I had wondered about doing a ‘gift ideas for men’ post but I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to chat to all kinds of women over the last few days. As part of my research, I’ve been asking them what they are buying for their husbands and they all seemed to have it planned. So I then asked them what they were hoping for themselves and the stock answer was ‘oh I haven’t got time to think.’ And actually when Mr MC asked me the same question this weekend, I found myself giving the same answer. It doesn’t seem fair, we women are the people who unselfishly put all of the sparkle into Christmas. So, I’m putting a list together of things I know I would like in the hope that you might too – and in the even greater hope that if I optimise the post well enough, men all over the world will find it in their desperate search and there will be lots of happy women on Christmas day! Here we go, my edit of Christmas gift ideas for women over 40:
This is the single thing I would like more than anything else. I love everything about my ‘brown sugar’ one so much and I’m still wearing it constantly even though I’ve had it since September which is unlike me.
Elle supersoft longline cardigan
This is the other thing – the photo really doesn’t do it justice but I saw it when I was in London and it has much more navy in it than you can see here. It’s huge and super soft and I know it would add the finishing touch to endless navy outfits.
Now I need your input on this. I feel that I should have a Clarisonic although I tend to cleanse with Micellar water. Do you have one? Do you use it? Are they worth it? More importantly do they make you look 10 years younger? Please can you let me know in the comments.
So, I’m already beyond pushing it now, the rest of the items are very unlikely to come my way but that’s fine. I’m happy to spend our budget on good times rather than things in December. This is just a list of loveliness – and isn’t the colour of this fabulous, it’s everything cashmere should be, an utter frivolity that would guarantee to lift your spirits.
This I don’t need because it is one of my desert island items. I’ll talk more about it when I do my ultimate grooming post in January but it is basically a clear gloss but the touch of pink in it makes them look like the nails of a 15 year old. You can paint it on and it is dry in about 1 minute but it makes an enormous difference.
A little bird (a robin maybe) tells me that the pyjama fairy (who comes to our house whilst we’re out at the panto on Christmas Eve) is bringing me these…
…to wear with a new one of my favourite pointelle tops (such a bargain and another of my desert island items – although I suppose it would be too hot for one on a desert island)…
…however she found it hard to choose from these as she knows I have a PJ obsession….
….these also made the shortlist, if I had a warmer house they would have been the winners but I need brushed cotton until late May!
I feel a terrible traitor putting this in given that I am head of creative at another home fragrance company but I have it on my desk at work and it is the most amazing fragrance. It’s quite sophisticated – a smell of woodsmoke and fir trees and certainly not to everyone’s taste but if you’re into fragrance, you’ll love it.
As you know I already have this necklace and it’s another item that I wear consistently. It adds a British twist to simple outfits.
Beecharmed pearl heart necklace
Now being very cynical about the way many fine fragrances are created, I’m becoming very hard to please. This is my favourite of the recent launches.
I’m currently trialling an Elizabeth Arden night cream so that I can tell you what I think in the new year. Containing time honoured items from the Eight Hour range, this is a great value gift for anyone whose skin suffers in the winter from cold winds and the effects of central heating.
Actually this is something that I have wanted for ages but can never justify buying (although it isn’t expensive). A silk pillowcase saves time in the morning because apparently you wake up with less crumpled skin and smooth hair. It has five star reviews and who knows whether it really works but I’m at the stage where I like to cover all bases!
And for me, Christmas would be a disaster without Bendicks Bittermints, my all time favourite chocolate. I am very, very sad that they are no longer made in the UK though.
Bendicks Bittermints available from all good supermarkets and you can buy really huge boxes at Selfridges Food Hall!
So, I really hope that helps. I’ve been so focused on Christmas that I haven’t been doing very well at taking photos of my outfits but here are a few recent ones
Out for a walk – I’m wearing old clothes so this is more for the leaves than anything else!
Helen Berman peacoat; Accessorise scarf; Next relaxed skinny jeans, ancient Clarks goretex boots
With the eldest who received one last prize at Speech Day at his old school (so very lovely to see him again). By the way the gutter was splashing rain onto my coat – I know it looks like bird poo but thankfully it isn’t!
Autograph by M&S Coat; Accessorize scarf; Whistles dress; Mulberry clutch
I’ve been wearing this scarf a lot as you can see in the above two pictures and a few of you have asked if I have seen any similar ones this year. At last I have:
or for one with more blue
This is me in comfort clothes, feeling sorry for myself after an exuberant evening that went on until 4am – Mr MC decided I needed a walk to blow the cobwebs away (I felt like curling up with the sheep)..
Burgundy cashmere jumper; Hush wrap; Next relaxed skinny jeans; Autograph Chelsea boots; Clarks shopper; Accessorise necklace
And today, toasty in my new jumper, ready for my photograph until my dear husband came in from fixing the gate after the recent storms – see how trusting I was…
…until he did this with his icy cold fingers!
Anyway, I’m going to leave you with the above jumper that I spotted in M&S last week. I’ve been feeling a bit bored with my camel / grey / navy / dark red colour palette. The current trend for very loose jumpers sadly doesn’t suit me but this one is stepped and cut higher at the front which gives you a little more shape. It’s cleverly contoured on the shoulders and most importantly, it isn’t itchy – only 10% wool but it’s supersoft. It’s also available in a blush pink and a deep raspberry. As so often with M&S it looks awful on the website.
It’s also called the funnel neck sponge jumper – a case study in how to make something look and sound unattractive – I really hope it looks better on me!
Anyway, there you have it in case you’re feeling bored with winter colours.
So, I hope this post has been helpful. If it means just one woman in the UK (or further afield) feels special on Christmas Day then my work here is done! Back soon everyone.
Other Christmas posts you may like:
