Holiday Gift Guide – Gift Ideas For Your Daughter And Daughter-in-Law

Happy Tuesday ladies! I have a special post today. You’ve all heard me talk about her often, so today you will hear from her. I think it’s only fitting for my daughter Vanessa to pitch in (and start dropping me some hints!) on the perfect gifts for your daughter or daughter-in-law this holiday. Please welcome Vanessa for her first guest post on A Well Styled Life!

Hi ladies! I hope you are having a great week. My mom asked me to share some of my gift ideas for the daughter or daughter in law on your holiday gift list. I am so happy to share some ideas with you.

Working From Home

Daily zoom calls at work mean I am still needing to get dressed and presentable from the waist up everyday! A few gift ideas that are a favorite for my days working from home.

Is your girl is working from home like most of us? This is the year of the Yoga Pant. I have two favorite pairs, and I am literally wearing them every single day… it’s bizarre to think that the weekends have become when I put actual pants on! My two favorite go-to’s are the Lululemon Align pant (true to size) and the Alosoft Lounge Legging (can size down).

A cashmere sweater. Really, you can’t go wrong. I love a crewneck style, and just add a statement necklace, and voila! I am business casual. One of my favorites is the Everlane crewneck. I have it in oatmeal and black.

Airpods Pro. Now, I know these are an investment. But! If your daughter is working from home and on conference calls, there is nothing better than a pair of noise-canceling wireless headphones. These allowed me to tune out family members during my summer in California and walk around the house during my calls instead of sitting down all day, in an uncomfortable (non-ergonomic) kitchen chair.

Work(out) from Home

I have been doing a whole lot of free workouts this year on Instagram Live and Youtube. It’s so important to me to stay active during the lockdown, and even though I live in a tiny apartment I have managed to assemble a bit of a home gym.

No at-home workout is complete without a nice yoga mat. And, even if your daughter isn’t a yogini, chances are good that she is using a mat – for pilates, stretching, weights, or my favorite pose (Savasana). Earlier this year I bought a new mat because they do lose their cushion and stickiness over time.

This little speaker is great for playing music during my home workouts. In the summertime, I bring it out onto my deck for yoga (or a summer bbq). If your girl doesn’t have a wireless speaker, this is a great option.

I am really, really, really (is my hinting working yet) hoping for a pair of ankle/arm weights this Christmas from Bala. I have seen these all over the Instagram workout set and they are small, low impact, and can be added to pretty much any workout.

A Little Luxury

Skincare… while most women have a routine established, I think skincare can be a great gift for the holidays, especially an item they wouldn’t normally buy themselves.

Earlier this year I introduced my mom to the Mae Love Serum Trio, and we are both obsessed. This is a great gift because it gives your girl a chance to try three MVP face serums. They are pretty much guaranteed to go with what she is already using and are very affordable. The Glowmaker Vitamin C serum (which every beauty guide for women in our thirties/forties is shouting at us to start using) is super high quality and often compared to SkinCeuticals CE Ferulic (but will not cost half of my car payment). The Nia 10 is great for acne-prone, sensitive skin (hello!) and can be layered under retinol or used alone. Finally, this Hydrator B5 Gell is AMAZING. It is a vitamin b, hyaluronic acid blend. This is my favorite of the bunch. I can’t say enough about this trio and highly recommend it as a gift for your daughter.

If your girl has a few moments to herself at night (work is over, and/or kids are asleep)… a nice moment of luxury is to put on a face mask and relax. I have tried many, but one that I really like is this Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask with Avocado & Swiss Glacier Water.

How about a little shine? I absolutely love these Lagos Huggie Earrings from Dean Davidson. They are a beautiful brushed gold. They go with pretty much everything and are perfect for my Zoom calls or to wear on an evening out (one day?!)

I think it is hard to buy a fragrance for someone else, unless you know what her favorite perfume is (*Ahem* my favorite fragrance ; ) But if you aren’t sure what she likes, one idea would be to buy a nice luxurious body lotion or oil. Two picks I have my eye on are the Necessaire Body Serum and the Josie Maran Whipped Argan Butter.

One more luxury item that we often won’t buy ourselves but would love to receive is a nice set of wine glasses! I have broken my fair share of wine glasses, and I don’t often buy myself a nice set. Riedels are a classic, and you can choose her favorite depending on whether she likes reds or whites.

Stories to get us through Lockdown

Last but not least! I am a lifelong reader, and this year I have been averaging a book each week, especially during quarantine! If your girl is a reader, I would suggest one of my top five books from this year:

Untamed, by Glennon Doyle. I would like to buy this book for every woman I know. Oh, how I love Glennon Doyle. She is a treasure and this book is full of raw honesty, empowerment, and soul. I cannot say enough good things about Untamed, and I am not alone. It’s been on pretty much every best book of 2020 list, including Reese’s book club and the NY Times top ten. For all my cheetahs who have already read this book, here is your next favorite coffee mug.

24/6 by Tiffany Shlain. This was the first book I read in 2020, and wow did it get me thinking. In a culture so obsessed with our phones, social media, screen time… what would it be like to completely unplug for one full day each week? The author talks about her family’s habit of unplugging one day per week (she calls it a “tech Shabbat”), and explores the impact of technology on our relationships, psyche, productivity… Even if a full unplug each week isn’t her speed, I think this book will get your daughter thinking about her phone in a new light.

The Forty Rules of Love, a Novel of Rumi by Elif Shafak. I reread this book over the summer, and it is truly one of my favorite novels of all time. It is a beautiful story about the life of Rumi, the mystical Sufi poet woven together with a modern-day woman’s tale of transformation. A mix of historical and modern fiction with poetry.

Disappearing Earth, by Julia Phillips. This is a haunting mystery set in Russia. Two young sisters go missing and the story unfolds around their disappearance, and the broader community impacted by the tragedy. It is gripping and intense – I couldn’t put it down – and consumed a quarantine weekend!

My Life on the Road, by Gloria Steinem. Oh, how I loved this book. Gloria tells her story of a life rooted in activism, feminism, and organizing while traveling all over the United States. As an avid traveler myself (in any other year!) I absolutely loved this book. It is another one that has topped the NY Times bestseller list and is being turned into a movie “The Glorias” starring Julianne Moore.

I hope that you have a wonderful holiday season. Your daughter/daughter in law will be so grateful that you were thinking of them and picked them up a treat.

Thanks, Vanessa! I had a few ideas in mind for you, now Santa has a few more:) XX