The Soft Gift Guide
A wellness and maker focused gift guide to make all the people in your life smile.
Welcome to this year’s Soft Gift Guide.
I’ve put together a mix of wellness products that have genuinely improved my day-to-day life, along with a few pieces from my favorite makers.
There’s a lot of discourse around gift guides this year—and honestly, I get both sides. If you’re a gift-guide hater, please don’t shame people for making them; a lot of folks simply enjoy reading them and seeing what others love. And for the gift-guide lovers, try not to promote over-consumption. There’s definitely a point where these lists start encouraging unnecessary spending, which isn’t helpful for anyone. There’s no real right or wrong here.
That being said, I did my best to curate a list of things I actually use or would truly use in my own life.
Welcome to the gift guide…
Textiles
Ur Gf - Basics Tommy Sweater ( $250)
Makena is an excellent LA-based knitwear designer who hand-makes all of her pieces in her studio. She made this sweater a little while ago and I simply cant stop thinking about it.
Bailey Goldberg- Star Beanie ($90)
If you know me, you know Bailey Goldberg, the master beanie maker. I will shout him out any time I can because he truly makes such a fantastic beanie with really colorful and playful designs. I am adding this with the knowledge that he currently doesn’t have any stock available, but he adds new styles regularly.
Josefine Dyring- Bowling Bag Knit Kit ($72)
Josefine was one of the first smaller knitwear brands that I saw turning their patterns into kits, and it has been so inspiring to me. A lot of her work uses scrap yarn and high contrast colors, leaving you with a fun knit and a colorful new piece to add to your wardrobe.
Stahl Knit- Ribbed Knit T-shirt ($145)
Stahl Knit makes such fun, unique pieces that are great basics for your closet. All handmade, they’re really good at experimenting with fun silhouettes that make you question if this is even the knit.
Clothing
My friend Bailey turned me on to this brand. They make a lot of amazing, simple t-shirts that I will be getting, as well as this multifunctional tote. It features a customizable strap and waxed material, making it perfect for winter weather.
Emily Dawn Long- River Shawl ($298)
Everything Emily makes is incredibly chic and high quality, but this 100% wool shawl has stuck with me since she released it. It can be worn as a traditional shawl, top, skirt, and truly whatever way you think of. It’s a multi seasonal staple that will be perfect for the fabulous person in your life.
Cleo has really made the perfect shirt. With a high neck and a low back, it adds a new dimension to your basic tee. Funny enough, Cleo and I went to high school together, and it’s really awesome to see people you grew up with starting their own brands and making really great products. I’m pretty sure this shirt is also reversible which is a huge plus in my book.
Sara is one of my favorite artists of all time. She has such a gentle hand that translates so beautifully on print and also in clothing. She turns many of her prints into T-shirts you can buy, which is a favorite thing artists do, in my opinion. She also collaborates with brands to create prints for their products.
Plain Jane- Shortie Tee ($42 for 1 $99 for 3)
If you were around when I was making the white T-shirt master list, you definitely know Plain Jane New York. Of all the shirts I tried out, this one really came out on top with its comfortable feel and really customizable shape. They make all of their basic tees in different sleeve lengths so you can find the one that’s right for your body.
Rummage Stretch- Yellow Nike Fanny Pack ($55)
Rummage stretch is new to me, but I’m so happy I found it. They curate vintage workout wear from all around. They release it, and drops which have become very popular, so definitely keep your eye out for the next one. This is one of the few things they still have in stock.
Wellness
Intake Breath- Beginner Nose Strips ($49.99)
I’m usually not want to fall for Instagram ads, but this one really got me. I’ve started running more and one of the biggest things that stops me when I run is not being able to breathe. I wanted to see if there was something that would help him, but without my nostrils, and obviously, my phone was listening to me, and this came up. It was well worth it because I can now run properly with open airways.
My dear friend Danya convinced all of our friends to get this app blocker to help us recenter our lives in reality, and it honestly hasn’t disappointed. Once you get over the existential dread of being at the point where we need something like this to get off our phones, it’s actually a great product—and a great gift.
Rolflex- Arm and Leg Massager ($72.96)
A friend recommended this to me a while ago, and I only recently tried it at my boyfriend’s parents’ house—and I am changed. As someone who works a lot with my hands, I find it hard to stretch my upper forearms properly. This is the solution.
If this price isn’t in your budget, I also love this body roller from RadRoller:
RadRoller- Everywhere Multitool ($24.99)
This is something that I bring whenever I travel. It’s like a detailer foam roller; it gets into all the nooks and crannies that the bigger ones can't reach. It’s been truly life changing.
Misc.
Bailey Hikawa- Geta Phone Case ($49)
Okay… I know this looks wild—just hear me out. Bailey sent me this phone case years ago, and I tried it on my phone just for a laugh. I didn’t take it off for three years, until I upgraded my phone. It’s incredibly comfortable in your hand.
There are many things I could say about how excellent this case is, but the highest compliment I can offer is that it survived a fall from a cliff without a scratch.
Ariel Kellogg- Leon Brooch ($80)
Ariel is a fantastic jewelry designer and vintage curator who blends her two loves to create gorgeous, humorous pieces. She offers a wide variety of styles- brooches, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and more.
Paul Georgio- Steel Incense Holder (CA79.99)
Paul is an extremely sick furniture designer. I featured his keyring holder in my last gift guide and feel like this is a perfect follow-up to that. I love how he turns functional items into wall art.
Caroline Mills- X3 Print ($25)
Caroline is one of my favorite illustrators of all time. She blends pop culture with her own artistic style leaving you with a burst of color. She also hand-draws on vintage clothing; they sell out quickly, so keep your eyes out for that.
Janie’s candles are always a go-to when it comes to gift-giving. She hand-makes all the candles, even offering custom portraits of yourself or your dog.
Ceramics
Meg Hubert- Have a Good Day Mug (CA60)
Meg’s ceramics are destined to make your morning a bit happier. Her joyful designs mixed with well crafted vessels makes for a perfect treat for someone in your life. I really love her huge of massive handles on the mugs.
Danny D’s Mud Shop- Speed Vase ($165)
Danny works out of his LA-based ceramics studio to bring you organic pottery with a touch of old traditional tattoo illustrations. He offers a wide variety of pottery, from cups to light fixtures, that make your home feel like a piece of art. Similar so keep your eyes out.
Laura Chautin- Handmade Cup and Saucer ($185)
Laura is up there with my favorite illustrators. She has such a delicate hand and color palette that blends so well with her gorgeous ceramic pieces. She hands makes and glazes all the pieces herself.
Boom. There you go.
Hope you enjoyed :)
Xx Ella
Oh no I need a bunch of these beautiful things now. Thank you!
We ❤️❤️❤️❤️ u