Holiday Gift Guide for Her

Most of us have more than one special lady in our lives. Our partners, mothers, sisters, in-laws, and the list goes on. As the holiday season closes in, we’re probably already racking our brains trying to figure out the perfect gift idea that conveys both our care and appreciation. We also don’t want to come across as last-minute shoppers that show up to the gift exchange with a generic,

female-marketed assortment plucked off an endcap somewhere.

Clothes

Things like scarfs, broaches, or sweaters tend to go over well. Knock it out of the park with jackets to suit her style. Otter & Oak has everything from a leisure, comfy look to a business casual statement piece for those chilly days at the office. Check out more of North River and Charlie B products by browsing the racks over at the Otter & Oak!

*Hydroflask Coffee Mugs $19.95-29.95

Each year when the holidays roll around, you can expect a resurgence of popular fireside sips. Hot cocoa, cider, Tom & Jerrys, and peppermint everything can technically be whipped up anytime but something about the season of lights and caroling enchants us to crave these delectable delights every December. Break out a traditional favorite or try your hand at something new this year like mulled wine or Irish coffee served up in the gift of a new insulated coffee mug from Hydro Flask! Unlike your overflow of ceramic “Best ___ Ever” mugs, Hydro Flask’s innovative design keeps it on the nice list year-round! Each product comes with stainless steel double-wall protection against condensation, perfect for keeping cold drinks cold and hot chocolates steamy long after the marshmallows have dissolved! Head online to Otter & Oak’s online store to browse all the colors available and reserve your favorite for an in-store pick up to enjoy a festive beverage that keeps its temp long after the holidays are over!

*Hydroflask Spearmint Tumbler $29.95

Not everyone’s a coffee person. Maybe they are but perhaps less so of the hot variety and more so on the XL side of things! Accommodate your chronic iced coffee drinker with room for maximum espresso with Hydroflask’s 32 oz. collection. Or sync your gift to their on-the-go lifestyle with a Hydaway tumbler designed to fit perfectly in any car’s cupholder. Amateur wine connoisseur on your hands? You guessed it, there’s a flask for that! No matter your recipient’s preference or interests, Hydroflask has developed a line of top-quality products adjustable to practically any situation. There are endless accessories to add even more value and personalization to your purchase including different lid styles, over-the-shoulder slings, and stabilizing boots to protect against dings and spills. Match your flask’s vibes down to the very last detail with their eye candy array of available colors including alpine, bilberry, clementine, and just in time for Christmas, spearmint green!

*Piper & Leaf Classic Brews Kit $67.95

All this talk about cups but what about its contents? We’ve covered coffee, wine, and everything in the middle, but what about all the tea devotees? For the tea lover in your life, look no further than the all-in-one Classic Brews Kit from Piper & Leaf Tea Company. Complete with a piping press for brewing, jars for pouring and storing, a mini measure for mixing, and a pint-sized jar with a straw for drinking, Piper & Leaf has all your bases covered! Swing by Otter for this signature set of loose leaf, such as the Front Porch Special (a blend of drifting jasmine and a minty breeze) and Sassyfras Strawberry (flirtatious frolics of sencha, strawberries, and sarsaparilla) or explore the seasonal flavors of fall (cinnamon apple pie + pumpkin moonshine) and winter (cherry Christmas + mistletoe grove) for a comprehensive collection of artisanal teas that’s sure to impress even the most refined palates!

Accessories $13.00 - $39.95

An assortment of jewelry, scarves and scarf sets will make the perfect stocking stuffers. Shop online or come into the store at 302 Second Avenue in Hinton, WV.

Holiday Gift Guide

*Not Soap Radio Gift Set: $19.95-23.95

When in doubt, a gift set is always a safe go-to but don’t just settle for a drug store cop-out! Show that you put some thought into it by wrapping up one of Not Soap Radio’s spunky novelty sets this holiday season! Each collection comes with its own unique scents and sayings such as their “Do Over” bundle equipped with three matching sets of shower gel and hand lotion for the busy body in desperate need of a spa day. Shopping for a special someone? The “So Long to Going Solo” set comes with 1.25 oz. travel sized bubbles and lotions including “The stuff that Cupid dips his arrows in,” all sealed up in a zip vinyl pouch with a kiss a la their chocolate lip balm. Need an all-in-one option? Check out their “Everything but the Robe” set which comes stacked with a body wash, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, soap, and even a 1 oz. facial bar to cover all your bases. Pick up any of these bundles at the Otter & Oak and keep tabs on their website for any upcoming holiday collections!

*Whiskey River Soaps: $8.99-9.95

Need the perfect stocking stuffer for the practical joker in your life or having trouble breaking the ice with a colleague you’d like to buy for but don’t want it to seem weird? Provided they have a sense of humor, let Whiskey River Soaps do all the talking! Pay it forward after those many months of virtual learning by gifting your child’s educators a “Soap for Teachers” so they can spend their Winter breaks smelling like “Grading Papers.” Take a jab at your old man with a “Soap for Dad Jokes,” which begs the question, “Why do the jokes always happen in the car?” Hey, at least it’s not talk radio! Show some love for the middle child with a “Soap for Gen X,” which “Smells like Teen Spirit” with hints of Saturday morning cartoons. There are countless examples of niche soaps for every “Karen,” “Introvert,” or the “Messy People” in your circle available at the Otter & Oak. If you want to stay away from soaps, Whiskey River’s online store sells everything from gag gifts like “Personal Space Rulers” and “Emergency Ambiance Candles,” to astrology obsessed products for that special Capricorn who thinks they’re “The boss of everyone!”

*Ovalware Cold Brew Maker $39.95

If you’re looking to buy something a bit more practical, who couldn’t use a new inventive way to brew their morning coffee? With Ovalware’s RJ3 Cold Brew Maker, you can give the gift of ditching the drive-thru line all together with their chic, two step brewing method to turn your wannabe barista into a fully certified coffee snob! Designed to fit easily into any fridge, just fill with water, ice, and joe to the desired strength ratio for instant results! Uncover one of the best kept secrets in the artisan coffee community by ordering from Otter’s online store for an equally convenient in-store pick up!

*Hideaway Collapsible Bottle: $24.95-29.95

Backseats, dish strainers, gym bags, nowhere is safe from the constant clutter of reusable water bottles! How has something meant to save our landfills from filling up with plastic instead taken up all of our own personal space? Well because you’ve been doing it all wrong! Hideaway’s introduced a new line of collapsible bottles that are not only very eco-friendly but extremely space saving as well. Available in 17 or 25 ounces in a variety of colors, come by the Otter & Oak to do some one stop shopping for anyone left on your list that could use a motivator to cut out their plastic footprint and stay hydrated!

Party Games: $14.99-49.95

How about a gift you can also enjoy? Be the talk of your holiday mixer when everyone wants to bust open the eggnog and play a silly round of Exploding Kittens, Sushi Go, or everyone’s guilty pleasure Cards Against Humanity! Get outside and play ENO's Trail Flyer. The more the merrier as these games are best suited for a game of four or more ! So unplug and enjoy each other's company this holiday season.

Tech Candy Tripod: $34.95

This portable, lightweight tripod is perfect for Zoom meetings and hands-free calls. So you can talk to grandmom while she's making Christmas cookies or multitask during video calls. The phone clamp is expandable to fit larger phones and pivots for the best angle.

What is a Capsule Wardrobe?

Internet culture is always buzzing about the latest and greatest trend. In the world of fashion, where trends are essential, the current hype is all about a radical new concept called the “capsule wardrobe.” A quick social media search will turn up endless content from those in vogue claiming to be gurus on how to adapt this revolutionary concept to your own style, complete with pricy recommendations and chic runway collections of course. Luckily, the capsule system can be applied well beyond the posh headlines of social media influencers to fit any budget, any style, and zhuzh up even the most drab ensemble of outfits!

What comprises a capsule wardrobe? In a consumerist world where minimalism is all the rage, it was only a matter of time before someone took a page out of Marie Kondo’s book and followed the momentum of the tiny house bandwagon to come up with a way for those opting out of the superfluous lifestyle to scale down their closet without compromising their taste for fashion. Enter Susie Faux, owner of the London-based boutique called (aptly enough) “Wardobe,” who coined the term back in the 1970s. According to Susie, a capsule wardrobe consisted of a limited number of wardrobe staples based on each season. Bloggers, fashion writers, and style experts have since rediscovered the term and (as is the way with all fashion) are bringing it back for the modern era.

The unwritten rule is to not let the rack exceed thirty-seven pieces, although some authorities on the matter are less strict. Basically, a capsule wardrobe is a set of around thirty-seven items (or less) incorporating your favorite looks with fresh additions of a few new pieces every season. The ultimate goal is to limit yourself to the basic essentials. What do you actually wear? What’s practical? What are your statement pieces? What can serve as a closet staple to be mixed and matched with all of your various other pieces to create fresh and invigorating looks all season long? Create a signature aesthetic without coming across as stale and recycled. So, wait. We’re talking about a strict rotation of only thirty-seven articles of clothing…and no shopping until next season? But why?

You’ll have a more easily organized closet and will spend less time shopping. Since the number of items is limited, you will either end up spending less money on your wardrobe or will spend the same amount of money but focus more on quality instead of buying a bunch of things you may never wear. The less obvious benefits are plentiful. Since capsule wardrobes focus on basic mix and match pieces, you can grab just about anything out of your closet and look fabulous! Going back to the basics means you will really hone your style and get pieces that you love and you’ll love wearing every time you put them on and you’ll want to hang on to your pieces longer.

Our next post will get into how you can create your own capsule wardrobe!