The fashionable guide to last-minute Christmas shopping - The Guardian

Fashionable finds from the high street

Forget mulled wine, Bing Crosby or queueing in the post office: there's one thing that really captures the spirit of this time of year, and it's quite possibly in your coat pocket right now. Yes, it's that scribbled list of names on the back of an envelope that represents all the people you still have to buy presents for. In the festive marathon, this last week before the Big Lunch is the lap where the scent of cinnamon is tinged with a sniff of panic. You have some shopping to do, sharpish.

Fashion ^[1] is the answer to your prayers. Don't snort in that cynical way, it's not Christmassy, and anyway, I'm serious. Fashionable presents are often overlooked, either because we think they will be too expensive, or because the sizing issue seems fraught with danger, or because the concept of other people's taste seems too opaque. This is all nonsense. The high street is full of mood-boosting fashion quick hits that avoid making comment on the perceived size of the recipient's thighs. And as for their taste: no one is going to be insulted that you chose them a gift because it was chic and glamorous. Believe me, buying her a new Dustbuster instead is not a safe option here, however useful it might be.

Tote bag, £79.95, by gap.eu

The simplest formula for fashionable Christmas ^[2] shopping is to find NICE VERSIONS OF USEFUL STUFF. This way, it doesn't matter if they already have it. The key is to make it nicer than what they would buy themselves. This is why lovely socks are genuinely a nice present (although lost on the under-30s, who will look nonplussed and wish you'd given them the cash to spend on drugs). This year's buzz haute-high-street label J Crew has great classic cotton pyjamas ^[3] , white or pale blue, for £95. A posh tote bag, for carrying shopping/gym kit, is an essential for most women: Gap has a beautiful leather version ^[4] for £79.95 (pictured above).

Knickers, £21, by Stella McCartney

Next, KNICKERS. The rule here is to give underwear only to people with whom there is absolutely no ambiguity as to whether or not you wish to shag them. In other words, if you're a woman, you can give boxer shorts to your husband and knickers to your best girlfriend but this genre is best avoided in any relationship where misinterpretation is a possibility. Also, in the spirit of Christmas togetherness it is worth remembering that many people find watching someone unwrap a box of frothy Agent Provocateur lace a discomfiting Public Display of Affection. If you are going to be unwrapping gifts in front of a teenage nephew who will be mortified, please keep it clean. The best option for special but non-pervy undies is Stella McCartney, which has these tiger-stripe knickers for £21 ^[5] (above).

Running jacket, £140, shorts, £50, by Adidas by Stella McCartney

A fashionable take on PRACTICAL CLOTHING is a good way to add a bit of fun into gifting the pragmatically minded – men, as well as women. Very light down jackets and gilets, perfect for layering under a coat for a Boxing Day walk or a New Year's Day trip to the football, are a smart option here. The Uniqlo range is particularly good, and great value at around £60 ^[6] . Try to get one in black, obviously. If they do any kind of sport or exercise, buy them something for that. Good sports gear is surprisingly expensive, and the sort of thing one scrimps on for oneself. Nike's website is easy to navigate and can be searched by sport or genre; for women, Sweaty Betty ^[7] has lovely stuff for running and yoga. Stella McCartney for Adidas is great value for a Stella aesthetic, and very functional. We love these shorts and matching jacket, £50 and £140 (pictured above).

Scarf, £165, by Alexander McQueen, from netaporter.com

At the opposite end of the spectrum, don't underestimate the power of buying SOMETHING TINY FROM AN AMAZING LABEL. The Outnet – which is sort of like a permanent, enormous sale rack for Net-a-Porter - has this leopard-print top by Michael Michael Kors for £42. ^[8] This skull-print scarf (above) by Alexander McQueen is £165,^[9] but a stone-cold classic; anything by Saint Laurent – Matches has a leather bracelet for £215 ^[10] – is a blue-chip present.

Cashmere rollneck, £160.65, by boden.co.uk

If that sounds like a total waste of money, take the opposite approach with a beautiful piece of HIGH STREET CASHMERE. Two pieces that I can vouch for as fabulous in the flesh are a cashmere hoody by M&S ^[11] , now reduced to £83.30 in the sale; beautifully indulgent whether she wears it on the sofa or out to lunch. If a hoody seems a bit teenage – although they are still a wardrobe staple up to the early-40s, I find – this Off Duty Jumper by Boden ^[12] above, is £160.65 (in the sale), gorgeously thick, sumptuous and flattering. Frankly, anyone who sniffs at the label after copping a feel of this cashmere is an ignorant snob.

Makeup bag, £35, by Marc by Marc Jacobs, from Liberty

If you are department-store shopping, head for small leather goods. WALLETS, MAKEUP BAGS AND iPAD COVERS make great presents. Look for something from a label that will feel relevant to the person you are buying for. Youngsters will love Marc by Marc Jacobs. This makeup bag, £35 from Harrods (shown above), for instance ^[13] ; quarter- to mid-lifers will go for a bit of Diane Von Furstenberg; Tory Burch is a good choice for more traditional tastes. And everyone loves Mulberry. This Mulberry leather makeup bag is £195 ^[14] , which sounds a ridiculous amount to spend on a makeup bag, but she'll use it every day and it will last for years.

Friendship bracelet, £85, by Astley Clark

If you have the budget for a whopping pair of emerald earrings from Cartier then she'll love you for ever. Well, almost certainly. But don't disregard jewellery just because you don't – FUN JEWELLERY is a lovely gift. Grownup friendship bracelets such as this moonstone Astley Clarke one, £85 ^[15] (above) are a wear-now present that don't have to be for ever. If she likes pretty earrings, Lulu Frost is a hot label right now, and not super-expensive. Wolf and Badger is a good website on which to find inexpensive jewellery, including a Glenda Lopez ring with a tiny gold hot-dog ^[16] , £41.

Clutch, £29.99, by zara.com

A FRIEND WHO LOVES FASHION but doesn't have loads of free time to shop will be really touched if you do the high-street trawl for treasures for her. Price tag and the name on the label don't matter here. Zara, H&M and Topshop should be top of your hitlist. Avoid things you need to try on, for obvious reasons. Clutch bags are a particularly good option right now, as few of us have nice, modern-looking ones. This Zara minaudière box clutch, (above), £29.99, is a brilliant fast fashion find. (The label also has a clutch with a glass clasp, also £29.99) If you brave clothing, an embellished sweatshirt is a good choice, as fit isn't super-important and the comfy-but-jazzy combination makes it perfect for Christmas. Topshop has a grey sweatshirt with beading ^[17] for £40 that is worth a look.

Gifts: M&S men's socks with Cashmere and Silk

Cashmere socks, £15, by Marks and Spencer

One annoying thing about MEN is their tendency to remain unmoved and unsquealing at the silly, sparkly presents that get women all excited. Our gift-buying culture overcompensates for this by producing "gifts for dads" which are jokey in a boom-boom way that makes Bruce Forsyth look like Woody Allen. See: mugs and T-shirts with self-deprecating slogans about dad's uselessness/shed obsession. It is important to rise above this, because the Jokey Dad presents are the ones that sit awkwardly on a shelf for a year and then get binned. They want dull? Don't fight it – give them dull. For instance, these cashmere and silk socks, £15, from Marks & Spencer (above).

Bag, £10, by monsoon.co.uk

You can buy expensive French gear for newborns, because they've got no idea what's going on and Mum will love it, but most small CHILDREN don't see clothes as proper presents. After about age seven, it becomes a good option again. For younger kids, go for something fun. This girl's handbag from Monsoon, above, £10, is great because kids love stuff with animals on. H&M is an inexpensive source of sweaters and leggings with puppies on for younger children, and teen-styled hoodies and sweatshirts that will appeal to tweens who wanna be teens. An element of fancy-dress makes clothes seem fun to kids: H&M has a tutu-ish tulle skirt, which is a steal at £2.99 ^[18] .