We all have those people in our lives — ones who say they don't want anything for the holidays. But, come gift-giving season and they're handing you a meticulously wrapped, thoughtful present, and you can't really be empty-handed. What then makes a good gift for the woman who wants nothing?
If they have their go-to essentials or favorites, look to upgraded versions of those. Have they been rotating between the same two pairs of sweatpants while working from home? Go with a loungewear gift that includes some fashion-forward joggers, or fluffy socks that don't come in a pack of five. Did they turn into a homebody over the course of the pandemic? Gift them everything they need for a luxe night in.
Ahead, 24 foolproof gifts to thrill the woman in your life who claims to want nothing this year.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
Brother Vellies Something Special
For anyone who loves all things small-batch, artisan, and sustainable, Brother Vellies' Something Special subscription guarantees, as the name suggests, something special every month. Past deliveries include Oaxaca clay mugs and wooden combs and charms from Kenya.
Alternatively, you can buy these cloud-like socks that were part of the Something Special drop early on. Proceeds from the Lavender pair fund Brother Vellies' mask-making and food-distribution initiative in Kenya.
If underwear is the only thing on your giftee's wishlist, make it this pack from Parade, a brand whose inclusive approach to intimates has resulted in 500,000 pairs sold in its first year alone.
Not only will this designer shopping bag replace your recipient's errand-day tote for good, but it's also incredibly versatile. Place a scarf or a piece of fabric on the inside, and the shopper will go from farmer's market to Sunday brunch.
Longchamp Le Pliage Filet Knit Shoulder Bag, $, available at Nordstrom
Ganni 'Ganni: Gimme More' book, $, available at Ganni
Pleasing Nail Polish
Even if they are not a Harry Styles stan, they will appreciate the look of this nail polish, from "Watermelon Sugar" singer's new beauty line. While the product is currently sold-out, you can sign up to receive early access to the restock on November 29.
Pleasing Perfect Pearl Polish, $, available at Pleasing
The Clear Cut Bandit
Your newly engaged friend (it's the season!) doesn't know yet that she needs this wrist band, with a zipper pocket, to keep her ring safe when on-the-go or working out. After she starts using it though, she will become obsessed.
The Clear Cut "Something Blue" Bandit, $, available at The Clear Cut
Staud x New Balance Sneakers
For the New Balance fans whose sneakers are falling apart. This pair comes courtesy of another collaboration drop between the sportswear brand for its "dad sneakers" and the buzzy label Staud.
New Balance x Staud 574 sneaker in Raincloud, $, available at Staud
A single-serve bottle of bubbles fit for a lockdown queen who isn't ready to give up her homebody ways. This one also makes for a great stocking stuffer.
A quality white tee for the person who has committed to a capsule wardrobe in 2022.
Maison Kitsune Fox motif T-shirt, $, available at Farfetch
Shhhowercap Shower Cap
One of my favorite gifts to give (and receive!), this high-end shower cap has been my beauty must-have for the past five years.
Shhhowercap The Melrose Shower Cap, $, available at Violet Gray
Astrid & Miyu Huggies
For the person who you always get piercings with.
Astrid & Miyu Mystic Simple Huggies in Rose Gold, $, available at Astrid & Miyu
Adidas x Wales Bonner Hat
Fans of Wales Bonner's designs will love the British designer's collaboration with sports giant Adidas featuring covetable apparel and accessories.
Adidas x Wales Bonner Reversible logo-embroidered cotton bucket hat, $, available at MatchesFashion
Abacaxi x SVNR Hand-Dyed Scarf
Created as a result of a collaboration between abacaxi, a brand that has risen in popularity for its tie-dye designs since the pandemic took hold, and SVNR, a label known for its silk dresses, these hand-dyed scarves are not only stunning but also one-of-a-kind.
Abacaxi x SVNR Hand-dyed scarf, $, available at SVNR
La DoubleJ Apron
A perfect gift for the fashion-loving cook from print-forward brand La DoubleJ.
LaDoubleJ Wildbird-print cotton-canvas apron, $, available at MatchesFashion
Gucci The Hacker Project Card Case
Earlier in the year, Gucci made headlines for "hacking" Balenciaga as part of its Aria runway show. Now the collection is available for all your luxury gifting needs. This one is for the nicest people on your list.
Gucci The Hacker Project Flora card case, $, available at Gucci
Sincerely Jules for Bandier Sweatshirt Dress
This one is made for the person who plans on going from the dinner table to the couch for the duration of the holidays.
Sincerely Jules for Bandier The Dahlia Sweatshirt Dress, $, available at Bandier
Roxanne Assouline Customizable Bracelet
Who can resist a customizable jewelry piece? Go for one from this Instagram-beloved brand known for its candy-colored bracelets.
Roxanne Assoulin Build-your-own bracelet, $, available at Roxanne Assoulin
Prada Water Bottle
The most opulent water bottle you can gift this season.
Prada Stainless steel water bottle, 500 ml, $, available at Prada
Pisani Et Al. Candle
Even the person who wants nothing will appreciate a good candle. With a hand-cut glass container, this one will double as decor, not to mention fill the room with aromas of sandalwood, amber, and incense.
Pisani Et Al. De Aetna Candela, $, available at Pisani Et Al.
Dollchunk Heart Ring
Child-like rings are trending on TikTok. Impress the hard-to-please Gen Zer on your list with this whimsical design from fashion writer and Refinery29 contributor Kristen Bateman who is also known for her can't-miss personal style.
Dollchunk Bubble Gum Heart Puff Ring, $, available at Dollchunk— PAID —
Eddie Bauer Oversized Down Throw
Give your friend a hug in the form of an ultra-warm, down-filled blanket from Eddie Bauer that features the softest fleece on one side and a comforting plaid print on the other.
Eddie Bauer Oversized Down Throw, $, available at Eddie Bauer
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Super Black Friday Sale Alert:Score 25% off sitewide now through November 30 with the code REFINERY2925. Promo excludes sale items and gift cards.
According to Kim Zorn — the Global Performance Director at Princess Polly — the very popular (and affordable) Aussie fashion label’s customer is “Gen Z, trend-driven, social media savvy, and has their finger on the pulse of what’s hot.” This is a description that, after further investigation, absolutely checks out here in the states, where fashion TikTokkers have caught onto Princess Polly and its treasure trove of Instagram-ready, Y2K-inspired clothes. (We’re thinking of one hyped-up style, in particular, that went viral this past summer: The Love Galore Romper.) A stark 180 from the sweatsuits of the pandemic, Princess Polly’s usually under-$100 wares are all about getting out and being seen in; there’s no shortage of satiny tops, chunky boots, bodycon dresses, and oversized blazers to shackets. Though the brand’s been well-known in Australia since 2010, its sights are now set on becoming a global sensation; Zorn tells Refinery29 that there’s a second HQ in Los Angeles and a distribution center ready to service the growing, trend-forward U.S. fanbase with easy online transactions, fast shipping, and top-notch customer service. To get Refinery29 readers better acquainted, Princess Polly is treating us to a stellar Black Friday deal: Get 25% off sitewide (excluding gift cards and sale items) with the code REFINERY2925, now through November 30, 11:59 PT. For a sampling of the brand’s top styles and a bit more background on its give-back and “Earth Club” initiatives, scroll on.
As carefree and uninhibited as the brand seems, Princess Polly is dedicated to giving back and doing good. “As a growing business, we have the privilege to support important causes and raise funds for incredible charities,” says Zorn. “We have a number of partners including The Butterfly Foundation in Australia and The Loveland Foundation in the U.S. We’re also committed to donating $500K USD to various charities each calendar year. Our customers really guide us in selecting our charity partners and we aim to support causes that are close to our customers’ hearts.”
And, while many apparel retailers often get a negative rap for their fast-fashion output, Princess Polly aims to do right by the environment. “We recently launched Earth Club where we focus on four major impact areas: Ethical Sourcing, Sustainable Products, Protecting the Planet, and Equality & Community,” says Zorn of the brand’s mission to prioritize the planet and the people living in it. “Our Earth Club range is expanding daily — this includes apparel and accessories made from eight lower-impact, more sustainable materials like organic cotton, recycled cotton, recycled nylon, recycled polyester, recycled PU, water-based PU, recycled plastic, and recycled metal.”
Scroll around our fall favorites here or head to Princess Polly directly to shop the whole compliment-magnet collection. And, don’t forget to use the code REFINERY29 at checkout for 20% off sitewide through the end of the year. Party on, Princess Polly, people.
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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Super Sale Alert: Now through November 29, you can shop the Cashmere Cocoon Cardigan and everything else on Jenni Kayne’s site for 25% off. No code required.
There are certain designers who get on our radar not just from their cool approach to style but because they take a slower, more thoughtful approach when it comes to releasing new products. Minimalist luxury basics company Jenni Kayne is surely one of them, though the relaxed pace can also be attributed to the brand’s general chilled-out Los Angeles vibes.
“We like to define ourselves as the ultimate California lifestyle brand,” says Julia Hunter, CEO at Jenni Kayne. “Whether it’s a well-edited wardrobe or timeless home essentials, we focus on inviting neutrals, quality construction, and attention to detail in order to create pieces that you’ll love for years to come.” While $300+ sweaters aren’t my usual M.O., I test drove the brand’s Instagram-famous Cashmere Cocoon Cardigan, and now I totally get the hype.
This style staple, while definitely pricey, is the kind of investment piece I plan to wear until I die. The sweater is casual luxury at its finest, and I know I’ll wear it forever because the premium materials will hold up, the no-fuss silhouette is trend-agnostic, and it’s just freakin’ comfortable to wear. “The Cocoon is one of our top styles — sometimes we have a hard time even keeping it in stock because it sells out season after season,” says Hunter. “To date, we have sold 49,000 Cocoons, and it has sold out five times! So far this year the Cocoon is selling three times more than the next best-selling style.”
If you swear by a supremely curated and versatile capsule wardrobe, Jenni Kayne clothes are absolutely worth a closer look. Many of its biggest fans have even admitted to grabbing their favorite Jenni Kayne sweater in multiple colors and wearing it to bed: “I love this sweater so much, this is my second purchase/color. It’s the perfect thing to throw over jeans, a dress, or honestly pajamas when you’re relaxing at home,” writes one comfy fanatic. And, you too can score your own Cocoon Cardigan (or anything else from the brand, including Jenni Kayne home goods and furniture) with 25% off sitewide for Black Friday, no code necessary, valid through November 29, 2021.
“Oversized” is quite the understatement when it comes to this cardigan — it runs so large that you could likely order two sizes down and still achieve a baggy fit. For reference, I’m 5’3″, usually wear a medium on top, size 26/27 on bottom, and I went with a small in this cocoon. When laid flat, the boxy body measures 25″ across, which simple math tells us is a whopping 50 inches all the way around when the size small cardi is buttoned up. (The Cashmere Cocoon Cardigan is offered in sizes XXS to 3X.) Drape-y in every sense, the cardigan simply hangs from my shoulders and cascades down to the top of my thighs, right over my hips. The V-neck plunges too deep to wear the cardigan by itself, but some of the models on the Jenni Kayne website show how the sweater can indeed be worn solo.
The Warmth Factor:
The relative weightlessness of the cardigan might fool you — the knit is made from soft 100% Mongolian cashmere, so it’s designed to keep wearers toasty. In fact, I’ve only worn this cardigan over summery tank tops in mid-60-to-low-70-degree weather and at times still felt my pits getting clammy. I also recently sat through a three-hour film in an intensely air-conditioned theater and felt like this cardigan provided the perfect amount of warmth to combat that dreaded level of “corporate office A/C” blast.
It’s worth mentioning that the Jenni Kayne Cocoon silhouette is so popular that it is also offered in other materials and fibers, at cheaper price points (the Cashmere Cocoon remains the warmest option, and is the most expensive at $445 full price). Ahead, Hunter walks through the entire Jenni Kayne cardigan collection to specify how they differ from one another.
What The Brand Is Saying: “This is the first Cocoon we launched in the fall of 2019 in a cozy blend of fluffy, textural Italian yarn in the colors Taupe and Willow,” says Hunter. “While the silhouette has stayed the same, we now make the Cocoon in cashmere, cotton, alpaca, and have even launched new iterations like the Cable Cocoon and Cropped Cocoon. We clearly can’t get enough of it.”
The Hype: 5 out of 5 stars and 3 reviews on jennikayne.com
What Customers Are Saying: “I love this sweater so much. The color is stunning, it’s nice and warm — perfect for those chilly summer mornings where I’m from. It does run a little big. I got an XXS and it’s still very roomy on me. I still love it though, wouldn’t change a thing about it.”
What The Brand Is Saying: “This is a textured take on our coveted Cocoon,” says Hunter. “It’s ultra-lightweight yet fluffy and cozy, and great for fall/winter.”
The Hype: 4.4 out of 5 stars and 5 reviews on jennikayne.com
What Customers Are Saying: “Love that JK brought this version of the Cocoon back. While less soft than the cashmere or lofty alpaca, I prefer this version’s beautiful knit weave, which is perfectly cozy. The blush registers as warmer in person and is the best new neutral.”
What The Brand Is Saying: “This is a wool and cashmere blend and has a slight crop. We just launched this style and the whole team is obsessed,” says Hunter.
What The Brand Is Saying: “The iconic, best-selling sweater — and the warmest option. Very luxe and easy to wear,” says Hunter.
The Hype: 4.9 out of 5 stars and 114 reviews on jennikayne.com
What Customers Are Saying: “I am trying not use this sweater as my pajamas because it is so soft and cozy. The sweater is a great piece to be worn over a dress in the office or over jeans everywhere else. The construction and design is sophisticated and falls on your frame really well. I get compliments on the sweater all the time.”
At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market picks are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. All product details reflect the price and availability at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn commission.
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For Janty Yates, it wasn’t just the fashion that attracted her to the House of Gucci. Rather the costume designer was interested in helping tell the story that led to the shocking murder of the Gucci heir, Maurizio Gucci, at the hands of his ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiani, through the looks in the film. “Who wouldn’t want to tell the tale of Maurizio Gucci’s murder?” she says.
The Ridley Scott film, starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, follows the Gucci family and the rise of the fashion house from the moment Maurizio (Driver) met Patrizia (Lady Gaga) in the ’70s to his death in 1995, all while giving audiences a glimpse into the history of the brand we know today. In particular, the film centers its narrative on Patrizia — born out of wedlock to a family with no social standing — who is often blamed for causing a rift in the family. As such, she is styled to look different from the Guccis. While the members of one of Italy’s wealthiest clans — that also include Aldo Gucci (Al Pacino), the once-patriarch of the Gucci family, and his son Paolo Gucci (Jared Leto), among others — are dressed in elegant suits, expensive watches, and shiny leather shoes, Reggiani wears gaudy ensembles, layers of jewelry, and a huge selection of furs.
To create Reggiani’s costumes, Yates worked hand-in-hand with Lady Gaga, who she says was a true collaborator when it came to sourcing and selecting looks for each scene. The actor-singer even let Yates access her personal archive, all preserved in a temperature-controlled room. “Imagine when Bobby, her manager, gave me the key!” says Yates, laughing.
Gaga also weighed in on set. Take, for example, the pink-and-black polka dot dress, from Yves Saint Laurent, that Gaga personally chose for her character. Then, there’s a scene in the film, in which Gaga dons a black turtleneck, layers of gold necklaces, and a fur hat. Although it was only the second day of filming, Yates and Gaga had already formed a bond strong enough for the Star Is Born actress to feel comfortable saying, “Let’s put four [necklaces] on,” after Yates put on just two.
While Yates was able to play with other designers like YSL, a Gucci family movie would not be complete without the signature double-G logos. For looks from the heritage house, she started her search at the Gucci Museum in Florence, where she was able to see footage and costumes dating back to the 1970s. Although the museum allowed Yates to borrow some vintage pieces, she had to source others from places like the Tirelli Costumi, a Rome-based costume house. Yates recreated the remaining looks from scratch. While quarantined in a hotel in Italy as a result of the pandemic, Yates and her assistant designer Stefano De Nardis turned monogrammed Gucci fabrics into some of the most memorable looks in the film, including a tunic-and-trousers combo that Lady Gaga wears in the now-viral “Our name, sweetie” scene.
While House of Gucci explores the cause behind one of fashion’s most notorious true-crime stories, it also reveals how the brand went from a luggage and leather goods company to a full-fledged fashion empire, capable of going head-to-head with clothing designers like Chanel’s Karl Lagerfeld and Versace’s Gianni Versace. To showcase this, the film highlights American designer Tom Ford’s (played by Reeve Carney) seminal 1995 collection that catapulted Gucci to international acclaim. For the film, Yates and De Nardis tried to source pieces from the actual collection, which included ‘70s-style suits, velvet blazers, and silk shirts, but their efforts were unsuccessful. “I think somebody must have bought it all up,” says Yates. As a result, De Nardis recreated looks from some of Tom Ford’s other collections, including a 1997 Gucci G-string that’s still one of the most recognizable items from Ford’s Gucci era. De Nardis also created a fictional runway collection for Paolo Gucci, the family’s failed designer, which Yates jokingly describes as “a bit tasteful for Paolo who was not the most tasteful designer.”
Ultimately, Yates says that her mission with House of Gucci was to use costumes to tell the story. Take, for example, a scene when Pina (Salma Hayek), Patrizia’s best friend and psychic, tells the Gucci heiress to wear green and red — Gucci’s signature colors — for good luck as she sets out to conquer the family’s top spot alongside her husband. While Patrizia favors red, she refuses to wear green, saying: “Green doesn’t go with my lipstick.” Following this scene, Patrizia opts for vibrant ensembles — including a scarlet, gold-buttoned skirt suit, paired with a flamboyant fur coat, as well as a red snowsuit (both seen in the movie’s trailer) — signifying that she has bigger ambitions for herself than just being the wife of a Gucci heir. After her plans backfire, and she’s ousted from the house of Gucci and served with divorce papers, her wardrobe turns black, a premonition of the death that will later follow.
More than fashionable, the costumes in this film are set to take audiences on a journey inside the stranger-than-fiction events surrounding Maurizio’s death: “And if they do like the costumes, then that’s an added bonus.”
House of Gucci is in theaters today.
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