'Tis the Season: ChiTown Fashionista and Violet Revolution 2010 Holiday Gift Guide for Women

What better way to celebrate the holidays than to present to you a Holiday Gift Guide with fellow fashion and shopping blogger, Nancy of Violet Revolution!!

In this two-part comprehensive guide, we will list our Top 10 Gifts for women AND men. So, let's get to it!

First up, gifts for the ladies...

The Scent of Anna Dello Russo  ($25): The self-titled, newly released (on December 3, 2010) fragrance from the Fashion Director of Vogue Nippon and all-around fashion goddess, Anna Dello Russo. Even if you're not into fashion, a vanilla and almond scent that is housed in a lovely gold shoe is bound to please any woman who loves all things pretty.







Shirts from Out of Print (under $40): From t-shirts to the newly-added long sleeve fleeces (as pictured), Out of Print clothing offers the perfect gift for bookworms or those that simply love the nostalgia of revisiting some of their childhood favorites. Plus, every purchase provides a book to a community in need. My current favorite is the Catcher in the Rye fleece!

Bracelets by RLT Collection ($35 and up): From wooden beads to semiprecious gemstones to pearls, the RLT Collection consists of bracelets handmade by the Emmy Award Winning AIDS Activist (and friend) Rae Lewis-Thornton. With so much variety, there is something for every woman AND budget. The ones completed with a fireball center will add just enough bling to your favorite girl's wrist.

Customized Le Pliage Bag by Longchamp ($45 and up): The iconic lightweight and foldable carryall can be completely customized! Available options include bag size, handle length, main color, stripe color, hardware finish plus embossing and/or embroidery. Here's a little formula to give you an idea of the number of possibilities: 6 models + 225 color combos + 2 handle sizes = 6750 creations. These can take up to 3 weeks for delivery, so hop to it!

Fashion Plates by Ben Morris ($8 each and up): Adorned with images sketched by SCAD professor, Ben Morris, these plates are perfect for any fashionista! Will they eat off of them? Who cares?! The only questions you should ask are "black and white images on round plates"? OR "colored images on square plates"? Decisions, decisions.

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Kimono Robe by Plum Pretty Sugar ($70):  If you know a mom, whether it's your mom or a friend who's a mom; you know that moms like to be pampered, but that doesn’t happen too often in reality. Make her feel special everyday with this delicate Plum Pretty Sugar Kimono Style Robe. Ankle Length. Darling Jardin Bleu. Whenever I see robes in a department store, they're always either grandma style or these black satin ones meant for a night of oh la la. This one is practical enough for every day. So if baby spits up, the soft cotton can be washed easily; but is also feminine and sheer enough to make a girl feel sexy.

iPod Cozy by DashingEtc ($20): OMG, I want this! How cute is this felt floral iPhone/iPod carrier? It has a velcro top, so you can clip it on your belt and still look fashionable, plus it even has a little credit card/ID pocket hidden in back. This is great for working out or if you walk to work or take the el.

Leg Warmers by Hue ($16): For the fashionista in your life, get her some trendy legwarmers. No longer do you have to shelf your pumps for winter. These chunky knit ones by Hue can be worn over tights with a skirt (as shown) or over jeans/leggings. You can also wear them slouched down (as shown), pulled up the calf, or under tall boots so just the top peeks through. (Click the link to see other images.) Plus they come in a variety of styles -- I've seen some with fur trim on Etsy or even in chunkier and cable knits.

Candles by Et Al Designs: I know it's probably cliché or impersonal to give candles as a gift, but if you know a woman who loves to entertain, she probably loves setting out candles everywhere to make her home cozy and inviting. I'm not a big candle person myself, but I couldn't resist these modern, handmade ones by Et Al Designs. They come in all these fun, unusual patterns -- like mine are black tapers with little rhinestone swirls all over them, which I found at Elevenzees in Wicker Park.

Betsey Johnson Houndstooth Wallet ($59): Do you have a friend or sister that's a little preppy and a little rock 'n roll? Get her this studded metallic teal houndstooth wallet by Betsey Johnson. Sounds kind of odd, but I like that you could be carrying around this black bag and then pull out this unexpected pop of
color.



And that's our 2010 Top Ten Gift Guide for Women!! Click HERE for the Men's gift guide. You know we couldn't leave them out.

P.S. You can follow my buddy, Violet Revolution, on Facebook and Twitter.