Cheryl Shops

The Black Friday sales have already begun, which is both a blessing and a curse. Thankfully, I find shopping for holiday gifts for women—friends, sisters, moms, and so on—to be the next best thing to shopping for myself. So go forth, be generous, and take advantage of all those promos flooding your inbox!

1. Cuyana makes the most quietly beautiful leather goods, and even better, they're incredibly well priced. This is pretty much the perfect bag, and it comes in three colors, as well as a larger size.
Cuyana smal hobo $195

2. Gap makes this sweater every year, and sales from it are probably propping up the company year-round, but, hey, if it works, it works.
Gap crazy stripe sweater $34.95 (on sale!)

3. Think of this as the new stress ball—moving your hand back and forth to change the pattern of the sequins is incredibly mesmerizing and calming. Also, it's just a darn glamorous pillow.
Levtex sequin pillow $39.99

4. Bite Beauty's lipsticks are made of food-grade ingredients, which is a good thing, considering you actually swallow most of the lipstick you put on. I am a huge fan of the deeply pigmented hues, too.
Bite Beauty perfect bite set $25

5. Pretty much every cool girl I've seen recently has been wearing a pair of sculptural metal statement earrings like these. Bonus: they look great on women of all ages.
Madewell sculpture earrings $25.50 (on sale!)

6. Who doesn't love athleisure? These leggings will make her the best-dressed woman at barre class (and even afterward at brunch).
EXP Core watercolor leggings $34.95 (on sale!)

7. The older I get, the more I'm learning the power of good lighting. This iPhone case ensures every selfie (or conventional photo) will be shot in flattering light.
Lumee iPhone case $69.95
8. Do you have a friend with a pricey kombucha habit? (I'm talking $7 a bottle, or more, people. The struggle is real.) This will let her brew her own, minus the random yeast globs.
Kombucha brewing kit $48.95

9. These boots were probably not made for walking, but they are made for dancing—and they're a tenth of the price of those YSL runway beauties.
Shellys London sequin boots $228

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and an even happier Black Friday and Small Business Saturday! I'll be back next week with more gift guides!

She knows all the words—and the moves—to "Gangnam Style," she can text faster than the speed of sound, and one day, she's going to run the world. You know, once the Pretty Little Liars marathon is over.


1. Wearing a hat is so uncool and yet her Beats by Dre don't really provide any insulation. Enter these Juicy Couture faux fur headphone earmuffs, which provide both warmth and good sound in a fun, animal-friendly package.

2. Knowing most celebrity fragrances, Pink Friday by Nicki Minaj probably smells like a mixture of hairspray, gum, and Bieber Fever. But the bottle will look so cool on her dresser, who cares?

3. Much like a teenage girl, this Stella & Dot Renegade Cluster bracelet is the perfect mix of pretty and tough. And, if her boyfriend gets fresh with her, it can, in a pinch, double as a weapon.

4. Hey girl, make sure feminism doesn't become the F-word: Treat her to the Feminist Ryan Gosling, a fun yet thoughtful way of examining gender inequality.

5. Humor her obsession with Girls' Generation and treat her to this metallic-accented tiger tank top from Baby Centaur, a South Korean line. Next up: Working on perfecting her K-pop wink.

6. Her lip balm habit is singlehandedly keeping Sephora in business, so why not encourage her entrepreneurial spirit with a DIY lip balm kit?  Maybe she'll create the next Fresh Sugar Rose!