A Gift Guide For The Broken Hearted
Colourful, warm and comforting things to improve someone's life
If you ever want a rationale to buy nice things, then come to me. Life is too short for thin toilet paper, bad wine and small televisions. Since my break-up, I’ve SHOPPED. You might expect someone to regret so much shopping, but my new purchases have brought me comfort and joy during a difficult time.
I’ve always believed if you look good, you feel good and fashion, make-up and style can be creative and a lot of fun. This year, I’ve bought colourful, warm and comforting things that have improved my daily life or made me happier to be home (alone), or also happier to venture out into the world, too.
However, shopping can be addictive and I worry about ‘lifestyle creep’ and expanding into our means and pursuing more for more’s sake. Then there’s the impact mass consumption has on our planet. So, I do my best to shop mindfully, while also sometimes surrendering to the joy of nice and shiny things. It’s a balance and needs constant attention. It means I take purchases and recommendations very seriously.
Anyway, all my broken-hearted shopping has laid the foundations for a gift guide! I love gift guides! I enjoy the task of gift shopping providing I like the person and know they’ll appreciate it. My favourite gifts to give are things I already own and feel passionately about - note kind, well-meaning family members that I own most of the recommendations in this guide.
Also readers, I fully support you in buying all these things for yourself. And don’t feel guilty if you missed the Black Friday deals, that’s a very overwhelming time. I can’t handle it. I’ll never be organised enough to do my Christmas shopping in November. I accept that fact and move on.
The links below are all UK, but I know more than 50% of you aren’t there - Sorry! Some of these brands are available globally, or the guide can still be inspiring (like did you think to buy someone colourful socks? ;)).
If you do have recommendations for global varieties or want to treat the comments like a Santa’s wish list, then go ahead! I still need ideas for people in my life and it’s always a joy to hear from you.
With love,
Tiff x
A Gift Guide For The Broken Hearted
For the solo chef
Garject garlic press
A single gal cooking elaborate meals just for herself doesn’t have time to thinly slice garlic. Enter, the garlic press. Every home needs one. You can probably find cheaper ones, but I’d recommend investing. I use it every day and the quality design makes a difference. £37, David Mellor
I now just need the equivalent for chopping onions (anyone?)
Microplane zester/grater
The Italian man may be out of my home, but my love of parmesan remains, and this grater literally makes grating cheese enjoyable. Again, worth investing in quality kitchen items to improve the everyday. £20, Amazon
The cookbooks I return to time and time again
I love cookbooks, they’re beautiful and comforting and these are the ones I cook from on repeat. Ripe Figs, Fresh India, Nothing Fancy, Carbs and Persiana.
For game face
Hourglass, everything
Hands down, Hourglass is my favourite make-up brand. When I try other make-up brands, I think they’re less good than Hourglass who are top tier on skin, powders, lipsticks EVERYTHING. I’d say their Christmas kits are worth a look if you really love someone and want to help them feel luxurious. I think I discovered them because my sister gifted me one of their contour palettes. Hourglass holiday gift guide
Peptide lip treatment
Believe the HYPE. I confess I didn’t know who Hailey Bieber was and her brand, Rhode is famous for doughnut face, which sounds weird BUT the internet speaks the truth when it comes to the peptide lip treatment. If you surrender to one Instagram beauty trend, let it be this. It glides on nicely, looks amazing and actually feels good to wear. I bought a lip oil from another brand that smelt cheap and gross, which reminded me how precious this is. I keep buying this for people and I just LOVE it. £16, Rhode
Eyeshadow stocking fillers
I wear Elf Eyeshadow every day in the berry colour and their palettes are cheap and lovely. It was originally a gift to me from dear
. £4 ElfFor snuggly feet
Ugg Women's Classic II Slipper
How did my toes survive before these? I don’t understand. They also don’t slip off when you walk around and have the right level of platform. They’re the shoes I spend the most hours in, so worth every penny. £110, UGG
Timberland Warm Lined Chelsea Boot
I needed to replicate the joy of my Ugg slippers to leave the house, so got these fur-lined boots and I’ve not left the house without them since. Mine are in green (more colour this year!) but they also come in black. Obsessed. £170, Timberland
Colourful socks
I love it when people buy me socks as I’m not great at buying nice ones for myself. Also, I like this brand because they didn’t do Black Friday so I didn’t get all stressed out by it. £11 Colourful Standard
PS. Santa, I’d like this oversized crew in faded black and this red beanie.
For the active
LNDR is my favourite activewear brand and I have lots of pairs of their limitless leggings. Their tracksuit bottoms are so so comfy and stay soft and lovely throughout washes. I’m wearing them now (and have worn them everyday for about a year) in blue cobalt. My mum has a matching pair! £54, LNDR
I’ve spotted the cool girlies at the Hackney gym in jogger pants like these from Lulu. I also love TikTok favourite Adanola, but more for active wear that you’re not active in. I’m living in this long-sleeved top of theirs in grey and they have oversized jumpers galore. I love oversized jumpers.
For spiritual sparkle
Sun Moon Four Elements Rings Set
I want to feel all witchy and bling on my fingers, so enter this four elements ring set. I wear gold jewellery, but all Rachel Entwistle comes in silver, too. £210, Rachel Entwistle
Rays of Light Bracelet Green Onyx Gold
When I love a brand, I double down and also it’s hard to buy rings for people, so I recommend this bracelet instead. I’m also a fan of wearing The Evil Eye £85, Rachel Entwistle
Gold chunky hoops
The best thing my ex before my ex gifted me was these gold hoops from Roxanne First. Five years later, I’m still wearing them most days. I also was recently gifted smaller hoops by
which I wear a lot, too. So, hoops are the best present ever and you need a hoop wardrobe. I got my eye on these twisty ones and Catcher Rys has a good range that matches quality to price in my humble opinion. £185, Catch RysFor readers
I love to buy people books that come with a message just for them. The one I’ve gifted the most is CJ Hauser’s The Crane Wife, which is a memoir of essays about living life differently in your thirties. It’s now out in paperback, but I prefer the hardback cover.
For a book about friendship, We All Want Impossible Things, on being single (and much more), Amy Keys's Arrangements in Blue, the novel worthy of the hype Demon Copperhead and for a second-generation immigrant and/or an Instagram stalker, I’m a Fan.
While in book mode, I also recommend the charity Booktrust which gives kids books for Christmas.
For men
Is it a true gift guide without tips for the hardest category to buy for? For men who care about the environment, check out Rapanui for great basic t-shirts, jumpers, pyjama bottoms etc. For the stylish man, A Day’s March and if you live with them and the house needs one, a RIEDEL Cabernet Single Crystal Glass Decanter. If they really hate things, and it’s an important part of their identity, you can gift a goat or something in their name.
For reflection
I love journals, you can never buy me too many journals. Words Unspoken journal, £25 Suicide&Co
For good vibes in the home
All the yoga studios are using this affordable Satya incense, A Pooky rechargeable lamp is on my wishlist and I love my marble Nom coffee cup and my sister got me this big salad bowl which I adore.
I could keep going but I’ll stop there. Anything you’d recommend to add to the gift guide? What’s been your shopping vibe? Let me know in the comments!
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A gorgeous list, and it’s good to see David Mellor has carved out a new career after he was booted out of Parliament. 😂😂
Also the Falke Brooklyn socks pair very nicely with slippers when it's super cold