Since I’ve spent nearly a decade in the women’s retail industry, I’ve seen my fair share of gifts gone wrong. I’m talking specifically about guys shopping for their significant other, spending a substantial amount of time thoughtfully picking out pieces they anticipate will please their partner, only to ultimately have their gift fall flat, resulting in a return not long after it’s been given.
In the role of the recipient I must admit I’m every bit as equally guilty. On each occasion without fail, my husband voluntarily ventures off the wish list I’ve ever so carefully crafted for him, with his sights set instead on something that he alone has selected specifically. While I admire his desire to delight me by his own doing, sadly the actual odds that I’ve ultimately kept these surprise selections are only slightly better than half.
Since opening my own boutique a little over a year ago, I’ve made it my personal mission to help put an end to, or at the very least alleviate, the likelihood of imminent return; by sharing with my male customers 10 specific tricks and tips for shopping for their significant other.
- Size matters. As straight forward as it seems, simply knowing what size she wears is step one. Some might assume this would go without saying, but from my experience this absolutely still needs to be clearly stated — you wouldn’t imagine the amount of men I’ve encountered who simply have no clue when it comes to clothing size. Use to your advantage any time you spend tagging along with her while she shops to take full note of her sizes, or at the very least, take a look at the labels on what’s currently in her closet. This will help with successfully making the first and possibly most critical step towards selecting something she’ll actually be able to put on.
Simply knowing what size she wears is step one.
- Practicality is also pretty important. I’ll never forget the very first time I helped a husband pick out an outfit for his wife. He impressively knew exactly what sizes she wore, but unfortunately that
When working with a salesperson, be sure to share, or at the very least ask yourself, where exactly you see her wearing what you’re leaning towards.
was about it. In the absence of any additional information (admittedly, in my naiveté at the time I also didn’t bother to ask) I helped him put together an outstanding outfit that I absolutely would have chosen for myself. A few days later when she returned every last piece of it, I learned she was a kindergarten teacher and commented that the fitted pencil skirt we had picked did not lend itself well to crawling around on the floor with 5-year-olds. When working with a salesperson, be sure to share, or at the very least ask yourself, where exactly you see her wearing what you’re leaning towards. If it’s at work, be certain to consider specifically what she does all day and if she’ll still be able to do it successfully when it’s on.
- If you’ve never seen her wear something, she’s probably not going to start now. For example, for me this is the maxi skirt (those lovely long printed skirts you see absolutely everyone wearing all spring and summer long.) As much as I love the look of them on the hanger as well as on everyone else, try as I might I have yet to find one that’s remotely flattering on my figure. Leggings and/or yoga pants are another love/hate article for lots of ladies. While it’s clear that men love them for distinct reasons we don’t need to disclose, many women simply won’t even fathom putting on a pair, period. So if you’re looking to get her something she’ll actually be willing to wear, as opposed to just what you’d really like to see her in, be certain you readily recall seeing her in something remotely similar at some point in the past.
Be certain you readily recall seeing her in something remotely similar at some point in the past.
- Stay in the safe zone. Un-sized accessory items such as gloves or scarves (especially winter scarves, but sheer scarves also if you’ve ever seen her wear one) will generally always be safe bets. They’re pretty much guaranteed to fit and most women can never have enough of either. If you’re looking to spend more than either of these items cost, pairing them with a gift card can be a great way to still provide a personal touch to an otherwise impersonal item, and still gives you the satisfaction of having selected something on your own.
