2008 Valentine's Gifts for Her: From Co-Worker to Your Mother

With the holiday season now and truly over, it's time to focus on the next major gift-giving holiday; Valentine's day, of course.

It's never too early to start shopping around for the perfect gift, and with the January sales, you might just manage to grab yourself a bargain.

This article aims to list a range of gift ideas for women, also considering some new products for 2008.

So, let's start with the easiest of all; the girlfriend. With new ranges and a lot of luxury designer clothes out, this year, I'd definitely urge you to look for either clothes or lingerie, this year. Now, this can be hard, depending on your basic knowledge of the fashion industry, this can be testing, which is why I've recommended some options below, for you to be getting started with.

The most common gift, for the girlfriend, is, of course, underwear. However, if you don't know her measurements, please don't even consider this; the thought does definitely not count when it comes to lingerie; get the wrong size, and you risk offending her for a very long time; the same applies to clothes.

Having said that, if you're pretty clued up about sizes, I'd recommend trying either Bravissimo or Tooti-Boo, two up-and-coming underwear stores; their selections make it hard to get anything wrong, but, if in doubt, stick with the basics; go for a simple white bra and brief set, with a simple pattern. Try to avoid corsets, as they tend to have different measurements, depending on where you're buying from.

For those with a slightly bigger budget, I recommend a silk camisole from Carine Gilson; at around $100 each, they're not cheap, but very luxurious, and they come in a wide range of colors, sure to impress any girl.

If you're buying clothes, the same basic rules apply; just keep it as simple as possible; stick to her favourite color, or a color she wears a lot; if you're buying a skirt, try not to go too short; this can send completely the wrong message to any woman; anything roughly three inches up from the knee or longer should be okay for most women, and, as metallics are back in this season, anything in golds, silvers or even dark greys should be just what she needs.

Next, we're going to be looking at what to buy your mother for this Valentine's day; while not a necessity, this is a tradition in many families, and with such a broad market for 'the older woman', today, it can be hard deciding what's right, and what's just tacky.

However, this year, I'd recommend something a little different; literature.

Now, you'll have to bear with me, on this one; I'm not talking an 'interesting' detective novel, or a self-help book; I'm talking proper coffee-table-literature.
British Vogue released a book of their magazine covers, from their first issue, in late 2007, and, while a little expensive, retailing at around $80, any fashion fan is likely to love it.

However, if this is too steep, there are plenty of other 'flick-throughs' that are guaranteed to inspire. The Big Book of Architecture is another promising read, although, as it's coming out late January, you may have a hard time getting it in time for Valentine's.

And, finally, the hardest of them all to buy for; that female co-worker.

So, you've decided to buy a gift for that woman you've been flirting with, back and forth, in the office, now it's just a matter of what to buy; jewellery's too expensive, too 'committed', and perfume's much too personal, so there's really only one answer; the gag-gift. Yes, that's what they're for, and no, I'm not talking about genital-shaped candy; we're talking about heart shaped lollipops, candy hearts and teddy-bear keyrings.

Nothing too serious, and something that's bound to get that girl smiling.