You’ve sent in your RSVPs, narrowed down your potential outfits (if not: allow me to do that for you), and, now, you need to consider gifts for your hosts. After all, no matter what kind of party it is, you certainly can’t show up empty-handed.

Take my advice: skip the bottle of wine. It’s a nice gesture, but it does indeed leave something to be desired. Instead, get creative with the gift. One of my go-to gifts for hosts is a beauty buy of some sort – think: a luxe hand cream, a Chanel nail polish, or a set of these gold eye masks (she’ll be grateful for those the morning after!). If you know the host well then take note of his or her interests when buying a gift. For instance, select a delicious coffee-table book pertaining to a hobby or interest of theirs. Does she have a festish for gummy candy? Consider one of these curated candy boxes from BonBon. The packaging alone is so good that you won’t even have to worry about any extra wrapping. If she spends a lot of time in the kitchen (not all hosts do) then level up her look with a chic apron. 

When in doubt, there’s nothing wrong with the “safe” choice. There’s plenty of fab one-size-fits-all gifts that are sure to thrill, including: food (perhaps something like this that they can enjoy for breakfast the following day), a chic set of cocktail linens, a glass nut bowl, a beautiful set of soap (love Claus Porto), or even fresh flowers. 

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Below, a hit list with a few of my favorites. Want more? Head over to The Holiday Edit where you’ll find a gift curation dedicated to haute hostess gifts.

SHOPPING LIST