Buying a gift for a woman is a delicate topic – you are tiptoeing along the boundary line of making her feel on top of the world or like you don’t care at all.
It’s the ideal time to show her how special she is to you, so here are 15 tips to help you pick the perfect gift!
1) Don’t Buy Clothes Unless You Know Her Really Well
That dress may look great on the mannequin in the shop window, but have you considered your lady’s size, shape and the style that suits her? Unless you are 100% sure of her specific taste, this one could go badly wrong.
Buying something too small will make her feel fat and embarrassed and buying something too big will leave her feeling insulted! Sorry guys, but unless you know your girl perfectly, you just can’t win with this one!
2) Pick Up Hints and Show That You Listen
If a girl wants something specific, you can be sure that she will have dropped a few hints, in the hope that you’ll pick up the clues and surprise her. Of course if these hints are that she wants a whopper of a diamond ring, you can always pretend you weren’t listening. As a general rule though, if there’s something she really wants, she will have probably already told you.
3) Don’t Buy Her a Gift That You Would Rather Have For Yourself
This one can be pretty transparent and it’s not going to impress her. If you’re big on video games, and you buy her a games console so you can “play together” – she’ll see right through you. Similarly, if you buy her a snooker cue so you can “teach her” or tickets to a sporting event she’s not interested in, it’s not going to go down well.
4) Experiences Are Often Better than Material Gifts
Life should be more about cherished memories than material possessions and planning a great experience together is one of the best gifts you can buy. Whether it’s a romantic spa getaway, a food tour or even a pair of plane tickets to somewhere she’s always wanted to go to, this sort of gesture will definitely impress. A shared experience will be something that you can reminisce about for years to come.
5) Don’t Assume It’s All about Money
Anybody can flash the cash but what women really care about is the thought that goes into the gift. So instead of aiming for quantity, go for quality and a present that really shows you’ve put thought into it.
6) Plan in Advance
Nothing shouts out last minute like a wilted bunch of roses you’ve bought from the petrol station. Is her favourite band going to be performing next month? Take the time to research and plan rather than leaving it to the day before, and your gestures will not go unnoticed.
7) Makeup Good, Soap Not So Much
Women love to make themselves look beautiful, so if you buy her some of her favourite makeup, this is guaranteed to be a hit. If on the other hand, you buy her a bar of soap and some shower gel – this conveys a less romantic message, as they are “essentials” she’d buy for herself on a daily basis, not as a special treat.
8) Be Romantic and Do Something Personal
Women love romance, so if you’re struggling with gift ideas, there’s one golden rule; do something romantic to show her you care. This could be a surprise – perhaps a little note telling her where to go that evening, or anything personalised, such as a handmade card, a picture frame, a scrapbook, a poem or even a song (if you’re musical).
It’s all about being creative and romantic at the same time. Just don’t put a ring in her cake or her glass of champagne as accidents do happen and you might need to practice your best Heimlich manoeuvre!
9) Timing Is Important
If you’ve only been dating a week and it’s her birthday, then that diamond ring is going to be too much, and will definitely scare her off. She’ll think that you’re moving too fast and will worry that you expect an expensive present in return. For someone you’re just casually dating, a meal at her favourite restaurant and a small thoughtful gift always goes down well.
10) The Triple Threat – Shoes, Handbags, Jewellery
If in doubt, you can’t go wrong with choosing either shoes, handbags or jewellery. All of these things require some background knowledge though. With shoes, makes sure you are 100% sure of her size and favourite style. Handbags are always a hit – a woman can never have too many, and there’s something about a jewellery box that makes every woman melt. Just make sure you pay attention to her specific style. Does she like large statement chunky jewellery or more delicate pieces? Of course the age old phrase goes: “diamonds are forever” so that’s always guaranteed to be a hit. As a general rule though – look at the current style that she wears and buy something that fits the mould.