How to Shop for Her

Shopping for that special woman in your life can be difficult. Whether she is your wife, your girlfriend, your mom, your executive assistant, your kid’s daycare instructor, or your mail carrier, there is no fail-safe, 100% guaranteed template you can use when you shop for a woman. Sure, the magazines and television ads would have you think that diamonds and chocolate are a sure bet, but not every girl likes diamonds, and some people are allergic to chocolate. So then what?

The first step in choosing a sure-fire she’ll –love-it-to-pieces gift for her is to pay attention. What does that mean? Just what it says. Pay attention. Does she wear a lot of jewelry? Is it mainly gold-toned jewelry or silver-toned jewelry? Does she always smell good? Does she like to get all dressed up, or is she more of a casual girl? Does she wear a lot of bright colors, or do you mainly see her in neutrals? What does she talk about? Does she talk about shopping, or does she talk about movies? Does she talk about motorcycle rallies or book clubs?

If the answers to the above questions are discernable, you have an easy path ahead of you. If you see her wearing a lot of gold-hued jewelry, buy her something classic and high-quality in gold, maybe with some diamonds. If she loves silver, buy her something classic and high-quality in silver. If she’s free-spirited, maybe look into something a little funkier – gold or silver-plated that incorporated found items like feathers or wooden beads. If she’s a little offbeat you might want to buy her a funky hat or scarf. If she’s understated you might want to consider a classic piece of jewelry like a solid gold bangle or strand of pearls.

If accessories are a little out of your comfort zone there is always the exciting realm of novelty gifts. Sure, a lot of these are still accessories, but if you buy something that you think is pretty that you’re sure she’d never buy for herself you might be pleasantly surprised at her reaction. A beautiful and unique makeup bag or change purse, or even a little jeweled or enamel box to keep change in can be a lovely token that shows that you care.

Another good option for a gift for her is something that is good-smelling. If she’s a fan of bubble baths, an assortment of bath salts and gels would be a great gift. Powder, lotion, and soap to match the scent is also a nice addition if you want to bulk up the gift a bit.

When all else fails, a gift card will suffice. If she is an avid reader, she will overlook potentially seeing a gift card as impersonal if it happens to be to her favorite bookstore. If she’s a music freak, buy her an iTunes gift card or some free downloads on another music site. If you’re at all attuned to her interests, you can find something that will make her smile.