The Best Clothes to Give as Gifts

I can't believe how quickly this month has gone! Whew! My kids would say December is the slowest month because they're waiting for Santa, but they should try it in a grown up's shoes ...

Anyway, if the holidays crept up on YOU as well and you're looking for some last-minute gift ideas, I'll refer you again to my 12 Days of Christmas list at:

You probably won't be able to order anything for delivery at this point, but you should be able to glean a few ideas for the style lovers on your list before you brave the mall this weekend.

In other news, my new image-industry ebook POSITION FOR PROFITS is now available for those "in the biz" who are looking for an easy way to attract clients without knocking on doors. It offers a key insider secret that explains why some image pros make six figures while others with the same or better skills go out of business. You can a "sneak peak" -- and a holiday discount - if you sign up for that ezine at:

http://www.ImageProProfits.com

Finally, if you could have my undivided attention to ask your single MOST PRESSING image question, what would it be?

A question I get a lot this time of year: What are the best clothes to give as gifts?

Learn How to Sew - Step-by-Step!

Ever wished you could learn how to sew -- even just basic stuff like buttons or hems? How about more complicated things, like home décor or clothes?

Then take a look at "Sewing 101: a Step-by-Step Guide to Sewing Basics." Written by an Australian fireball by the name of Mavis Cox, this easy-to-follow guide will teach you everything you need to know, including the best needles to use with which fabrics, how to set out and/or alter your patterns, what to look for in a sewing machine, how to organize your work space for maximum efficiency - and much more! Mavis has been sewing for years and can get your from beginner to pro quickly. And if you think the main ebook is meaty, you'll be blown away by the bonuses.

Why wait? Get on the path to sewing success today!

http://www.dianaprefers.com/books/sewing.html

My father, like most men, hated to shop. So when my sisters and I were teenagers, Dad would give us his credit card and a dollar limit, and we'd go shop, buy, and wrap Mother's birthday, Christmas, and anniversary gifts for him. All he had to do was pay the bill and collect the hugs and kisses from my mother.

It was a great system - for which we teased him mercilessly. We used to joke that he couldn't find the mall if his life depended on it, let alone something IN it that Mother would actually like.

One year, he decided to prove us wrong. He went to the mall after work one night a few days before Christmas, and came home as excited as a little boy on Christmas Eve about the gift he'd selected for my mother. He'd even gone to the extra expense of having the department store wrap it because he felt that such a special gift deserved extra-special wrapping. Naturally, we were all curious to see what he'd found. A new necklace? A beautiful coat? What?

On Christmas morning, he made a big production of getting everyone's attention before he presented the gift to my mother. She carefully unwrapped the beautiful present, lifting back the airy tissue paper to find - yards and yards of a thick, knitted something-or-other.

My mother, sisters, and I exchanged curious glances. We weren't sure what to make of it. Dad rolled his eyes, pulled the thing out of the box, set it on his head, and wrapped the ends around his neck to show us the obvious: it was a wool muffler with a hood attached.

After a long moment of silence to absorb this information, my sisters and I howled with laughter. My mother wasn't a hood person, a muffler person, OR a knitted wool person. She was more of the silk and cashmere type.

Given that they'd been married nearly 30 years at the time, you would have thought my father would have known that. Apparently, it escaped his notice. Either that or the sales girl who had talked him into the thing was either very skilled or very cute.

He was totally offended, as he should have been, by our -- I'm ashamed to admit -- rude and boorish behavior. He sulked all day and our repeated apologies didn't help. By the time Mother's birthday rolled around in March, we went back to our old system of us buying and him paying, and the matter was never mentioned again.

It's not a pretty tale, but if you've ever had a similar experience, you know how easily things can go awry. The "perfect gift" you looked high and low for and spent a ton of money on was greeted with little or no enthusiasm. Or someone gave you something that was so "not you," you just can't imagine what he or she was thinking.

If you embrace this notion and begin your quest with your RECIPIENT's taste in mind, you're more likely to pick a winner. If you assume the recipient will automatically defer to YOUR preferences, your present could end up as closet clutter or become endlessly re-gifted.

So why waste your money? Stack the odds in your favor and spend your hard-earned money on something he or she is more likely to love and wear.

This includes form-fitting pieces like pants, skirts, blouses, shoes, etc. Unless you know your recipient's exact measurements, buying form-fitting clothes is like rolling the dice. Odds are, it could fit. Chances are, it won't.

Unless you know the recipient EXTREMELY well, don't buy her sleepwear, underwear, or lingerie. Anyone who's age 12 or older generally has a preference for such things, and unless you're privy to this information, your gift will probably just sit in a drawer. Your money is best spent elsewhere.

If you want the most for your money, buy quality items that your recipient is likely to use every day. Look for worn out items you can replace, or splurge on useful things that she'd love to have but wouldn't buy for herself, like a beautiful cardigan sweater, comfy loungewear, patterned tights or trouser socks, or even a classic jacket (pea coat, barn coat, or dress coat). Make it a simple style in her favorite color so she can dress it up or dress it down however she wants.

4. Spring For Accessories

Quality accessories are almost always welcome because they can add variety without getting too personal. Gloves, tote bags, scarves, and lapel pins are all popular choices, so long as you keep them simple and in a color she can mix-and-match.

Overstock.com

Completely overwhelmed by your choices or afraid to make a huge mistake? Then opt for a gift certificate instead. It can be from one of her favorite clothing shops, one of yours, or even someplace online. You can even make the fun of the season last by offering to go shopping with her to help her spend the certificate.

Whatever you do, DO choose items that your recipient will like, need, and use. Don't try to impose your taste on others-even if you think they have no taste--and always include a way to return the item if it doesn't suit.

Finally, don't be offended if they don't like what you got them, even if they're as tacky about it as my sisters and I were on that long-ago Christmas morning. Mistakes happen and misjudgments occur. So what? Don't let it ruin your holiday. Just because they don't like the gift doesn't mean they don't like you. Simply offer to exchange it. That's what you'd do if it was the wrong size. Just think of this as the "wrong" item.

Your ultimate goal is to find useful, luxurious items they'll love and use every day that make them think of you every time they wear them. It's the most satisfying gift to give - or to receive, for that matter.

Need some more help figuring out what your recipient might like, based on her clothing personality? Then pick up a copy of WARDROBE MAGIC:

http://www.wardrobemagic.com

to see how ow easily dressing well and giving well-received clothing gifts can be.