Easy gift-guide for the fashion-conscious shopper

Although most of us are still recovering from the Thanksgiving turkey, it’s hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner.

Because many stores replace Halloween decorations and various paraphernalia with the Christmas and Hanukkah spirit, we’ve been living and breathing the holiday season for almost two full months.

But fear no more, because it’s just 20 days away. That’s right! 20 days to do all your holiday shopping and make that lengthy list for your parents to check off.

Starting to freak out?

Well freak no more, because I’ve devised an easy check-off list for all those concerned with getting a gift from you this season, as well as some personal hopefuls for yourself for your parents to follow. Just beware these are some items I ward the fellow shopper from buying for anyone or stepping out of the dressing room with.

Hoping to show up the holiday turkey at this year’s Christmas party? No problem when you arrive wearing some outstanding outerwear.

Lay off the North Face fleeces this year and satisfy your winter craving of warmth and protection with faux-fur, trench coats (just make sure to wear something underneath), and bold patterns like houndshooth, velvet and tweed and once-seemingly “off” colors for winter like pink, purple and green.

Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you have to dress like an Eskimo!

When lounging around on Christmas Day, don’t stay in your pajamas all day. Who said comfort had to be ugly? With velour and terry cloth sweatsuits from Juicy Couture at every department store, there are new colors to choose from like deep purples, green and nave blue, as well as more styles than the days of break. Don’t want to look like everyone else? New lines like Twisted Heart have the same comfort level as the Juicy gear but have unique accents, like a giant heart of sparkles on the leg to set this line apart from the other SMU’s staple attire.

One thing to leave clear off your wish list this season is the newly vamped phenomenon of leg warmers. With major designers trying to bring this trend of decades past into the scene again, it not only gives me shivers, but stumps my imaginations of when and where to wear these indecent exposure covers. I’ve seen girls sporting these crazy half-socks with just sandals on, which clearly makes no sense. I must come up with an emergency plan of banning leg warmers from the shins around world. Just because Juicy, Abercrombie & Fitch and more designers than I can count on one hand have released this accessory does not make them “cool” or attractive. Now repeat after me: I will not give legwarmers to anyone that I love or wear them myself for fear of utter public humiliation.

When I asked my dad what he wanted for Christmas, he responded with “peace on Earth.”

OK Dad, I don’t know if I’ll be able to do that in the next 20 days, so that may be a birthday gift.

So instead, I’ve opted to give polo shirts and sweaters for my dad and brother. Even though buying sweaters for the men in your life sounds nerdy, it’s more than a gift; it’s really a fashion lesson. It comes as no surprise that most boys have trouble dressing themselves, so giving inexpensive clothes that look expensive become so much more than your average gift-giving session.

SMU boys especially get in a “funk” of wearing an old fraternity shirt with their North Face fleece and khakis or jeans. Because sometimes it’s nice when boys look nice, especially when girls tend to go all out with their expensive jeans, black shirt, fancy footwear and pashmina. So put some effort in to getting dressed, whether in the morning for class or your last Thursday night at the Elephant.

Easy gifts for anyone in your family are the newest burst of recently released CDs. For anyone that’s ever been a fan of No Doubt or even just some old fashion good music will be loving you forever when you buy them Gwen Stefani’s solo album. With amazing reviews across the board, it’ll be a sure hit on Christmas morning, and a good break from all the Christmas tunes.

Another personal favorite, despite the overwhelming amount of recent publicity, is U2’s newest, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Considering the band has been around for longer than I’ve been alive, any parent, older sibling or family friend will love the new hits from the notorious band.

You’ll be sure get more compliments than grandma’s apple pie this year with elegantly clad cashmere. From sweaters, scarves and even pajamas, you’ll be sure to find something in your price range. Even though it sounds expensive, the incredibly soft and “how does this keep me so warm?” light cashmere sweaters are actually not as pricey as they sound. Check out discount designer stores, like Nordstrom’s Rack and Off Fifth, the subset of Saks Fifth Avenue. Don’t think of these stores as the “leftovers” but as the hidden treasures that someone failed to buy, now available to you at a fraction of the price. So pair that cashmere sweater with a nice collared shirt or broach in the V of the V-neck cardigan and you’ll be blinging more than the ornaments on the tree.

Don’t be a loner when the gift-giving ceremony comes around. The holidays are made special when gifts come from the heart, not just the wallet. Make sure to take an actual break from stress over the month-long break we get- unless of course you’re part of the sorority crew that has to be back just after the hangovers wear off from New Year’s. Merry Christmas and happy Hanukkah to all and see you in 2K+5!