Writer and Store Owner Laurel Pantin Told Me Her Incredibly Chic Holiday Gift Picks
Who What Wear's new series Chic People Presents aims to make gifting personal again by tapping fashion and beauty's coolest creatives on what to buy this holiday season. Read on for IYKYK present picks and insight into gift-giving strategy from the industry's top stylists, designers, and tastemakers.
And just like that, the holiday season is here and all the festivity planning will soon be in full swing. It can feel endless coordinating everything from what to eat to what to wear, how to decorate, where to host, and of course, what to gift your loved ones. The gift-giving part can often be the most overwhelming. This is exactly the moment when I like to turn to stylish fashion people for inspiration. Enter the ever-stylish Laurel Pantin.
The incomparable Pantin is a former magazine editor (Teen Vogue, Lucky, Glamour, InStyle) and the former fashion director at ByGeorge. She is celebrated for her knack for putting together awe-inspiring outfits that have been photographed all over the world; she is the chic, funny, and achingly vulnerable writer behind the substack Earl Earl; and now she has taken on her most exciting endeavor yet in opening her very own store in Beverly Hills, Earl IRL. Can you see why I was so excited to get insight into her holiday gifting ideas and tips?
Boy did she deliver. It’s clear from the fun and unexpected Dress Up Michelangelo’s David magnets to the practical yet cool L.L.Bean boots that Pantin’s gift ideas bring pure joy. She also shares poignant insight, after working on editorial gift guides of her own, on what does and does not constitute a gift. Keep scrolling to delight in Pantin’s approach to the holidays and gifting recommendations in particular.
1. Gift I’d Never Buy But Would Love to Have:
Gaetano Pesce Medusa Vessel: "I’ve always wanted one of these Gaetano Pesce vases, but I would never actually buy myself one. They’re so gooey and colorful; I absolutely love them, but for whatever reason, this feels like the kind of thing one should receive as a gift."
2. Gift That Sparks Joy:
L.L.Bean Wicked Good Slippers: "Okay, my mother-in-law got these for me a few years ago, and they are hands down the best gift I’ve ever received. I use them every day, and they make me so happy to put on. They’re practical AND delightful!"
3. Future Heirloom Gift:
Sherman Field Pearl Pendants: "Honestly anything from Sherman Field. The locket is the most beautiful heirloom, but I also like gifting her pearl charms to loved ones. It’s a real I love you gift. It’s special and meaningful and over-the-top for someone truly treasured."
