A Guide To Buying Clothing As Gifts

Finding gifts for your family and friends isn’t always easy. Many people turn to clothing if they can’t find something they know a person would like. Clothing is something everyone is always in need of, as it’s a practical gift that can be used for many years. It also doesn’t take up too much space. While all of these points are good reasons to buy someone a new shirt or pair of pants for a holiday or birthday, it’s not always easy to purchase the right clothing. This guide will help you find the best clothing for the recipient.

Know the Size

Nothing turns a gift of clothing from a great gift to an annoyance than getting the wrong size. It’s an annoyance because the recipient has to go to the store you purchased the garment from and either exchange it or get a refund. In some cases, especially if you purchased the gift in another city or country, it can be difficult to exchange an item.

But giving a gift that’s the wrong size does more than just cause an annoyance for the recipient. Some people may take it as a sign that you don’t know them as well as they feel you should. Some close friends or relatives feel like you should know their clothing size, even if they haven’t told you what it is. It’s unreasonable, but it’s often true.

Consider Their Style

Does the person you’re shopping for tend to have one particular style, or do they wear a number of different looks equally well? If you’re shopping for men’s clothing in the UK, does the man you’re shopping for wear shorts often, or does he tend to wear jeans most of the time? Does he work in an office where he needs to look professional, or is his job more relaxed? What is his favourite colour? All of these things can influence your decision.

How Well Do You Know the Recipient?

If you’re buying a gift for someone who is a work acquaintance, distant relative, or friend who you aren’t very close with, you may want to shy away from gifts such as underwear because of the personal nature of such clothing. Swimwear is also not a great gift option since it’s a very personal type of clothing that many people, especially women, like to pick out themselves. Jewellery is another personal gift that you should probably save for close friends and relatives.

Price is another factor here. If you’re buying for a co-worker or acquaintance, purchasing a coat or expensive pair of shoes may send the wrong message. People generally stick to shirts when they want to give a clothing gift to someone they don’t know that well, although some accessories are also good options. For men, you could buy a tie or a hat, while a proper gift for a female acquaintance could be a scarf or a pair of fashionable leggings. Again, it all depends on what you know about the person’s style and likes.