Amanda’s 2014 Holiday Wish List

I have a theory about people who work in fashion; there are two types of us. The first type are people for whom working in fashion only stokes their desire to shop; all of the beautiful things before them every day translate into inspiration for their own closets, and their seasonal wish lists are longer every year. The second type are people for whom exposure to fashion narrows their personal aesthetic a little every day and, eventually, turns them into uniform dressers who’ve found the pieces that make them feel most like themselves. I’m part of the second group.

That gradual shift in my personal style makes creating a wish list both easier and harder. Eliminating potential gifts is easy, both for me and for those who might try to buy for me. Finding stuff that I’d like that’s not exactly like something I already have, though, is far trickier. You can’t even buy me a fancy candle as a cop-out–my favorite scent (Jo Malone Blue Agave & Cacao) is discontinued, and I have a stash of them squirreled away in my dresser.

On top of all that, my birthday is Christmas Eve, which doubles the pressure for anyone who might be kind enough to include me on their holiday shopping lists. For any friends or family who reading this and opt simply to buy me a gift card or take me out to dinner, I completely understand your shopping frustration. In a perfect world, though, the stuff below is what I’d find under the tree this year.