There are exactly 50 days before Christmas, which means that there are less than 50 days to make a list, check it twice and shop for holiday presents.
To make your Christmas shopping a little less frenzied, we’ve rounded up 12 fashion and beauty books that would make for a thoughtful and personal gift to your fashion-forward or skincare-conscious friends and family.
As the American author Sue Grafton wrote in “Y is for Yesterday”: “A book has no unwanted calories and you don’t have to worry about the sizes as long as the subject matter appeals to the recipient.”
1. More and more people are skipping fast fashion and opting for environment-friendly ways of dressing. Just look at the many Instagram sellers of curated ukay-ukay clothes and their customers who steal, grab and bid during uploads. For those who are advocates of circular fashion or shop at thrift stores, Elizabeth Cline’s “The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good” may be right up their alley. The journalist and consumer culture expert, in this book, talks about how one can build a wardrobe that is both mindful of the environment and chic. Available on Amazon.
2. Another eye-opening book about sustainable dressing is “Fashionopolis: Why What We Wear Matters” by Dana Thomas. Here, Thomas delves into the environmental impacts and exploitation of labor involved in fast fashion and the efforts of companies, big and small, who develop ways to make fashion friendlier to the environment. Available on Fully Booked’s Shopee store.
3. Friends and family who swear by Uniqlo can take a page from “Tokyo Fashion: A Comic Book.” This illustrated style guide helps readers build a timeless and flexible wardrobe using simple pieces, while staying true to that Japanese style of dressing. Available on fullybookedonline.com.
4. “Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike” is a must read for all sneakerheads. This instant bestseller tells the story of how founder Phil Knight went from selling shoes from the trunk of his car to creating one of the most recognizable and coveted shoe brands in the world. Available on fullybookedonline.com.
5. They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. What better gift to give to that rock-obsessed family member than “Vogue The Jewellery”? This coffee-table book is packed with visuals of couture and costume jewelry that have graced the pages of British Vogue, and it costs only a fraction of an actual diamond. Available on fullybookedonline.com.
6. “The Cartiers,” meanwhile, is a tell-all of the legendary jewelry dynasty. Francesca Cartier Brickell, a great-granddaughter of one of the Cartier brothers, traces her family’s history and uncovers untold stories of her family. Available on fullybookedonline.com.
7. For those who look for inspiration in Philippine colonial dress under Spanish rule, “Clothing the Colony: Nineteenth-Century Philippine Sartorial Culture, 1820-1896” by Stephanie Coo is a peerless reference to all manner of clothing worn by Filipinos from various social classes during that period. Available on Ateneo Press’ Lazada store.
8. Speaking of period fashion, fashion photographer Bill Cunningham’s memoir is a peek into the 1950s trend. “Fashion Climbing” is rich with photographs, as well as tales that show Cunningham’s love and devotion to fashion. Available on nationalbookstore.com.
9. Tips, tricks and inspirations. “Serving Face: Lessons on Poise and (Dis)grace From the World of Drag” may just be the fairy drag mother we all need. Felix Le Freak’s book offers life lessons on achieving charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent—qualities that are needed in and out of drag. Available on fullybookedonline.com.
10. Soko Glam founder and beauty expert Charlotte Cho’s “The Little Book of Skin Care: Korean Beauty Secrets for Healthy, Glowing Skin” could contain the answers to all questions when it comes to skin care. This highly rated book, with its product guide, tutorials and techniques, may just be the first step to achieving glass skin. Best of all, it can be gifted to anyone who wants glowing, healthy skin. Available on Amazon.
11. Puberty is tough, especially with the changes in one’s body. Luckily, there’s this book called “What’s Up With My Skin?: A Teen’s Guide to Healthy Skin” to help make those testy teenage years a little better. This reliable guide is an important reference to teens going through skin issues like acne, dandruff and body hair. It’s written by Dr. Clarissa Cellona, who has been working as a dermatologist for almost 20 years. Available on nationalbookstore.com.
12. Neal’s Yard is a United Kingdom-based cosmetics and skin care company. But it also has a handy book, “Neal’s Yard Beauty Book,” that provides organic beauty recipes, remedies and techniques for healthy skin. It’s a self-care guide that makes a perfect present for friends and family who need some pampering. Available on nationalbookstore.com.