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Wednesday, February 2, 2011
VALENTINE GIFT
When picking out a gift, he starts by pondering the giver's relationship to the recipient. For very new lovers, it's best not to go too over the top but still convey fun and whimsy, he says. If you're giving candy, he says, instead of giving a box of chocolates, try a chocolate bar that's wrapped in red or has a lightly sexy—though not raunchy—theme on the wrapping such as "red hot chocolate." It's a "fun ice-breaker" that "conveys the sensual experience of eating chocolate," he says.
In the Lanvin Boutique at Bergdorf Goodman in New York, director of personal shopping Todd Okerstrom displays Valentine's Day gifts including a red Valentino coat.
Mr. Okerstrom, whose staff helps pick out Valentine's gifts for spouses, girlfriends, boyfriends, mothers and grandchildren, suggests thinking hard about the recipient's personality and daily habits. If a woman wears a lot of makeup or jewelry, a nicely tailored bag for such items could be a thoughtful gift. Mr. Okerstrom has bought his partner tickets to see Placido Domingo for Valentine's Day this year and also plans to give his staff heart-shaped cookies to mark the day.
Feel free to buy clothing if you know enough about the recipient. For those in new relationships, mittens or cashmere socks in a festive color such as red could work well. Upping the ante a bit, this season, he encouraged a customer to give a red cashmere coat from Valentino that has a rose design on the hemline. "We bunched it up and tied it up with ribbon" to make it look like a bouquet, he notes. "It's important to have fun regardless of whether you're spending $8 or $4,000."
Lingerie and jewelry are "too intimate" for new relationships, Mr. Okerstrom says. "It's a big statement." But for long-term relationships, jewelry is a great choice. Indeed, he adds, "if you've been dating five years, you'd better get jewelry." Generally, it's "enduring, it's fun to give, and you doesn't run into size issues as much," Mr. Okerstrom says.
"We can get into size issues as far as carat weight goes, but it's not like it isn't going to fit well." Bracelets, necklaces and stackable rings generally work well for women, while cufflinks are often a popular Valentine's gift for men. As for lingerie, he urges gift-givers to buy pieces that look special, not everyday. "It has to be beautiful lingerie," he says.
Mr. Okerstrom generally avoids Valentine's gifts for the household, calling appliances "unemotional." If the recipient loves to cook, however, Mr. Okerstrom may make an exception. It helps if you inject some wit into the gift, buying a heart-shaped waffle iron from Williams-Sonoma, for example.
While some may see fragrance as a good option, Mr. Okerstrom generally steers clear. "Unless you know the person loves the scent, I find fragrance to be very challenging because it's very personal," he says, noting that with a lot of perfumes, "your [body] chemistry makes it happen or it doesn't."
The biggest mistake people make is not giving anything, says Mr. Okerstrom. "Any attempt is good—even a beautiful card or a thoughtful note," he says. "There's a lot of craziness out there, and a little bit of love and affection just feels good."
Source, Wall Street Journal, Febr 3, 2011
By CHERYL LU-LIEN TAN
Labels: ENTERTAINING
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