.