30 Gifts for Girlfriends Who Have Excellent Taste (Obviously)

Skip to main content30 Gifts for Your Girlfriend Who Has Excellent Taste (Obviously)She's already made one great choice. Don't make her question it.Photography: Beth Sacca; Design: Haley Bradley; Courtesy of Chanel, Comme SiA good gift is one thing. A gift that makes your girlfriend feel like you really get her? That's the good stuff. To assemble this guide to the best gifts for girlfriends, I canvassed a few good partners around the GQ office, compared notes with some particularly discerning pals, and threw in a few personal favorites for good measure.Whether you've been together for years or are caught up in a whirlwind romance, the goal is the same: find something she'll love, preferably something she wouldn't have thought to buy herself. Flowers are lovely, of course, but we're aiming a little higher here. From little luxuries to the occasional grand gesture, these are the gifts we'd be delighted to give (and, in many cases, receive).Feeling generous? We've got plenty of good ideas where those came from. Browse the rest of our gift guides, and sign up for the GQ Recommends newsletter for a steady stream of excellent things worth giving (or keeping for yourself—we won't tell).The Gifts for Girlfriends Hit ListThe Festive KnitMassimo Dutti 100% Wool Argyle Knit SweaterRead moreThe Pocket-Sized SpritzerChanel No 5 Eau de Parfum Purse SprayRead moreThe Sure-Thing BagCoach Chelsea Shoulder Bag 30Read moreThe Artsy Hand SoapMatias Moellenbach Oba Soap BarRead more The Chic ScarfPolo Ralph Lauren Foulard Wool Fringe ScarfRead more The Heartfelt Stocking StufferGohar Hair Comb HeartRead more The Instant ClassicPolaroid Mod Instant CameraRead more The Treat-Yourself HosieryComme Si Cashmere TrioRead moreStyle GiftsBeauty GiftsTech GiftsHome GiftsWellness GiftsStyle GiftsCoachChelsea Shoulder Bag 30I have a soft spot for people who know exactly what they need and leave the rest at home. Coach’s Chelsea bag speaks to that particular brand of pragmatism, with an elegant, understated silhouette and proportions that feel just right.Massimo Dutti100% Wool Argyle Knit SweaterArgyle is enjoying a well-deserved renaissance, much to the imagined delight of the late Vivienne Westwood. Massimo Dutti's 100% wool rendition comes in a particularly lovely colorway for the festive season.AkilaPsyche SunnglassesAkila makes excellent eyewear for remarkably reasonable prices. The Psyche sunglasses are especially well-proportioned, with a shape that belongs to no particular decade and, for that reason, should look just as good in the next one.Polo Ralph LaurenFoulard Wool Fringe ScarfThere are few things more useful in a wardrobe than a scarf with personality. Polo Ralph Lauren’s wool foulard offers a tasteful jolt of pattern, and can be knotted, drapped, or just tossed over a shoulder—whatever they're into.Comme SiCashmere TrioI maintain that there is no greater luxury than a pair of cashmere socks. Comme Si makes a lovely case for the indulgence, which is well worth the investment but infinitely more satisfying when someone else is picking up the tab.SperrySammi Deconstructed Boat ShoeThis little number recently set the GQ Recommends group chat ablaze, because look at it. It's like Bally’s plume loafer and the Row's soft loafer had a baby, and that baby grew up summering in Newport learning to sail before it could drive.Beauty GiftsChanelNo 5 Eau de Parfum Purse SprayChanel No. 5 is about as unimpeachable as a fragrance gets, but I’d argue this chic little purse spray has the edge over a bottle. All the glamour of an all-time classic, now with the added pleasure of taking it everywhere.Sofie PavittTemp Check Hot & Cold Therapy Mask DuoThe formidable facialist Sofie Pavitt has a new trick up her sleeve: a two-step mask treatment that exfoliates first, then replenishes with a generous dose of hydration. A little temp play, courtesy of one of the most astute minds in skincare.GoharHair Comb HeartItalian acetate, French craftsmanship, and a heart-shaped silhouette that does all the sweet-talking for you. Who said romance was dead?La Bonne BrosseThe Care & Detangling HairBrushIf you haven’t heard of La Bonne Brosse, chances are she has. And if one of the French brand’s rather exquisite hairbrushes hasn’t yet found its way onto her vanity, you’d be wise to remedy that.Dries Van NotenRefillable Lipstick CaseI once watched someone produce one of these Dries lipstick casees from their bag midway through a crowded cocktail hour, and I’ve thought about it ever since. Gift them one and they can let the room know who they are without having to say a word.TypologyLip Care Duo Tint & HydrateChapped-ass lip season is officially upon us, and former GQ Grooming Award winner Typology has come prepared. Its lip care duo puts in the night shift with a nourishing overnight mask, then hands things off to a daytime treatment that keeps lips soft around the clock.Tech GiftsBoseNoise Canceling Wired EarbudsBose has finally made its first wired noise-canceling earbuds. Expect them to be a hot commodity among the wired-headphone evangelists, who can now tune out the world without compromising their principles.CMF By NothingSpeaker MNothing’s sub-brand CMF has made its first portable Bluetooth speaker, a peculiar little contraption that bears an uncanny resemblance to a milk carton. Which, in a sea of anonymous black cylinders, is the point.PolaroidMod Instant CameraThe future of tech, it seems, is looking increasingly analog. Polaroid’s newest instant camera, the Mod, makes a persuasive case for the old ways, with built-in creative modes and the singular pleasure of a photograph you can actually hold.Native UnionPop PhoneOur low-key obsession with nostalgia has made us unlikely converts to Native Union’s Pop Phone. The transparent version, in particular, looks suspiciously like something she might have owned back when the family computer lived in the living room.NimbleSharePower Portable ChargerMost power banks are designed for one. Nimble’s Share Power splits into two separate chargers, so you can both keep your phones alive without fighting over the last few percent. A gift for her with a little something in it for you.SatechiOntheGo 5-in-1 Multiport AdapterSatechi’s clever little 5-in-1 multiport turns a single USB-C port into five connections, letting her plug in more gear without constantly swapping cables.Home GiftsMatias MoellenbachOba Soap BarLeave it to a young Danish design studio like Matias Møllenbach to turn the humble bar of soap into a work of sculptural art. Quite possibly the year’s most covetable bathroom accessory.BodhaSmokeless IncenseI happen to love the atmospheric pleasure of incense smoke curling through a room, but perhaps she feels differently. Enter Bodha’s smokeless incense, a clean-burning set of four scents that sets the mood without the haze.HommeyShort Sleeve ShirtLet's hear it for a good pajama set. There are plenty to choose from these days, but Hommey's are as cute as they are comfortable, with a price that won't keep you up at night.ParachuteTurkish Cotton SlipperHead to Parachute for your linens, sure, but don’t sleep on the rest of its home goods. These cotton slippers are a treat for anyone who takes the business of being cozy seriously.KintoWater BottleIf they, like me, have a passion for a good water bottle, Kinto’s is worth a look. Made from recycled materials with the clarity of glass, it’s just a nice thing to carry around all day.StaudHenry Duster SetThat robot vacuum does a fine job, but you'd be surprised how often you'd reach for a duster if you had one handy. This set from the perpetually cool Staud is almost too good-looking for housework, and doubles as a piece of art on the shelf.Wellness GiftsWoopMeridian BandWhoop's new Meridian band is a welcome reminder of where fitness trackers are headed: they no longer need to look like fitness trackers. An elegant little upgrade for anyone who wants to keep tabs on their health without advertising the fact.DrowsyFeatherweight Sleep MaskThere's a reason Drowsy's sleep mask gets all the flowers. It's silky, exceptionally comfortable, and, unlike so many of its competitors, actually adjustable. Not bad-looking, either.StaktAdjust Hand WeightsThey don't need a pair of hulking dumbbells to get a good workout in. Stakt's adjustable hand weights pack plenty of versatility into a compact little packageHercule StudioMar Yoga MatHercule Studio's fitness mats are pretty hard to resist. Few brands are marrying utility with good taste quite so convincingly right now, and these are the rare pieces of workout equipment they might go ahead and leave out.Kate McLeodPalo Santo & Vetiver Pebble Solid Bath & Shower Oil SetThis set from Kate McLeod of solid bath and shower oils puts cocoa butter and jojoba oil to work, delivering a generous dose of plant-based moisture without another bottle cluttering the tub.HigherDoseSeratonin SoakIn these dark times, we could all use a little shot of serotonin. HigherDOSE's bath soak is just the ticket, preferably with the door locked and nowhere else to be.Production CreditsPhotography by Beth SaccaSet Design by Louisa FulkersonMichael Nolledo is GQ’s commerce director, where he leads operations for GQ Recommends and oversees coverage for all things menswear and style. Prior to GQ, he led editorial programs for several publications, including InsideHook, BuzzFeed, and Business Insider. Originally from Chicago, he now lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can ... Read More