Capsule #24: Our 2023 Gift Guide 🎁 ft. Elise Bell

Hello hello,

It’s almost gifting season and we don’t want you to stress out!!! Of course there’s still plenty of time, but it feels good to get organised. And our gift guide is exactly how you’re going to get there. 

You’ll find ideas that cost very little, other than your time. These are in the “acts of service” department of love - doing that forward thinking for someone, knowing what they’d be grateful but can’t quite get to themselves. There are also some chic little “extras” - the finishing touches for your friends who are well put together, or wish they were.

We’ve also selected some things that are easy to obtain without much forward planning. These are for the busy shoppers who don’t have the free time to get crafty but still want to show up with a nice gift. Enjoy!!!

Holly x

P.S. For our new subscribers — hello! This is a special issue, next week we resume to our chat about fashion, pop culture, and the internet. But hopefully this is useful 🖤🖤🖤

🖤 Acts of service 🖤

TATTOOS. For a friend who is tattoo curious, or hasn’t had time to think about their next one, research tattoo artists and studios in your area and create a document of their work. Add in the extra details of pricing, general wait times, and how to contact.

COOKING. Select three recipes you know your loved one would enjoy, make a list of the ingredients, and buy the core stuff (bar the super fresh stuff - we aren't suggesting you gift milk!). This is all about choosing the recipe and giving your recipient the tools they need to make it. There are multiple ways of doing this - you could buy them a recipe book and pull from that (we love Mezcla by Ixta Belfrage), or find recipes online by searching in areas you know they like (e.g. Asian vegetarian mains), or take photos of recipes in books. 

RACE. Enter yourself and your friend into a race - depending on what you’re both into, this could be a run, a cycle, a triathlon. Small scale versions exist for all activities, so whether you’re a seasoned athlete or hoping to work your way up to a 10k, there’s something worth going for. You could accompany this gift with a training plan, a list of great audiobooks for the sessions, or some cute accessories (a running belt is essential!). 

GIGS. Look at the ‘what’s on’ pages of music venues in your area. Send your friend a list of potential gigs for 2024 based on the music they like, and set reminders for ticket release dates or to look for resale options. You can give this present with a playlist, too. 

TRAVEL. Is your recipient planning to visit a new place next year? Or is there somewhere on their list that they might need a little nudge to book? Gift them their own personal travel guide, composed of your research. Choose categories to explore that make sense for them: food, sightseeing, museums and galleries, nightlife, shopping. Create a guide for them with photos, locations, and reviews of the top spots you find. This will probably make you want to visit the place too… 

ARTICLES. Print out a selection of magazine articles on topics your recipient might like and gift them a little paper bundle. If you need inspiration, The New Yorker and The Paris Review are usually great, The Atlantic is strong on stuff like friendships and generally how it feels to live today, and Digg curates long reads from across the web.

PHOTOS. In a world of iCloud storage and 20,000-deep camera rolls, it’s never a bad idea to get some physical photos. And there are many ways to do it! Make a photobook, either by hand or using Apple photos, Google photos, or Papier, print photos for a frame, or use some photos as the starting point for a collage that you fill with other things (like nice paper, concert tickets, magazine cuttings, etc). 

🖤 Chic little luxuries 🖤

KNITTED RIBBONS. The cosy winter version of wearing ribbon in your hair. This could be your entry point into knitting yourself (what’s easier than a line?), or you can source them ready made. Paloma Wool has beautiful versions (keep checking back if they sell out), or head to Etsy for more options.

MAKEUP. Think of your recipient’s beauty routine - do they always wear eyeliner? Or love a subtle rosy cheek? Get them a nice version of the thing they love for a daily luxury. Nothing beats a Chanel eyeliner.

CLIPS. Make bow clips. Get some bobby pins or clips and buy some ribbons, tie them into little bows and glue them on. Make enough to keep some yourself! And if the thought of getting the glue out fills you with dread, these ones from Bardot Bow Gallery are perfect.

TIGHTS. If you missed our deep dive on upgrading your tights, check it out here for inspo. Fun tights are a wonderful present, whether you choose bejewelled fishnets, a coloured pair, or sparkles. Perfect for risk takers and those who love an LBD but could jazz it up.

UNDERWEAR. Most of us don’t prioritise underwear as it’s hidden most of the time, but that doesn’t mean having lovely versions doesn’t feel good. Check out The Underdays, Dora Larsen, Lonely Lingerie, and Lemonade Dolls. & Other Stories also has some lovely stuff, as does Cos.

POSH SHAMPOO. If you’ve used a high quality shampoo and felt the difference you’ll know how it feels to wish you could buy it all the time. That feeling makes it the perfect present - check out Davines who make beautiful shampoos, conditioners, and other hair treatments.

NICE GLASSES: Whether your recipient loves a glass of wine, a vodka cocktail, or just enjoys making sparkling water feel like a thing, A nice set of glasses is the perfect way to elevate the experience. We like these amber ribbed tumblers from Cai & Jo, these stemless wine glasses from LSA, and these coupe glasses from Arket.

🖤 If you don’t have much time 🖤

PRINTS. Art is personal, but most people have space for a piece that nods to something they enjoy. Choose a film, artist, book, place, or icon your recipient likes and search Etsy for a print. Frames are affordable there too, and if you buy one, the seller will often send you a discount to use next time. 

CALENDAR. In a similar vein to prints, but for your practical planner friends (or those who could use a little aid in this department). There are so many beautiful calendars - so whether your recipient has a penchant for Japanese art or American National Parks, you’ll fine one that feels personal and useful.

SUBSCRIPTIONS. This gift isn’t a cop out if you get it right! It could be a magazine they like or a paid Substack newsletter, or something based on their interests: Beauty Pie for makeup and skincare, Bookishly for reading, Freddie’s Flowers for flowers. 

RESTO VOUCHER: Restaurant gift cards are becoming more readily available, and they are such a nice gift. If you’re struggling with where to start, The Infatuation will help you find a suitable place, and Google reviews will also serve you well (anything above 4.5 stars is pretty much guaranteed to be a hit). 

TARNISH-FREE JEWELLERY: Affordable, tarnish-free jewellery is having a major moment, and it’s easy to see why. We’ve come a long way from rings that turn your fingers green and the inexpensive price point of new brands means good jewellery is more accessible. Brands like Hey Harper, Bohomoon, and Atolea are worth a look.

FRAGRANCE DISCOVERY: It’s tricky to choose a scent for someone without an intimate knowledge of what they like. But many brands do discovery sets these days, meaning you can gift people a selection to help them find their new signature scent. These are always so nice for encouraging you to try something different - and for the ones that flop, it’s never a bad thing to use them in the bathroom. Le Labo is a classic, as is Replica by Margiela, and the Dries Van Noten sets are filled with artsy little vials.

NAIL VOUCHER: Whether it’s a voucher for a nail place you know is a hit, cash with a handmade coupon, or a voucher for somewhere like Treatwell, it’s always such a treat to have someone else cover the cost of your nails. It’s one of the luxuries that can fall off when money is tight, but one that feels so nice to invest in. 

To our new subscribers, ‘Open Tabs’ is where we chat about four things in the world of fashion, pop culture, trends, and feeling better about life. We’ve sent the gift guide instead this week, but here are a few links to stuff you might enjoy reading/knowing about:

• Billie Eilish did a really great cover for Variety, in which she talks about desire, femininity, and feeling like herself

• A big week for boygenius: their Catbird jewellery collection crashed the site, they dedicated their GQ Men of the Year award to the trans community, and dropped a new single with Ye Vagabonds. As chosen by Sinéad O’Connor’s estate, the proceeds from the song will go to the Aisling Project, a charity that helps disadvantaged young people in Dublin

• British Vogue released six covers for Edward Enninful’s last December issue, featuring Little Simz, Stormzy, Jodie Comer, Tilda Swinton, Olivia Colman, and Kate & Lila Moss

• Harry Lambert, the man who dresses Harry Styles, has released a line of androgynous clothing for Zara

• And people are digging up Travis Kelce’s old tweets, which are all the things the internet seems to want from it’s men at the moment: pure, without ill-intention, and optimistic

This week, Elise Bell popped into Capsule to share what’s 🔥hot🔥 and what’s not 🙅‍♀️ …

Elise is an arts writer based in London. Her work has appeared in Dazed, Elephant magazine, the Guardian, the Independent, the Financial Times, and Plaster magazine.

📺 Watching: The Killer on Netflix, Saltburn in the cinema.

📖 Reading: Girlhood, a collection of essays by Melissa Febos, which examine the narratives women are told about what it means to be a woman, and what it takes to free oneself from them. This is a Febos fan newsletter it seems…

🎧 Listening to: USA, the latest album from Petey, who you might recognise as that comedian on TikTok. Plus HeadSpace, the new album from H31R. Female electronic rap…. what’s not to like?

Louis has been thinking about gift giving and all things festive, and thinks we’ll see a decline in “obligatory” gift giving. That is, getting a present for someone because you feel like you have to (maybe they got you one), versus actually wanting to send them a gift. The same thing applies to calculating the exact amount of money a person has spent on you and trying to replicate it, Louis says. If we worry less about obligation, and more about how it feels to give and receive, we make more space for the joy to seep through.

If you’d like to adopt Louis or one of his friends, click here to learn more.

Thanks for reading! I’d love to hear how you’re finding Capsule - let me know here. And if you have a friend who might like it, please forward on 🥺

See you next week 💋