Loved this story in the St. Petersburg Times. It reminds me of my "Men
Hate Christmas Shopping" article. Read on...
Code Red
The clock is ticking, guys: Valentine's Day is four days away. Here's
can't-miss advice for the man who dreads shopping.
By SHARON FINK
This is our Valentine's Day present to all men who consider shopping
about as enjoyable as a root canal - without Novocaine.
Men, if you're in that category, we know that shopping for a
Valentine's Day gift for the special woman in your life comes with a
special set of hazards. Go wrong with a birthday choice and you face
maybe a few days of silence and an occasional pointed comment for the
next few years. Go wrong for Valentine's Day and you can feel as if
you've unintentionally questioned the very foundation of your
relationship.
We may never be able to make shopping fun for you, but we can make it
less painful. Our gift is expert advice on how to buy a successful
Valentine's Day present. We picked four major gift categories -
jewelry (of the non-engagement-ring kind), fragrance, lingerie and
clothes - and asked four pros for their best basic shopping tips.
JEWELRY: It's an almost foolproof choice, the pros said, because it's
a safe one.
Jewelry is the Valentine's bestseller at Marion's, a 20-year-old St.
Petersburg store specializing in jewelry, clothes and handbags.
"Men like to buy earrings and a necklace that match," owner Marion
Mitchell said. "They feel like they've really put together a nice
assortment."
The safest of the safe choice is pearls, said Suzanne Wightman, owner
of the Art Tarts, a Tampa store featuring work by local artists.
"Statistically, men that come in here buying jewelry, probably five
out of six buy pearls," she said. "Pearls are . . . tried and true."
If you want to be a little adventurous with your choice, let some
basic facts about your recipient guide you: How does she dress -
casual, conservative, eclectic? Where does she shop - Ann Taylor,
Macy's, a local boutique? Does she wear much jewelry for work or more
for going out?
"What kind of car does she drive?" Wightman said. "All those things
get a feel for the person."
And don't fear your instincts, Wightman said. If you see a piece that
immediately makes you think, "This looks like her," get it.
Don't fear practicality, either. If you know your special person has a
favorite jewelry designer, get a piece by that artist.
FRAGRANCE: If your special person has a favorite, stick with it, but
add a twist: Get a smaller bottle for her to carry in her handbag, or
that line's body lotion or bath product.
Otherwise, have a chat with a salesperson for guidance, said Debra
Redmond, the beauty and fragrance director for Nordstrom's 17 stores
in Florida, Georgia and Texas. Be ready to answer at least two
questions.
"When you think of her, what does she smell like - more floral, more
citrusy, more spicy?" Redmond said. "(And) what do you want her to
smell like?"
Redmond said floral is the most popular type of fragrance in Florida.
Two to try: the new Juicy Couture, from the people who do Juicy
Couture clothes, and Cartier's Delices.
"Spicy is a little bit more sensual, sexy. . . . The classic of all
classics is Opium" by YSL.
LINGERIE: Men, this is the real minefield.
"In my experience, men buy mostly . . . stuff they want to see, not
what women want," said Cheryl Underhill, president of TeddyGirl.com, a
7-year-old Internet lingerie business based in Clearwater.
"Women want bras, pants and basic underwear. Men aren't interested in
that."
But if you're confident that diaphanous and lacy is the way to go, at
least try hard to get her correct size and style.
"Raid their underwear drawer and find out their bra cup size and bust
size," Underhill said. "You get most of your lingerie based on that."
If you go to a store where most lingerie items are sold in small,
medium and large, get a salesperson's help to translate.
When it comes to style, "duplicate what they already have," Underhill
said. For example, "if they don't have anything in a certain color,
just know that's not them."
And consider an extra something special, Underhill said. "A man could
also buy something sexy for himself, to amuse his wife for a change."
CLOTHES: They can be the most intimidating thing to buy.
Rule one: Know her size. Tops are a good choice, since the sizes
aren't quite as specific as those for, say, jeans.
"Get her a fun top, to go with jeans, a skirt, something that gives
them something to wear with something they have in their wardrobe,"
Marion Mitchell said. "Ladies always like another blouse or top."
Again, if you know what her favorite store is, go there. And talk to
the salesperson about your valentine's tastes and lifestyle. Don't be
shy about pointing out someone in the store who has a body type
similar to your recipient's to help the salespeople help you.
Don't be afraid to trust your instincts here, either. And women,
here's a tip for you, too: Let them.
"More women have made men so afraid to buy them clothes, and it's kind
of too bad," Mitchell said. "They do have a good eye a lot of the time
about what looks good on their wife."
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