Holiday Gift Guide Part 3: For the Free-Spirited, Penny Lane Type
This week’s gift guide pays homage to Penny Lane, Kate Hudson’s lovable character in the film Almost Famous. A true free spirit, Penny Lane exuded warmth and joy. She epitomized a rock-influenced Bohemian vibe — surrounding herself with beautiful things (from fields of flowers to healing music), made spontaneous decisions (such as when she declared she would travel to Morocco for a year), loving fully and unconditionally (especially when it came to her favorite band, StillWater, for which she was a “Band Aide”), and hoping to live life to the fullest. She could charm anyone with her curly mane and dazzling smile, and she was always a show stopper with her fur-trimmed coats, cozy boots and knits, natural makeup, and beautiful jewelry.
Here, a few gifts that would make the Penny Lane-esque, Boho chic girl in your life want to sing “Tiny Dancer” at the top of her lungs.
Fresh Sugar Wish set, $28. Visit Sephora.com
Penny Lane loves communing with nature. She can appreciate the simplest of delights, such as a spoonful of brown sugar. The Fresh Sugar Wish set includes the brand’s best-selling Sugar Lip Treatment, which exfoliates, softens, and moisturizes lips, as well as the Brown Sugar Body Cream, which is so delicious, it will have you dedicating D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” to it.
Torn by Ronny Kobo Natalie Cropped Fur Vest, $550. Visit Singer22.com
Throughout Almost Famous, we found Penny Lane draped in warm furs — whether it was wool coats with Mongolian fur trim or fitted fur vests, such as this rabbit fur piece from Torn by Ronny Kobo. I love how the contrasting textures along the sleeves and collar add a bit more shapeliness to the vest.
Sandy Leong Signature Ring with Diamonds, $2800. Visit SandyLeong.com
Though Penny Lane types prefer understated earrings and necklaces, they do tend to be smitten with large, statement-making rings. This beautiful Sandy Leong ring, which seems to resemble the curved shape of a water lily pad, is made of 100% recycled gold — another great perk for Boho chic types who embrace nature and are concerned with environmental matters.
NYX Cosmetics “The Naturals” Luscious Lip Palette, $7. Visit NYXcosmetics.com
When it comes to makeup, Penny Lane types fall in the minimalist category. Sure, they’ll apply makeup, but they’ll stick to earth tones and neutrals for a more understated, natural look. This lip palette from NYX Cosmetics features five barely-there hues: from a shimmering nude pink to a coppery brown.
Hayden-Harnett Yoko Knit Sweater Dress in Plum Colorblock, $211. Available at HaydenHarnett.com
The name of this sweater dress (“Yoko”) says it all — with its slightly bell-shaped sleeves, colorblock print, and loose fit, this Hayden-Harnett dress epitomizes that early ’70s vibe.
Sephora Brand Brown Smoky Eyes Kit, $38. Available at Sephora.com
If Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” shows us anything, it’s that you don’t need blue or green eyes to make a man want to sing “sha-la-la-la-la” — and, of course, Penny Lane sorts know this all too well (what with their encyclopedic knowledge of rock songs). This eye kit helps them create the perfect smoky eye with four eyeshadow shades, a black eyeliner, black mascara and a set of step-by-step instructions.
Bath & Body Works Signature Collection Twilight Woods Shower Gel, $10.50; Twilight Woods Body Lotion, $10.50; and Twilight Woods Eau de Toilette, $29.50. Visit BathAndBodyWorks.com
Inspired by the notion of walking through the forest at dusk, this romantic scent features top notes of berry, sparkling mandarin and coconut, a heart of creamy frangipani, soft mimosa, honeysuckle, wild freesia, and apricot nectar, and base notes of musk, orris, vanilla milk, and warm woods. The resulting fragrance is romantic and inviting with a hint of mystery — just like Penny herself.
Adrienne Landau Raccoon Hat, $395. Visit AdrienneLandau.com
If you’ve watched Almost Famous enough times, you might remember the hat Penny Lane wore, a white fur number much like the gorgeous Adrienne Landau piece above.
Julia Failey Little Vine Ring in Gold, $75. Visit JuliaFailey.com
Nature lovers will appreciate Julia Failey’s designs, which display a reverence toward nature in their very design and which utilize repurposed materials. Adorable yet slightly edgy, the Little Vine Ring pictured above was made using repurposed, deoxidized sterling silver with a 24k gold vermeil coat.
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Lavanila Laboratories The Healthy Fragrance Mini Roller-Ball Set, $28. Visit Sephora.com
Communing with nature means understanding all the fragrant wonders in various herbs, flowers, spices, and botanicals. Hippie honeys, then, know about the intrinsic sexiness of vanilla and can appreciate the simple wonders of Lavanila’s fragrances, which are made using 100% natural ingredients. This travel-friendly roller-ball set features all four Lavanila fragrances: Vanilla Coconut, Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Grapefruit, and Vanilla Lavender.
Todd Reed necklace 18kt gold, raw diamonds (32.47ctw), brilliant cut diamonds(.975ctw), $26,400. Visit ToddReed.com
Eco-chic designer Todd Reed’s pieces, which are made of raw diamonds and recycled gold, not only showcase a symbolic concern for eco-friendly practices (through the manner in which they’re made), but their unrefined yet elegant aesthetic also makes people feel closer to Mother Earth and its natural treasures.
Pur Minerals 5-Piece Lucite Brush Collection, $35. Visit PurMinerals.com
Penny Lane types tend to be full of contradictions (then again, aren’t we all?). On the one hand, they love fur coats and accessories and they drink and smoke to the point of recklessness, and yet they’re also gentle souls, animal lovers, and peace advocates. Appeal to the animal lover side of your Penny Lane with this set of cruelty-free, all-natural brushes. The set includes a powder brush, utility brush, covered lip brush, blush brush and eye shadow brush.
NP Set 10-Color Eye Shadow Palette, $9.99. Available at Target.com
This 10-piece eyeshadow palette focuses on earthy shades — from a rose gold hue to a dark forest green, an eggplant purple, and a sharp copper — but they all have a metallic finish that will appeal to the inner star inside any Penny Lane type (just imagine her dancing on the stage, as she did in that one movie scene).
Michal Yakar 14K Gold Filled Hoops With Swarovski Crystals, Peridot and Citrine, $130. Visit MichalYakar.com
The way the peridot, citrine and Swarovski crystals float inside these gold hoops makes you think of enchanted gardens and magical journeys, and the green and yellow colors intensify the effect by conjuring up images of blooming flowers and plants.
Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Spray Perfume Set, $20. Visit Sephora.com
There’s a sensual side to Penny Lane types — and it comes out the most when they’re surrounded by things that remind them of nature and their own instinctive carnal desires. This spray perfume and candle gift set, with its sultry guava scent, brings a tropical sexiness to any bedroom.
Treesje Halen Cross-Body, $368. Visit Endless.com
Cross-body bags are so convenient for those who are constantly traveling — whether it be on tour buses, cars packed for cross-country trips, or airplanes headed to exotic destination. This Treesje number is functional yet fashionable, with studded details arranged in such a manner as to resemble a mosaic of pebbles.
Pretty Little Thing Leopard Statement Necklace, $175. Visit PLTnyc.com
There’s a fierce lioness (or a leopard, if you will) inside every Bohemian princess. She may seem to float in the clouds, but she had the courage and conviction to follow her instincts and to pursue her dreams — even when others frown at them or view them with skepticism. This Leopard Statement Necklace will celebrate this brave woman’s spots.
Presa Kensington Leather Hobo Bag, $99. Visit Overstock.com
Not only is this Presa handbag roomy enough to carry on-the-road essentials, but its camel color will make it a staple in any woman’s wardrobe.
Kimberly Baker Ella Earrings in 18kt gold vermeil over sterling silver, $98. Visit KimberlyBaker.com
Every time I look at these earrings, I’m reminded of the scene in Almost Famous when Penny Lane announced that she’s made the decision to go to Morocco for one year. There’s just a certain Moroccan vibe to these earrings that’s beyond fascinating — and oh so beautiful.
Ugg Australia Women’s Corinth Boot, $275. Visit UggAustralia.com
With all the walking she’ll do during her many travels and all the winters she’ll experience, this Bohemian belle needs a fashionable but cozy pair of boots to keep her warm. Ugg’s Corinth boot is versatile enough to work with almost any outfit and features a warm sheepskin lining to keep those toes nice and toasty.
Pangea Organics “The New Radiance” Gift Set, $100. Visit PangeaOrganics.com
Leading organic skincare line Pangea Organics offers this five-piece set, filled with some of its best-selling items: the Japanese Matcha Tea With Acai & Goji Berry Facial Mask, which includes antioxidants with anti-aging benefits like acai and goji berry; the Egyptian Calendula and Blood Orange Facial Cleanser, which has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties; the exfoliating Egyptian Geranium With Adzuki Bean & Cranberry Facial Scrub; the soothing and hydrating Italian Red Mandarin With Rose Lip Balm; and the Turkish Rose & White Tea Eye Cream. The set is packaged in a box made of 100% post-consumer newsprint embedded with the seeds of a spruce tree, so you can actually plant it in soil and watch the trees grow.
Henri Lou Sugar Maple Leaf Pendant in 24K gold, $110. Visit HenriLouJewelry.com
These leaf pendants zoom in on the details of one of the most basic things in nature — which is why any Penny Lane devotee would wear them with pride.
Jurlique LOVE (Lovable Skin Gift Set), $45. Visit Jurlique.com
Penny Lanes love to express themselves via gestures — using their hands to punctuate their sentences. Their hands, then, should always look impeccable — and Jurlique’s Rose Hand Cream will more than do the trick. And, since this girl’s motto is “peace and love,” why not gift her with the LOVE set, which also includes the new super rich Love Balm, perfect for moisturizing everything from lips to elbows.
Bumble and Bumble A Joyfully Rich Gift, $52. Visit BumbleAndBumble.com
One of the ways in which Penny Lane expressed her free spirit was through her hair: a voluminous, playful curly mane. With Bumble and Bumble’s A Joyfully Rich Gift, she can keep her tresses nourished and feeling silky soft. The kit includes Bumbble and Bumble’s Gentle Shampoo and Super Rich Conditioner, as well as the Styling Creme (which is perfect for adding definition to waves and curls). It also includes a black-with-violet-trim Buttonband, an elastic hairband that can be worn alone or with customizable buttons (for those with a crafty spirit).
Matina Amanita Gold Plated 92.5 Sterling Silver with Cubic Zirconium Zodiac Rings, $213 each. Visit MatinaAmanita.com
Most Penny Lane types have a superstitious side to them and an affinity for the mystical (remember he dear friend who read people’s auras?). It follows, then, that she would have an interest in astrology. Celebrate her belief in the stars with these Matina Amanita zodiac rings, each of which features the symbol associated with one of the signs in the zodiac (such as the Cancer and Pisces rings pictured above, at left and right respectively).
Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens, $10. Visit Sephora.com
With all the traveling Penny Lane sorts do, their skin needs some TLC — and, to keep any sweat or oiliness at bay, there’s nothing like some quality blotting papers. Boscia’s green tea blotting linens are 100% natural and suit even those with the most sensitive skin.
Michael Aram Sona Single Heart Bowl, $98. Visit MichaelAram.com
Penny Lane types have a lot of heart, so why not celebrate that with one of these beautiful bowls from Michael Aram? Each heart-shaped bowl was inspired by the idea of a golden treasure and was made using solid bronze with a gold oxidized finish.
Origins “Your Perfect World” Set, $45. Visit Origins.com
To keep her complexion luminous and dewy, this nature lover resorts to antioxidant-rich skincare products such as those in Origins’ A Perfect World line. This brightening set includes all three key products: the antioxidant cleanser with white tea, the white tea skin guardian, and the antioxidant moisturizer with white tea.
Poof NY Chuckle Fine Art Photo, $22. Visit Poofny.Etsy.com
A flower child with a rocker edge, Penny Lane is definitely the type of girl to marvel at the beauty of a simple daisy. This stunning fine art photo by Anne Kristoff, then, would make her heart swell with joy.
Sandy Leong Luminous Large Rectangle Cocktail Rings in 18K Champagne Gold With Lemon Citrine and 18K Recycled Gold With Citrine, $3000 each. Visit SandyLeong.com
Most gypsy-esque women love oversize rings — and these Sandy Leong cocktail rings, with their curvilinear edges and faceted rectangular stones, will make the wearer’s fingers look like captivating rays of light.
Korres Naturally Defined Eyes set, $25. Visit KorresUSA.com
Since she prefers a more natural look, this Bohemian babe will adore this Korres set, which features five eyeliner pencils (in Black, Metallic Brown, Green, Gray and Blue) enriched with vitamin E and jojoba oil so they glide on smoothly and also soothe and moisturize the tender eyelid region. The kit also includes Korres’ Abyssinia Oil Mascara, which pumps up lashes’ volume — an absolute must since batting those lashes is a key part of any gal’s persuasive powers.
Guy and Eva Butterfly Ring, $95. Visit GuyAndEva.com for purchasing information.
The elongated shape of this ring, along with the two-toned metal details, make it a true conversation piece — like Penny Lane herself.
Marco Bicego Earring Kit Exclusively for Saks, $2990. Available at Saks Fifth Avenue stores.
Marco Bicego’s earring kit, designed exclusively for Saks Fifth Avenue, features five pairs of earrings, ranging from small rounded studs to dangling pieces with tiny colored stones. The slightly imperfect, asymmetrical shape of the circles and stones in these pieces gives them a more personal, artsy quality.