YStyle Gift Guide: Finding the perfect presents for ... The fashion-obsessed label lover
MANILA, Philippines - She’s more familiar with the inner life of Anna dello Russo or Anna Wintour than, say, the Kardashians. Her bookshelf is lined with more Vogues than Penguin classics. Instead of Angry Birds, her iPad is clogged with style apps delivering of-the-moment news on designers and models. Finding the perfect gift for her is easy. Simply look for the most stylish object in the room, preferably in black with a price tag high enough to make you flinch, and you’re golden.
The dark horse of “it” bags: As “it” bags go, this sleek, structured handbag is as unobtrusive as it gets. But that’s the charm of this streamlined sophisticated beauty, it’s the bag you can lug to the office or cocktail party without drawing remarks like “Oh, that again?” That must be why street style favorite Giovanna Battaglia and celebs like Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Watts and Charlize Theron tend to tote this spiffy purse everywhere. Givenchy Antigona, P109,800, Adora Greenbelt 5
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Oh, snap: Chronicling the life and times of the originator of street style photography, the Richard Press documentary follows NY Times vet Bill Cunningham from the streets of New York to the sidewalks of Paris. Worth a watch for people hungry to catch a glimpse — or in this case, a long thoughtful look — of the industry behind the scenes. Bill Cunningham New York, about P880 at Amazon (or P35 at Makati Cinema Square)
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You stud: She may spend most of her time running in heels but every girl needs a break from sole-destroying footwear. Bring her down to earth with these flats, which are practical enough to patrol the malls, but flashy enough to pair with the latest fashions. Jeffrey Campbell, P5,975, SM Makati and Megamall
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Drop dead red: The Holy Grail of nail lacquers, Chanel’s holiday-appropriate polish offers a medium-red finish with a hint of sparkle. Consider it jewelry for nails. Chanel Le Vernis 587 Rouge Carat, P1,350, Rustan’s Makati
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Love in the time of fashion: An 8x10-inch print by artist Don Oehl, from a series on invented power couples, merges two of fashion’s most famous faces: Anna Wintour and Karl Lagerfeld. Wintourfeld by Don Oehl, about P880, www.20x200.com
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You’re so money and you don’t even know it: A bold-colored zip wallet serves two purposes: it’s bright enough to spot in a dark bag in a
barely-lit club and chic enough to tote on its own. For many, that’s more than enough. Comme des Garcon wallet, P5,198, Univers, Rockwell
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Perfume for your clothes: Your mother would just call it overpriced fabric softener but some consider it the next step in layering scent. At Maison Francis Kurkdjian, perfume begins with skin but doesn’t end there. The French label specifically designed the detergent to delicately wash and perfume clothes. With hints of bergamot and lemon with notes of lily of the valley and sweet mock orange, grounded by light and musky wood, the modern scent is evocative of freshly-washed cashmere. It’s the new frontier of fragrance. Perfect for fashion snobs with a closet full of designer labels. Maison Francis Kurkdjian Aqua Universalis Perfumed Detergent, P2,450, Adora, Greenbelt 5
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The new V-neck: A striking accessory to highlight a basic shirt-and-jeans ensemble (naturally that ensemble involves a James Perse tee and J Brand jeans), this river-snake skin necklace pops without trying too hard. Mia Arcenas for The Ramp, P1,500, Crossings, Glorietta
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Notes from the edge: Fashion followers with a passion for writing — or, more likely, armed with a blog — would do well to read the Joan Didion-penned essay "On Keeping a Notebook," which offers the author’s reflections on retaining memories: that recounting the day is not important, that all the details and elements lovingly embellished in a diary are there to yield the spirit of the moment, to recreate a mood, not simply retell facts. Didion says it better: “We forget all too soon the things we thought we could never forget. We forget the loves and the betrayals alike, forget what we whispered and what we screamed, forget who we were…It is a good idea, then, to keep in touch, and I suppose that keeping in touch is what notebooks are all about.” On Keeping a Notebook by Joan Didion, free PDF, at www.ranablog.com/pdfs/didion.pdf. Also available in Joan Didion’s book of essays Slouching Towards Bethlehem
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On solid ground: For snobs searching for something more decadent that a spritz of perfume, Diptyque’s solid scent is tradition made modern. Ideal for nomads who need to retouch scent during air travel, this particular incarnation is reminiscent of a fruity English garden, packaged in an elegant black zamak case. Diptique Parfum solide L’Ombre dans l’Eau, P2,450, Rustan’s Makati
