Hello Darlings,
It is officially November and we are already starting to see the usual slew of holiday content all over our feeds (and in our inboxes). So why not get a head start on my holiday gift guides this year? After all - what's that saying? If you can't beat em', join em'.
I will be making multiple wish lists and gift guides this year as I did last. So - write me on my site, email me, DM me on TikTok, or use whatever other means of communication that suits your fancy to send in your requests.
This particular wish list is mainly born out of my own personal taste and aesthetic at the moment. I am currently renovating my childhood bedroom so much of my design choices in the home decor realm have trickled over into my overall stylistic preferences. Hence, the heavy presence of stainless steel and seashells. I'm having a faze alright? As my parasocial, consumption enabling bestie, I need you to get on board here.
I hope you enjoy and please do let me know what has made it to your lists!
Jump to:
Compact Mirrors
I was recently gifted a vintage Estee Lauder gold seashell compact as a graduation present (shoutout to my thoughtful sissy) and it has made me realize that everyone needs a compact in their lives. Yes - a phone can do the trick. But will you look as demure and chic holding up your iPhone 16 as you will a dainty mother of pearl mirror? I don't think. Keep it in your bag, or just display it on your dresser. Some things don't need to be entirely functional. They just need to spark joy. Click on whichever one sparks joy for you. For those that I could not find an exact match of, I have linked something similar.
Most of these are vintage and may contain their original powder. Just pop out the tray and replace it with one of your own!
Room Decor
As I said I've been re-doing my room so of course I had to share with you some of my favourite home decor. I have provided exact links to these products, but you can also search on Etsy for similar, locally-made products.
Hot take - I don't like the smell of incense. Maybe it's because I was raised Catholic and it brings back memories of school-mandated mass. Maybe it's because it reminds me of vintage stores that are clearly trying to cover up a potent mixture of peoples' house smells. Whatever the reason, it's not my favourite. All of this to say, I don't like incense and yet I need this incense holder. I want it bad. Everything that Corey Ashford sells gives this very similar, effortlessly cool vibe. If this seashell holder isn't enough for you, check out the oyster version.
Nobody does homeware quite like Anthropologie. This mirrored brass vanity tray is no exception. Place it on your vanity to display your proudest cosmetic collection. It might even look chic in the corner of your bathroom counter, for all of your skincare that you may or may not have purchased for the packaging.
I WISH that this glass Zara lamp was still in stock. But to be honest if it was, I wouldn't be sharing it with and would purchase it for myself. So i guess this is a win for you guys. What can I say? I like to help the people but sometimes I reserve the right to gatekeep. Here is a very similar option from Olive and Olive interiors. For those are you holding out hope of a restock, I've linked the o.g. in the picture.
I've seen a lot of these coloured trays on Pinterest and Instagram. To my dismay, many of them turn out to be acrylic and from Temu. When I found this glass version from Simons, I pinned it immediately. Use it to display your perfume collection, or to catch your jewellery at the end of the day. Either way, the bronze/amber or green options will both ad a pop of chic colour to any space.
Something about contrasting a warm and cozy environment with pops of hard metal decor looks incredibly chic to me. For example, here is a link to my room update Pinterest Board. Everything is warm and inviting. Adding something such as this Craighill Castro Tray ads a bit of edge, without dominating the space. For those of you who aren't into silver don't fret - they also have it in gold.
For my girls that love a candle, this Georg Jenson tea light holder will be the perfect addition to your carefully curated tabletop clutter.
Homeware
When I tell you that I've been sitting on this cow print mug for a minute. I couldn't wait for an excuse to share it with you all. I'm particularly eager to get this out there because these mugs are made by an Etsy seller, and I'm all for supporting small businesses. If you are someone like me who needs the promise of a latte to get put of bed in the morning, this is perfect for you. Oh - and its perfect for a table view insta pic. This one will definitely be on my own personal wish list this year.
Now these coasters??? Another common Corey Ashford win. A bit steep for a coaster alone, these double as decor (and lowkey art). They come in silver a s gold. Place then in the same room as the incense holder or Craghill Castro tray to give a sleek and modern vibe.
Back to the seashells, I found these gorgeous stacking plates on Etsy that I couldn't help but share. There are a few sellers offering them right now so be sure to search around for those closest to you (and thus cheapest to ship).
Silver strikes again. I've been seeing these stainless steel mugs all over my Pinterest and I am officially sold. And that's coming from a gold girl. You can find them at a bunch of places, but here is an Etsy link.
I found this sushi plate on Pinterest and immediately scoured the internet looking for it. Unfortunately, I couldn't find an exact match, but I found some similar items to add to your wish list. This is perfect for someone (like me) who loves a sushi night in.
Ever since visiting New York this past spring, I have had a bit of an obsession with Ralph's coffee. Not the coffee itself (frankly it was nothing to run home about), but the aesthetic of Ralph's coffee. Traditional diner dishes and mugs with a modern twist? Love it. This particular hunter green colour? Fantastic give me fourteen of them right now. This one comes with a cute little saucer.
For those of you who enjoy the Ralph's coffee aesthetic but not the branding of it all, these espresso cups are a great pick. They have the same rimmed detailing but with low profile. Green is not your thing? No worries, they come in blue and red as well.
Personalized Cosmetics
Last year the Officine Universelle Baume Des Muses personalized lip balm was the it-girl gift of the year. When I took a closer look at their website, their personalized offerings go far beyond just lip balm. From combs to hand mirrors, take your pick. In addition to these items, I have also included an engraved hand mirror and the Guerlain customized lipstick. Personalized and engraved items have a good chance of becoming tacky, These are the few that, in my opinion, land in the rare chic territory.
Clean Skin Scents
Last year I was big into gourmand scents - vanilla, cherry, etc. Now that my fragrance collection is well equipped with these types of scents, I am looking to expand into clean girl scents. Those scents that make you smell like you just took a clean shower and that's just how you smell. Clean skin scents if you will. I recently purchased the Glossier Doux fragrance when it launched and I love it. As a long-time lover of the o.g. Glossier You, I was eager to get my hands on the brand's latest attempt at clean girl perfume. I would definitely recommend it. I have also heard great things about this new Merit beauty scent called Retrospect. I recommend ordering it (or telling your loved ones to order it lol) from the Merit site rather than the Sephora site. This way you get their signature bag for free!
Red Blush
Lastly, I think a winter it-girl makeup essential is red blush. As someone who usually sticks to her rosy blushes (refy's rose cream blush is my go-to) I was shocked by how much I liked red blush on me. I remember wearing it for dance recitals in the 2000s and since then wrote it off as outdated. But now it's starting to make sense why it was an essential for runway makeup artists back in the 90s. It gives the perfect natural flush - like you just walked inside after being in the cold. What a perfect shade for chilly winter days.
Well that does it. We've come to the end of the first wish list of the year. I hope you enjoyed and got some inspiration for your own wish list this year.
Let me know what other wish lists you want to see!
Talk Soon,
-Vanilla Darling Xx
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