Top 7 Things You Should NEVER Give a Woman for Valentine’s Day

By Nancy Rotenier

The pressure is on, fellas. Valentine’s Day. How seriously does the fairer sex take Valentine’s Day? It’s a religious holiday—think Barney’s Warehouse Sale. In guy terms, it’s the Super Bowl. Since our first crushes, we’ve been Disney-ed into believing in happily-ever-after, and we’re going to leave our rose-colored, heart-shaped glasses permanently in place, thank you very much. Read the bad boyfriend warning label: Valentine’s Day is our fairy tale, we play the fair maiden. You better let your inner Prince Charming loose—or you’re going to have one very pouty princess on your hands.

To avoid Valentine’s Day Post Traumatic Relationship Disorder, give good gift. It’s pretty simple. If we spend hours getting dolled up—slinky red dresses, Valentine’s Day smokey eye makeup, perfect red lips, put in some time picking our gift. Here, the top 7 things you should NEVER give a woman for Valentine’s Day—and plenty of tips to give good gift.

And girls, it’s time to accidentally forward this to your shopping-impaired boy or your best friends’ significant others. That can be your BFF gift to her!

Top 7 Good Gifts/Bad Gifts That Make or Break Your Boyfriend Status

• Chocolate Gifts for Valentine’s Day
Bad Gift: Were you not paying attention the 1,452 times we asked you if our butt looks fat in these jeans? Clue in! We are ALWAYS on a diet. We want something we can wear on our ring finger, not on our hips!
Good Gift: We will, however, make an exception if you make a chocolate Valentine’s Day treat by hand. Chocolate truffles are easy to make, require few ingredients, no kitchen equipment, and come with a guaranteed “oooh, you made something just for me?” The points you score? You can’t count that high.

• A Gift for WHOM? Valentine’s Day Lingerie
Bad Gift: Hellooo. Anybody home?! Who exactly is getting the gift here? Not to mention that once we put it on, we really don’t get to wear it very long. Not that we’re complaining . . . rest assured, we know what to wear on a date, and we know what to wear under it. But when you give us a romantic Valentine’s Day gift, we want to feel like you know us.
Good Gift: Go for a personalized or monogrammed Valentine’s Day gift that says you didn’t grab any last-minute lingerie. From pendant necklaces to pillows with our initials, it’s easy to have something made just for us.

• Anything That Plugs in for a Valentine’s Day Gift
Bad Gift: The scary thing is, we just might have to explain this to you. Valentine’s Day gifts should be personal, not practical. Practical, as in vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, coffee maker. Get us what we want, not what we need! If you treat “I need a dustbuster” and “I need new shoes” equally, you don’t deserve to date us.
Good Gift: The best Valentine’s Day gifts are unique, indulgent, unexpected, something we wouldn’t necessarily buy for ourselves. Think keychain with a pink leather heart, a sexy necklace, even a Polaroid camera to capture our big smiles when you surprise us with other gifts throughout the year.

• A Perfume Gift for Valentine’s Day
Bad Gift: We know that perfume is sexy, that’s why we wear it. We know that scent triggers memory, that’s why you’ll go to the perfume counter, test different fragrances, and think the one that evokes familiar feelings of love and happiness is perfect. It’s not. It’s your mother’s. And smelling like your mother isn’t sexy.
Good Gift: We would love a sensual scent for Valentine’s Day—as long as it reflects who we are. Girlie girls will go for fresh or floral, classic sophisticates will opt for something subtle and balanced, rocker chicks go bold. Not sure which way your girl swings? Answer 5 quick questions on our perfume personality quiz, and you’ll know if she’s floral, fresh, classic, bold, or sweet. And you’ll get a signature scent suggestion to match her perfume personality.

• Valentine’s Day Bouquet of Flowers
Bad Gift: Flowers can easily say, “He loves me not” when they feel cliché, last-minute, impersonal, or overpriced. We know it’s supposed to be the thought that counts, but when it’s no thought, those dozen red roses just die on the vine.
Good Gift: We’re up for the red theme to get in the Valentine’s Day mood. But instead of giving us some long stems, how about we show you ours? We want to be your Valentine. So, get us a little red dress for Valentine’s Day, and we’ll look like your Valentine, too.

• Regifted Anything for Valentine’s Day
Bad Gift: It’s over. Need we say more? In case you need this spelled out, there is no eco-friendly, budget-conscious, time-saving excuse on the planet that will redeem you for this Valentine’s Day gift gaff! And don’t think we won’t notice that it’s the scarf you forgot to give to your mother or the necklace your ex-girlfriend never wore—or did.
Good Gift: It is a truth universally acknowledged that any man in possession of a car must be in want of directions—BUT HE WON’T ASK! Get over yourselves when it comes to Valentine’s Day gifts. You don’t score points going it alone and getting us the wrong gift. Celebrity stylist Stacey Mayesh has fab finds for Valentine’s Day, and you can be sure if she wants it, so do we.

• On Valentine’s Day, Sale Is a Four-Letter Word
Bad Gift: Ordinarily, there are few words that make our hearts sing louder than sale. But if it pops up on the register when we return your A-for-effort Valentine’s Day gift, let’s just say singing is not what our hearts will be doing. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. Just don’t make us feel like you were bargain hunting from the get-go.
Good Gift: Baby, you know the bling’s the thing we’re looking for on Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s THE RING, or a tiny token of your affection, jewelry gets you in good with your girl. Does she wear delicate jewelry? Look for a thin chain with a small pendant on it. Does she like to make a statement with her accessories? Then, go with a cocktail ring.

Related Links
• Eat Your Way to a Sexy Valentine’s Day: 8 Natural Aphrodisiacs to Set the Mood
• From Hot Young Hollywood’s Favorite Designer: Why I Love Women
• Valentine’s Day Makeup Looks

Project Runway’s Mondo Guerra: Win His New T-Shirts Feel good by looking good this Valentine’s Day! Rock these limited-edition tees designed by Project Runway contestant Mondo Guerra. You could win 2! Just tell us about your dream Valentine’s Day date and you could win these hot V-Day tees for you and the boy of your choice. Click here to enter.

Be My BFF Valentine: Show Your Best Friends the Love on Valentine’s Day

By Nancy Rotenier

Don’t wait for birthdays to make your best friends feel special. Show some BFF love on Valentine’s Day. For this twist on the traditional Valentine’s Day gift, no money required—it really is the thought that counts. But if you’re more “buy” than DIY, you can get great Valentine’s Day gifts for your best friend for less than $10.

Find Those Special Gifts for Your Best Friend
To come up with personalized Valentine’s Day gift ideas, what do you and your BFFs bond over? What don’t you bond over?! Clothes, shoes, boys, music, cocktails, work. You see Sex and the City the day it premieres, laugh about the boy you both had a crush on, share weight-loss tips, and more. What glues your friendship together makes for great gifts on Valentine’s Day. So, whether you like to buy or DIY, take these Valentine’s Day gift tips out for a BFF spin. Remember, on the day dedicated to love, you’ve loved your girls long before you discovered boys!

For a Happy Valentine’s Day Gift for Your BFF, Say It with a Chocolate Gift
Best friend plus Valentine’s Day? Chocolate. Enough said?! From PMS craving-cure to boyfriend-breakup cheer-up, you and your bestests could form a local chapter of Chocoholics Anonymous.

• DIY For Your Best Friend Gift: Bake Something Chocolate—Think Brownies or Truffles
Gourmet treats or homespun favorites, both brownies and chocolate truffles are easy to make, don’t require many ingredients or special kitchen equipment, and—THEY’RE CHOCOLATE!

• BFF BUY Some Chocolate Love Straight from the Supermarket
Do you and your best friends prefer your chocolate prepared by Mr. Hershey? Go for the spot-on Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses. Just tack a red ribbon on the supermarket-size bag and hand it over. Yes, you actually have to hand it over to your BFF.
Buy Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses, $5.99, at walgreens.com

Be the Best “Boyfriend” Ever & Give Your BFF Valentine’s Day Jewelry
From sharing plastic princess tiaras to pairing her pearls with your LBD, you both love all things sparkly. For Valentine’s Day, be the best boyfriend your girlfriend could ask for. Whether she has a boy of her own, or especially if she doesn’t, you know what she really wants—bling.

• BFF DIY Homemade Friendship Bracelet
Reminisce about pinky swears and cootie shots? Then take a turn down nostalgia lane and make your BFF the classic friendship bracelet. Make a friendship bracelet in her favorite colors. There are dozens of websites with easy-to-follow instructions. Find a pattern you love, buy some embroidery floss at a local yarn store or toy store, then weave away! And if you’re especially crafty, work in some beads, glue-gun some rhinestones, embroider her initials or favorite word.

• BUY Your Best Friend Jewelry If You Prefer to Fake It, Not Make It
Not a hands-on kind of girl? Go for costume jewelry. There’s plenty of jewelry that says Be My BFF Valentine without breaking open your piggy bank. Blow a little BFF Valentine’s Day kiss. These delicate earrings are from Candi Stamm, who makes it feel like every day is Valentine’s Day with her fabulous assortment of costume jewelry. There’s a lot to love for $10.
Buy Candi Stamm Costume Jewelry, starting at $10, email candistamm@nyc.rr.com

On Valentine’s Day, Remind Your Best Friend You’re There for Her
You bond with your BFF over girl talk. She’s still looking for the one. You give her first-date tips. She can’t decide which shoes to buy. You go with. For her Valentine’s Day gift, give her what she needs most—you.

• DIY BFF IOU for What She Can’t—or Won’t—Do Without You
If your best friend plays Oscar to your Felix and you wish she’d just clean up her act, do it for her. When she gets homesick and misses her mother’s cooking, make her favorites. Give your best friend a helping hand as a Valentine’s Day gift and write her an IOU for something special, from organizing her desk, to making her breakfast in bed, to listening to hours of deconstructing her most recent dating debacle.

• BUY Your Best Friend the Perfect Gift of a Perfect Fella
In the BFF bible, the first commandment: Thou shalt be there for her through thick and thin. Translation: You will encourage her through every endlessly weepy breakup with not-the-one. Prefer to skip the “he’s out there and it’s just a matter of time” pep talk? If a quick pick-me-up is more her speed—and yours—go for a laugh instead and give her Prince Charming. Grow him in minutes. Just add water!
Buy Magic Frog to Prince, $8, at fredflare.com

Related Links:
• Get Personal with Personalized & Monogrammed Valentine’s Day Gifts
• Find Out What a Celebrity Stylist Wants for Valentine’s Day
• Bedazzle Your World with Sparkly Everyday Items

Win 2 Tickets to Patricia Field’s Disco Valentine’s Day Ball! No plans for Valentine’s Day? Don’t fear—we are giving away 2 tickets to the hottest V-Day party of the year! It’s hosted by Patricia Field, the birthday girl of the night and stylist for Sex and the City, so be ready to dress to impress. Click here to enter.

10 Unique Valentine’s Day Gifts to Show Us the Love, from $8 to $98

By Daniela Apeloig _____________________ Think outside the box of chocolates for a unique Valentine’s Day! We know it’s the thought that counts, and giving us anything for Valentine’s Day is thoughtful, including chocolates and flowers. But these gifts are not exactly unheard of. We want to be wowed by creative, personal, unique gifts for Valentine’s Day, gifts that show us you know us—and love us. That is romantic. Here are the top 10 unique Valentine’s Day gifts we WANT, starting at $8. Oops! “Accidentally” forwarded this email to your boyfriend instead of to your best friend? No worries. Happens to us all the time. And when it doesn’t, our BFF “accidentally” forwards it to him for us! 1. The Valentine’s Day Gift with the Keys to Your Heart Take your Valentine’s Day gift and the memories that go with it wherever you go with this pink heart-shaped leather key ring. Every time you open the front door or start your car, you’ll use this stylish and sentimental token of love and smile. The key ring can be monogrammed to make it even more personal—isn’t that the cutest thing? Buy Smythson Magenta Heart Key Ring, $60, at smythson.com 2. Bring Sexy Back with This Valentine’s Day Delight The sense of smell is incredibly sexy, and the right perfume is like love potion. Enter Trish McEvoy’s Sexy 9 Musk, a rich musky-sweet scent as sexy as its name. We have yet to find someone who isn’t in love with this fragrance, and he’ll love it on you. That is the point of perfume, after all, isn’t it? Buy Trish McEvoy Sexy 9 Blackberry & Vanilla Musk, $52 (.5 oz.) and $98 (1.7 oz.), at trishmcevoy.com 3. Rub Each Other the Right Way for Valentine’s Day Set a sensual mood when you light up a room with this set of 6 natural-oil candles. Make the mood last even after the candle burns down—you’re left with warm oil to smooth onto skin for a massage. Mix and match the 6 enticing scents—Cucumber Water, Grapefruit, Pink Lotus, Dark Vanilla, Bourbon, and Truffle+Gardenia—to see which spark your flame. Buy Jimmy Jane Little Afterglow Sampler Set of Six Massage Oil Candles, $58, at jimmyjane.com 4. Embrace the Cliché with This Gift for Valentine’s Day If Valentine’s Day seems cliché, we say, who cares?! Take the expected over the top with chocolate-covered strawberries. But these are no ordinary treats. Shari’s Berries will send you a dozen, hand-dipped jumbo strawberries in an assortment of white, dark, and milk chocolates, and decorated with red drizzle and tiny candy hearts. The cute factor continues with 4 heart-shaped brownie lollipops hand-decorated in charming Valentine’s Day colors. Buy Shari’s Berries 4 Valentine’s Brownie Pops & 12 Valentine’s Berries, $54.96, at berries.com 5. Celebrities Love This Valentine’s Day Jewelry Gift What better excuse than Valentine’s Day to want—and get—some sparkly jewelry that makes you feel special? This Rich Rocks necklace mixes classic and modern for an edgy statement piece. The brand is fashion-forward jewelry, and a favorite among celebrities such as Blake Lively, Brooke Shields, and Kelly Osbourne. Buy Rich Rocks Gunmetal Multi Linked Oval Detailed Necklace, $90, at richrocksnyc.com 6. Dip Your Love in Chocolate with a Unique Valentine’s Day Gift Make any date feel like a Valentine’s Day date when you skip dessert and create a romantic mood at home with chocolate fondue. This all-purpose fondue set works with chocolate, cheese, or anything you want to cook in oil. For chocolate-fondue fun, gather strawberries and other fruit, marshmallows, graham crackers, pretzels—or ditch the food and get creative. Buy Crate & Barrel Cast Iron Fondue Set, $39.95, at crateandbarrel.com 7. It’s Love at First Sight with an Instant Gift for Valentine’s Day Shake it like a Polaroid picture for Valentine’s Day with the instant Polaroid camera. We know we’ve all gone digital with our photographs, but there’s nothing like instant gratification with your significant other and seeing those photos smiling back moments after you take them. Forget the hassle of printing—be spontaneous and have fun. The camera is available in red, black, or blue. Buy Polaroid 300 Instant Camera, $89.99, at polaroid.com 8. For Valentine’s Day & Beyond, Get Exactly What You Want Wish your loved one knew exactly what you wanted without your ever having to ask? And without you ever hearing him say no? The Valentine’s Day gift fairy comes to the rescue with this customizable coupon book, where you decide what each voucher should be for. At a loss for words? How about breakfast in bed, a foot massage, “go out with me and my friends,” or even “kiss and make up”? You’ll have a lot of fun with this personalized gift. Buy Everyday Grace Coupon Book for Your Love, $15, at etsy.com 9. Heart-Shaped Token of Love for Valentine’s Day You love it when he makes you breakfast in bed, don’t you? Or you would love it if he ever did it. Give him a heart-shaped hint with this small heart-shaped frying pan. Heart your eggs, heart your pancakes, whatever your preference. Just make sure he knows the gift doesn’t stop at the frying pan, it stops when he uses it to make you breakfast in bed—then be a sweetheart and share! Buy Urban Outfitters Mini Heart Fry Pan, $8, at urbanoutfitters.com 10. A Valentine’s Day Gift to Put You in the Pink You’ll look pretty in pink with lips ripe for kissing, come-hither eyes, and gently flushed cheeks wearing the NARS beauty products in this Tainted Love Set. You get a nail polish, a lip gloss, and a limited-edition multiple stick with flecks of shimmering silver and gold for eyes, lips, and cheeks—all in shades of pink from soft to sexy. Buy NARS Tainted Love Set, $59, at nordstrom.com Related Links • Get Very Personal with 9 Personalized, Unique Valentine’s Ideas • When a Man Loves a Woman—Get the Scoop from Young Hollywood’s Hot Designer • Wondering What You Want for Valentine’s Day? Try Our Pendant Picks Win Jay Godfrey’s Ruscha Cowl Belted Dress Jay shared his thoughts about women, now you share yours about his dress. Tell us how you would style his fabulous winter white dress, from shoes to jewelry and more, and where you would wear it! For contest details and to enter for a chance to win, click here.

Buy Molton Brown Gift Set Around the World in 80 Days, $48

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