Last Minute Gifts Made To Last
Procrastinators need love, too.
This letter is brought to you by Madewell.
My favorite sunnies in situ.
We can’t all be Type A planners with an ongoing holiday gift idea list and backup gifts for our back up gifts. There are, and trust me, I’m married to one, lots of us out there who leave gifting for the last minute. But that doesn’t mean you’re resigned to a candle or a gift card. Not at all! I’m going to be offering you last-minute gift ideas that feel personal, a little unexpected, and easy to pull off. And the cherry on top? I’ll be in some very cute Madewell outfits.
I cut FIT orientation to shop at exactly two places. The first was the Barney’s Warehouse Sale, which cemented one of my deepest friendships and scored me a quilted bomber jacket I very regretfully gave to a DJ I was dating. The second was Madewell. There was never a store in Iowa, and the whole brand read very grown up, very sophisticated to me. I bought a bangle and a tissue tee on the sale rack.
That’s enough of ancient history for now. Though I am actively in a personal bangle renaissance. Let’s get into the outfits and ideas before the holidays get any closer.
Bank on your local bookstore
You know how I feel about a bag big enough to fit a book.
Sure, you could order a book to your house. But that’s not what I’m suggesting. Walk into your local bookstore and take advantage of the spectacular talent. Pitch your gift conundrum, bring some examples of books they love, and let the bookseller do the heavy lifting for you. Bonus points if the store offers hand wrapping, which to be honest, it probably does.
Here are some of my favorite spots. Maybe one of them is local for you—
Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa
Greenlight Books in Brooklyn, New York
Three Lives & Co. in New York, New York
McNally Jackson in Brooklyn + New York
Books Are Magic in Brooklyn, New York
BookPeople in Austin, Texas
Book Soup in West Hollywood, California
Daunt Books Marylebone in London
Browseabout Books in Rehoboth, Delaware
Magers & Quinn Booksellers in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Neighborhood novelty
Now’s not the time to dilly dally, but it’s the holiday season and work’s slowing down a little, so why not? I’d suggest heading uptown to the Upper East Side and browsing local landmarks for trinkets and goods that feel like they’re of a different era. You can apply this trick to any neighborhood that’s a little out of your way. Changing things up can inspire new ideas, especially for gifting. Make things easy on yourself by tracking down a nearby neighborhood’s Madewell here.
Elevated everyday
The very best coffee from the spot on the corner. Tinned fish with a label pretty enough to frame. Spices that transform simple dishes. There’s something special about receiving the very best version of something you use all the time.
Stationery saves the day
You’d be surprised how often my local stationery store saves the day. Buying someone you love a fresh notebook or a stack of blank notecards in their favorite color is a charming way to show you care. Tie a pen in the bow or slip some stamps in with your card.
Wrapped in a bow
I used to wrap my gifts in kraft paper and call it a day, but when I have a little extra time, I love to paint my wrapping paper or collage directly onto the packaging. The effect is hyper personal and personally relaxing. Ribbons can be reused forever. I keep a stash from PR packages and go crazy.
Fearless fashion choices
It’s not fair to suggest giving clothes universally. Certain styles, like sweaters and button down shirts, are a lot easier to guess on without making any calls on someone else’s body. I like small leather goods as a solve for this, or the kind of accessories people rarely buy themselves, like a passport cover or bag charm.
Into the red bag pictured above? I’m giving one away! It’s easy. Just comment how you’d style it and I’ll pick a winner at random. Thanks Madewell :)
Thank you for reading Long Live. It means so much to me. You can shop my favs here, follow along on Instagram + Tiktok, and shop my Notion template. Get matched at EV Salon. And if you want to partner on a future Long Live, email evan@communite.co x
I feel like I’m constantly finding myself wearing all black so I think I’d end up wearing this bag as a nice pop of color with my oops-goth outfits.
Love the red bag! I'd put it together with black overalls, a white t-shirt, and black boots. Also, always a high ponytail.