60th birthday gift for stylish friend?

[CanWeComeIntoTheOutNow]

Need some help with this one. She's pretty trendy, likes Jo Malone and fancy toiletries. Not much of a one for jewellery unless it's diamonds (so I'll steer clear) and likes bright colours and bold patterns. She's into tennis and they have a house in Spain. Her house is relatively minimalist so my usual go to of a nice picture frame might be a bit redundant.
Will probably club together with another friend so suggestions for up to £100 maybe? (Though under £60 probably preferable)

All help gratefully received...

[SuckingDieselFella]

I read the thread title and was going to say Jo Malone...

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

This is actually quite difficult! It doesn't sound as if there's anything she's yearning for that she doesn't already have.

£60 -100 would be a fine amount for a great bottle of whisky or something for a garden - but you don't indicate that these are things she particularly wants. On the other hand it wouldn't go near the sort of perfume / clothing / jewellery / luggage that I (similar age) would find exciting as a present.

Normally I'd suggest - since you might join up with another friend - that the two of you take her out for a celebratory meal, but that's a little less attractive right now.

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

How about some variety from Jo Loves?

www.joloves.com/samples?gclid=EAIaIQobChMInOamnYun6gIVm-vtCh3Hzwx1EAAYASAAEgLOpPD_BwE

[Whatthefoxgoingon]

Meant to add: you can get a sample set and then she can choose full sized bottle of the one she likes the best.

[Floisme]

There are some beautiful books about fashion / history of fashion, although I'm not sure what's new at the moment.

Never underestimate a well chosen voucher. Not impersonal at all if you get the shop right.

[UseYourMirrors]

Some stylish tennis wear from Sweaty Betty or Lulu Lemon or a lovely new tennis bag?

[DysonFury]

Spa voucher? Cliche I know but a wonderful massage or treatment is bliss.

[Retailqueenie]

Liberty print scarf? They have some really contemporary ones / I could literally move into their scarf dept..

Tiffany pen, start at about £90..

Monica vinader have some gorgeous friendship bracelets if she’s into that..

Some Cashmere?

[CanWeComeIntoTheOutNow]

Some great ideas here. Will go and have a look at some of these. Thanks so much! It's very much the "what do you get for someone who can buy their own lovely stuff" conundrum

[mavornia]

I like the high end versions of items that you wouldn’t necessarily splurge on yourself but would be a treat to use - Diptyque or Aesop handwash that she could use herself or in a guest bathroom (and they’ll be used up so you won’t be cluttering her house).
Eve Lom cleanser, Chanel nail varnish, Hourglass bronzer would all make a lovely gift too.

[Mindgone]

How about a pure silk pillowcase? Apparently they make your skin and hair look amazing!

[newreality1]

You really can't go wrong with a voucher and maybe a lovely bunch of flowers. Or a personalised passport cover she could use travelling to and from her house in Spain. Or treat her to a lovely birthday lunch/dinner.

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

Have to disagree about vouchers. Fine for relatives, especially teens, students, newly weds ... But giving your 'stylish' 60 year old friend money (unless they've specifically asked for it for a particular thing) seems a bit joyless. For the giver it takes away the leap in the dark element that makes gift giving so exciting. For the recipient (well, if it were me) my first reaction would be "Oh ... They think I need £50 ..." The second would be "They couldn't be bothered to think of something nice." Or even, disastrously "They don't honestly think I'd buy anything there?"

That said, I know someone of roughly that age who is a notoriously ungracious receiver of gifts. They do get money or vouchers ...

[Floisme]

Oh I couldn't disagree you more Perdita. I love a thoughtfully chosen voucher - it means I get something nice plus all the fun of choosing it. The trick though is in picking the shop so you do need to be familiar with her tastes.

[nowlook]

Clutch or makeup bag? Depending on her style:

www.vam.ac.uk/shop/yellow-chevron-silk-clutch-bag-by-my-doris-158399.html

www.wilburandgussie.com/collections/last-chance/products/tommy-blue-and-orange-nappa-leather-pouch

www.matchesfashion.com/products/Eliurpi-Circle-mini-woven-straw-bag-1303337

And, because I'm random, here's a vintage silver hip flask from, ahem, 1960 in the shape of a tennis ball:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Silver-Plated-England-Tennis-Ball-Flask-Novelty-Fathers-Day-C-1960/164236602465?hash=item263d43ac61:g:Jo4AAOSw0t5e3kMn

[TheFormidableMrsC]

Hush have got some gorgeous summer scarves, some in the sale. They also do lovely gift packaging.

[OMGisthisforreal]

My friends are mostly in a similar lucky position - we can more or less buy whatever we really need and want plus have got to the stage, and age, where we know exactly what we personally like and don’t want to receive token gifts.
We now gift each other outings to events, galleries, theatre, afternoon tea, lunch, etc. depending on the occasion and financial value. For example, a noughtie birthday could be a really posh afternoon tea somewhere lovely where we can spend hours chatting and laughing, whereas an ordinary birthday might be a ticket to a show or exhibition to attend together as part of a day out. Sometimes we club together or pair up to share a significant gift.
We find that time spent together and sharing a treat or experience is worth far more to us than an unwanted gift or a voucher. And it’s always something to look forward to after the birthday.

[CanWeComeIntoTheOutNow]

OMGisthisreal - I would agree but obviously with current climate it slightly takes the fun out of experience stuff... Or a least it does for me.

Flo - I have to say I find vouchers stressful. They either require topping up or you have a silly nominal amount left over and I'm constantly worrying about them expiring!

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

Mmm ... I get what you're saying Floisme - but perhaps I'm just a very self-centred gift giver! I love the thrill of trying to find exactly the right thing - and possibly taking the intended recipient slightly out of their comfort zone. So it's boring for me to simply hand over a voucher - unless from somewhere truly radical in terms of extravagance or novelty. (I don't mean Not On The High St novelty ...)

[redferrari]

Not on high street site has some lovely unique gifts

[Ihavenoidewhatsgoingon]

Crystal martini glasses (or whatever cocktail she likes) but nice heavy ones.

An expensive bottle of champagne

An olive tree for her to plant in the garden with a little plaque saying happy 60th

Don’t get vouchers especially now

[PerditaProvokesEnmity]

If I wanted something unique I'd direct my friends to Christie's ...

One place I'd welcome a voucher from would be The Conran Shop.

[Lockdownhairdontcare]

One hundred stars gowns are beautiful, light, timeless and elegant. Perfect to take on holiday too. £75.

[Oblahdeeoblahdoe]

For her 60th I treated my best friend to a day out in London, afternoon tea at Claridge's and a West End show. We both loved it so much we do it every year now as a joint present to ourselves. Except this year which has been pants!

[Ragwort]

What about a posh afternoon tea delivered to your home (or her's) for you to share ? Lots of local people to us do that sort of thing or Fortnum & Mason do one (£££££s), you could buy a bottle of champagne Prosecco to go with it. My parents had one delivered & really enjoyed it.

I had my 60th a couple of years ago and honestly I didn't want any presents.