The ultimate guide for thoughtful gifts

Summary

Style-ish – "The Ultimate Guide for Thoughtful Gifts"

Host: Shameless Media
Episode Date: August 19, 2025
Summary by Section with Timestamps

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Episode Overview

This episode of Style-ish dives into the art of thoughtful gift-giving, sparked by a listener's dilemma around finding the perfect 30th birthday gift for a friend. The hosts—Madison Sullivan Thorpe, Annika Joshi Smith, and Joanna Fleming—discuss their own approaches to sentimental and meaningful presents (at every budget), recount personal experiences, and offer practical recommendations for anyone stuck on gift ideas. The episode also features beauty recs, the importance of age-diverse content creators, and a candid conversation about navigating friendship dynamics when it comes to spending expectations.

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Beauty and Fashion Swaps: Current Faves

(05:40–13:14)

Lip Blushing Experience

• Joanna shares her recent lip blushing (lip tattoo) treatment, highlighting why she chose it for her wedding and candidly giving a pain rating ("about a 7 or 8" out of 10) [01:50].
  • “It did fucking hurt.” – Joanna [01:40]
  • Despite discomfort, the results boosted her confidence: “Even when I’m not wearing makeup, I feel like the color in my lips takes away the purpley tones from under my eyes.” [03:41]
  • Downtime was minimal; swelling subsided after a few hours, and dryness lasted about two days.
  • Recommends Figment Tattoo in Hawthorn.

Product Recommendations

• Annika’s Pick: Tenille J. “Bronzour” Cream Bronzer as a dupe for Westman Atelier and Chanel creams.
  • “It’s super creamy, buildable... and it’s only about $50.” – Annika [06:41]
• Friendly debate about prices:
  • “Westman’s $84!” – Madison [07:11]
  • “Not $120, though!”
• Joanna’s Pick: Shout-outs to creators in their 50s for style inspiration, e.g., Nikki from Styling You, Alexandra E. Style, Debbie J. Edwards (TikTok), and Amanda Ramsey Makeup.
  • “We see a lot of creators in their 20s and 30s, but it’s a struggle to find creators in their 50s.” [08:02]
• Madison’s Pick: Best brow-shaping experience at Ruby Katz, Melbourne.
  • “She face traced the entire brow... I looked like I was out of a science book.” [12:13]
  • Praises personalized, non-pushy service.

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Listener Dilemma: Meaningful Group Gifts for Milestone Birthdays

(15:10–39:02)

Nadia’s Question (Listener from London) [15:33]

• Forgot her best friend’s 30th, sent a business book (already owned by recipient, no label or wrap), and now feels she fell short—especially compared with friends who baked or gave nothing.
• Wonders: How much should each person put towards a thoughtful group 30th gift? What are some meaningful, lasting options?

Key Discussion Points

1. The Value of Thought Over Cost

• “It was less about what she spent... more about the lack of thought.” – Joanna [17:23]
• Emphasis on love languages: For some, presentation and sentiment outweigh monetary value.
• Group gifts: Flexible contributions based on individual circumstances, with transparency and no judgment.
  • “If you’re in a group of six... maybe one person organizes and everyone puts in what they can afford.” – Joanna [18:21]
• Real talk about changing financial realities (maternity leave, divorce, wedding planning): “I have been in vastly different circumstances… and I’d hope my friends understood my situation at that time.” – Madison [19:05]

2. Sentimental Gifting Ideas

• Personalized/Handmade:

  • Cards: “A handwritten card means more than any gift ever could.” – Annika [20:24]
  • Photo books/frames: “My friends gave me their favorite photos of us in beautiful silver frames, and I was incredibly emotional about that.” – Madison [22:03]
  • Homemade videos or quizzes: Joanna received a 20-minute montage of messages from friends, orchestrated by her fiancé. [23:35]
  • Group slumber parties, dinners, or charcuterie nights: Simple experiences can be the most meaningful. [25:14]
  • Pottery painting night: Robert Gordon workshops as an affordable group activity [28:14]

• Experiential:

  • Group dinners where only the birthday person’s meal is covered by friends [29:44]
  • Booking a family/friend photoshoot with a photographer at a park [22:41]
  • Gifting a trip/weekend getaway or contributing towards one [33:59]

• Keepsake Gift Ideas:

  • Jewelry Fund: Friends pooling money for a special piece marking a milestone, like Madison’s “divorce diamonds” story [20:58]
  • Soldered jewelry (Sarah & Sebastian), Lyndon Cook impression pieces (e.g. dog noses), Maison Balzac homewares [26:08, 27:11]
  • Wine from birth year or wine bottles labeled for occasions (“for your next big job promotion”) [29:57, 33:02]
  • Le Labo personalized fragrance (with experience of label making) [33:02]
  • Art prints representing a shared holiday destination (e.g. Lake Como) [36:05]

• Useful Tips & Services

  • Arete photo frames: “Pay for it to be done... order, have it shipped with the photo already inside, in a chic frame.” – Madison [30:47]
  • Francesca Jewellery: Prints photos for lockets, sent as finished gifts [31:03]
  • Gifts under $100: Candles, coffee table books, photo frames

• Digital/Skill-Based Gifts

  • Personal podcast episode: “Lucy from our team made a podcast for her friend’s wedding!” [38:07]
  • “If you have a skill, you can contribute it—like styling or making a TikTok.” [38:13]

3. Laughter and Memorable Moments

• “I got jewelry and then a chicken tender slut T-shirt. All as thoughtful as the other.” – Madison, on the range of personal gifts [27:55]
• “Don’t anyone dare get my exes to send a birthday message. I’d pay not to see their face ever again.” – Madison on TikTok trends [39:02]
• Annika’s story of “divorce diamonds” as an unapologetic self-celebration [20:58]
• Joanna's emotional recounting of her fiancé-produced montage [23:35]

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Key Quotes & Timestamps

• “It did fucking hurt.” – Joanna (on lip blushing) [01:40]
• “It was less about what she spent... more about the lack of thought.” – Joanna [17:23]
• “A handwritten card means more than any gift ever could.” – Annika [20:24]
• “I got jewelry and then a chicken tender slut T-shirt. All as thoughtful as the other.” – Madison [27:55]
• “If you have a skill, you can contribute it—like styling or making a TikTok.” – Joanna [38:13]
• “Don’t anyone dare get my exes to send a birthday message. I’d pay not to see their face ever again.” – Madison [39:02]

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Practical Takeaways

• Thoughtfulness always wins over price; group gifts work best with transparent, flexible contributions.
• Sentimental and experience-based gifts (photo books, videos, dinners, pottery painting, written cards) are as valued—if not more so—than expensive material items.
• When possible, leverage your own skills or create shared memories.
• When in doubt, classic keepsakes (jewelry, art prints, homewares) or services (photo gifts, personal podcasts) are timeless.

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a cheerful, candid meditation on modern friendship, empathy, and why the most meaningful gifts rarely have the biggest price tags. From DIY to designer, every host agrees that gifts truly matter for the stories, memories, and love they represent.

“We’ve given some absolutely ten out of ten recs, if I do say so myself!” – Madison [37:51]

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For more gift dilemmas or to have your question featured, email [e-mail] or DM @stylishpod.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

This episode of Stylish is brought to you by Telstra, Australia's best mobile network. Make a statement with the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7.

[C]

This is stylish, the podcast for all things fashion, brand, business, and beauty. My name is Madison Sullivan Thorpe. My co hosts, as always, are Ana Kajothi Smith and. And Joanna Fleming.

[B]

Back again, here we are. Happy Wednesday.

[C]

Happy Wednesday. Jo. We have been waiting with our breath held because you got lip blushing the other week.

[A]

I did. Tell us all about. I like to be the guinea pig of trialing things just to come back.

[C]

Yeah, I like you to be the guinea pig as well, selfishly.

[A]

Yes. So I had lip blushing, which, in other words, I had my lips tattooed, which I'd been considering doing for ages. And then obviously preparing for my wedding, I was like, well, my lip products always wear off really quickly, and my lips underneath, like, in the center, they're quite pink, but then on the outskirts, they lose a lot of their pigment, and they just kind of look really dull. And I feel like that can bring my complexion down a little bit. So I was like, you know what? I'm going to do it. I was really nervous about it because I was like, what if I hate them? I've literally got my first tattoo, and it's on my face, very prominent position.

[C]

That was going to be my first question was, do you, like, have a secret little stamp that you haven't told?

[A]

I don't have any other tattoos, so this was a first for me.

[C]

Bad gal. Look at her go. She's tatted up.

[A]

Honestly, I really wasn't sure what to think about it. It was painful, and I was numbed.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So a lot of people DM'd me after I posted about my treatment, saying, like, did it really hurt? And I was like, I'm gonna be honest with you. It did fucking hurt.

[B]

Okay, scale of 1 to 10, what are we talking about?

[A]

Okay, so in the big scheme of, like, other treatments I've had, yeah, I would say it's probably a 7 to 8.

[B]

Oh, shit.

[A]

Yeah. I'd say clear and brilliant is really up there. I find that quite bitey. But some other people might find that. Okay. And might find something like skin needling more painful. So it really is just, like, your personal pain threshold. I would say I have quite a high pain threshold. I can tolerate quite a bit on my face. I have the mentality of beauty is pain, but I found this quite uncomfortable, so. And it's a pretty long process. So the whole process for me took. I think it Was two and a half hours I was there.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

So I went to Figment Tattoo in. In Hawthorne. So Fiona is a dermal clinician and then she has the tattoo business. And so she is just so good at her job. Like, she precisely mapped it out. Yeah. She made sure I was really happy with the shape and the color. And she basically took one look at my lips and was like, yeah, we're doing these two colors together. You cool with that? I'm like, okay, sure, whatever you say.

[C]

Amazing. Yeah. I've heard very good things about her. Like, best in the biz kind of thing.

[A]

She's fantastic. Yeah. So she did my lips. It was a bit painful. I actually thought the downtime was gonna be way worse. I thought I was gonna be swollen for like 24 hours. Pretty much swollen for maybe a few hours afterwards. And then I was all good. Didn't need to take any kind of, like, pain medication or anything like that. They were only really dry, maybe for two days. No flaking, nothing like that. Really tolerable.

[C]

One day in a bad air conditioned office. I know I've got two days of dry lips.

[A]

Well, yeah. I'm normally quite a dry lipped person because I'm always dehydrated.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But I should work on. I know I should.

[C]

It comes from the tap. Yeah.

[A]

But also, like, I just feel the lip blushing has really unified my complexion.

[C]

Yeah, you look great.

[A]

It's not having to do your lips all the time. Even when I'm not wearing makeup, I feel like the color in my lips takes away the purpley tones from under my eyes.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

And it makes me look more refreshed and like, well, slept or something. I can't quite describe it, but there's just something about having your lips done.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah. And it's not that they look too done, but they are a bit darker, obviously, than my natural lip color would be on the border. But I feel that it's really closely reflected my lip shade in the center of my lips and it's just defined the border of my lips.

[C]

Yeah. Because one thing that I find in the reason that I'm so intrigued and wanted to ask this on my. Cause I imagine a lot of people are as well, is that I feel like, particularly in the cooler months, my lips almost go like purple. It's like I look really one dimensional. And so I find myself, you know, I was joking the other week that I don't leave the house without mascara, but I really don't. I'm trying to distract for the fact that, like, I'm not putting a lip liner on to walk the dog at quarter past six.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I mean, I'm putting on mascara. I don't know what would be so bad about chucking on a little Charlotte Tilbury pillow talk. But, yeah, I'm, like, keen to do it, but you've really scared me with the 8. Given your pain threshold.

[A]

Oh, I reckon you'd be able to do it.

[C]

Maybe you could come and hold my hand.

[A]

Yeah, I can do that. You've got numbing on.

[C]

I just change lip liners all the time.

[A]

See, the thing that I wanted to go with was my natural lip colour because I can still put a lip liner over the top and change the colour of my lips, but it's the fact that I have, like a more defined natural lip colour when I don't have anything on my lips and it's still fading. I'm only like a couple of weeks down the track, so there's still time for them to settle a bit more and the color to settle in. So it probably will be even less obvious than they are now. But I really am into this treatment.

[C]

Love it.

[A]

Yeah. No regrets whatsoever at this stage. I have a touch up appointment in September.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then I'm good to go. So they should. They should stay pretty good for like, one to two years and then you have another touch up.

[C]

Brilliant.

[A]

Oh, I love it. So if anyone's been thinking about lip blushing, that's my review so far.

[C]

Yeah, Love it. Well, we're almost getting two swaps from you today.

[A]

Yeah, you are, actually.

[B]

Thank you.

[C]

Jojo, what's on today's app?

[A]

Okay. On today's ep, we're doing something a little bit different and it's been sparked by a listener's dilemma about birthday presents. So we're gonna jump into that. Opinions, please. First, off the back of that, we're gonna do some high, low present recommendations, including some ideas that are practically free. But first, what are we swapping in this week? Annika, do you wanna start us off as usual? I sure do.

[B]

I am a Westman atelier truffle contour stick. Like, girly like, that is my ride or die product. So I'm doing my lips, my brows, and then the contour stick is something that I just like.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think I have found a more affordable option that kind of gives the same vibe, the same, like, really nice kind of chiseled contour look for a much cheaper fraction of the price. It is the Tenille J. It's like a creaming bronzer.

[A]

Oh, is this the Bronzor Bronzour? That's it.

[B]

Bronze or. Sorry, everybody. Yes, I got it in the shade mocha, which is a really beautiful tan. And it's, like, buildable. It's super creamy.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

I always see on my for you page the Chanel cream. Yes.

[A]

I was going to say it's in the same packaging.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

The Chanel people talk about that being.

[B]

Like, obviously world class. It's what you would expect from a Chanel. But this apparently is quite dupable, so I highly rate it.

[A]

How much is it?

[B]

It was about $50, I believe.

[A]

Okay. How much is the Westman Italia? Do you know Mads or the job?

[B]

You have 120.

[C]

The Westman. No, no, Westman Bronzer.

[B]

The contour stick.

[C]

I'm gonna debate you live on air here.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Please. Do I have everything Westman like, I do.

[C]

84.

[B]

Okay, 84.

[A]

Still cheaper. Yeah, 34 bucks. Thank you.

[C]

100%.

[B]

There we go.

[C]

Not 120, though. I want some justice for Gucci Westman as well.

[B]

But honestly, I just love this product.

[A]

It's buildable.

[B]

It's super blendable. So it's like, just like, you know, really beautiful with any type of brush I found. And I just love how you can kind of put it with makeup on top, underneath, or even just like on a fresh face, kind of like moisturized face as well.

[A]

Well, Tenille's known for the latte makeup. Like, that is her signature look. She's actually done my makeup before. Yes. And it was like, my favorite makeup.

[C]

That I've ever had, I bet was because it was in your palette, your.

[A]

Thumbnail, and in my hinge profile had that photo of that makeup on there.

[B]

So that's what got out.

[A]

Really sad.

[C]

So maybe I need Tenille to give me a little latte makeup, and we'll get the hint profile back up and going.

[B]

She did my head shots just.

[A]

Cause we can always ask Tenille, if.

[C]

You'Re listening, Jo, what's your swap?

[A]

So I actually thought I'd do a little bit of a different one today because I feel like age representation is really, really important. We see a lot of creators in their 20s and 30s, but it is actually kind of a struggle to find creators in their 50s. Yeah. And I think that's really important for women that are looking for creators that they can see themselves in and have their similar life stages. You know, they might have similar incomes, they might have a similar style. Yeah, that's really important. You know, I love following people that are younger than Me, But I don't necessarily relate to them. Yeah, yeah. So I think that's really important. So I wanted to call out a few creators in their 50s. I just love what they're doing and I follow them and I just. I love watching them. So one of them is Nikki from Styling you on Instagram. She creates really helpful fashion and styling content, as does Alexandra E. Style on Instagram as well.

[C]

Love her. I just love her. No, I love her so much. We went to the tennis together for an event, and I. We were in the same car and I had the time of my life.

[A]

She's so chic. So chic, so chic.

[C]

She's also someone you'd want to go and get a champagne with. Yeah. So that always helps.

[A]

Yes. The next one is Debbie J. Edwards on TikTok. She does daily vlogs. So she lives with most of her adult daughters. I actually know her daughter Maddie, who has a new baby and the baby's living in the house as well as her fiance. And so it's really like this multi generational living. And I love watching their vlogs. The whole family do vlogs. And I just love Debbie's vlogs. So she's another one that I really like following on TikTok. And the last one is Amanda Ramsey makeup on Instagram. So I used to work with Amanda quite closely when I was at Adore Beauty, and she specifically does courses or masterclasses for women over 40 that are trying to wrap their heads around all of the products that are out there these days, how to do their makeup now that their skin looks a little bit different to what it did in their 20s or 30s. And she's just a really, like, lovely person to follow. She's just full of, like, energy, and she's very vibrant and relatable. And, yeah, she just does great work. So I thought I'd call out those lovely women for the things that they're doing online.

[B]

I respect it highly from you, Jojo. I feel like it's so nice, obviously, so we're surrounded by women that are similar age to us and even a lot younger. But I feel like sometimes you don't resonate with a lot of that content. And I like things to look forward to and aspirational content. That's like, very much, you know, our vibe. I'm gonna follow all of the above.

[C]

Yeah, I think it's fantastic. And what I love, you know, Alex also speaks a lot about how she started in the first place. She was, like, going through a divorce and just kind of trying to refind herself and her style. And I'm like, I love that she's built this, like, epic community out of it. And as you said, like, so chic, I think, like, so beautiful. Jo, love that swap. Probably one of my favourite of yours ever.

[A]

Oh, thanks.

[C]

That and the K18.

[A]

Can you believe it?

[B]

Beats the cleaning.

[A]

Rick. Sorry, what's your swap, Mads?

[C]

So do you guys get your eyebrows done?

[A]

No, I do move.

[B]

No, I'm so lazy.

[C]

So I have a lot of eyebrow. There's a lot going on in that region. And I used to get them waxed religiously because, you know, like, I'm fine for them to be a bit fluffy, but, like, growing in the hairline's, like, not really what I'm after.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Anyway, the last time I had them waxed was in 2016, and someone did, who shall remain unnamed, did an absolute number on me and I walked out looking like a 90s supermodel. And as you can imagine, really, aside from the fact they look God awful, was the fact that it just really fucking hurt because it's a lot of hair to have to have taken off.

[A]

But also, 2016 was really the thick.

[C]

Like, I was like, girl, this is my time. Yeah, it was my time to shine. Cara Delvain, look out. I was like, I just had as much as her. But I recently was a brave girl and was like, okay, I'm gonna go get them done. Because they were just feeling untidy and I didn't feel like I could upkeep. I went to a Melbourne girl called Ruby Katz. She is amazing. So I was like, okay. Like, I don't know how much a brow wax costs. I don't say that because, like, you know, I'm like, when Bill Gates went on Ellen and was like, I don't know, like, a dollar for milk. And everyone's like, bill doesn't know.

[A]

I just, like, haven't.

[C]

Haven't had them done in nine years. So I didn't know what. Anyway, it was like, I think I paid 60 or $65. And when I went, I was there for, like, maybe 45 minutes. She face traced, like, the entire brow. And I'm talking, like, I looked like I was out of a science book. It was amazing. The science behind it all. She basically drew for me what the brow was going to be saying entirely with the hairline. Like, I walked out and I was like, it just looks ever so slightly fresher.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

And love that. I was like, that's exactly what it should Be. She's like, I don't want to, like, go against hair area. Like, I don't want you to have to fill in anywhere. Like you shouldn't be. She was like telling me how to fluff them up anyway. She was just unreal. I know that's really unhelpful if you're not in Melbourne, but I guess my point is just going to a brow specialist.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

And not just like blow Jo. Who's gonna like. Did you like those sound effects?

[A]

I loved that.

[B]

That was stunning in my ears.

[C]

It was. If you're in Melbourne, I cannot recommend her enough. It's probably the best money I've spent on a beauty treatment in a really long time.

[A]

They look great.

[C]

So sweet. Emailed me a week later just to be like, how are your brows going? Are you happy with them? Was also just like, not one of those people where it's like, now you need to come back every four weeks. She was like, yeah, look, you could probably do every 10, every 12, 14 if you're busy. I know you're busy. Like, because I'd complained about how much I had on for the entire 45 minutes. No, I did ask Ruby questions, but yeah, I'm like, can't recommend it enough.

[A]

I might have to go and do that.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I think she's great. Maybe we'll go on an excursion.

[A]

We should go on for a day. I'm a bit scared to do it before my wedding, but if you trust her, then I'm going to trust her.

[C]

I. I went before New York and I was ready to meet Jacob Elordi. So I reck then we can go.

[A]

Probably more important than my wedding. Yep. Okay. I know.

[C]

Definitely not. I'm looking for my Adrian toy. I'm trying.

[B]

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[C]

Okay, next up, as Jo mentioned at the header of the ep, we are doing Opinions please A little different to our usual style today, but we had this question come through and I know that even when we do Q&As. I've spoken a lot off Mike about these questions coming through, but we had a listener write in asking for some advice. This is a lovely listener, Nadia, all the way from London.

[A]

Yay.

[C]

Love knowing that we're Mr. Worldwide. Hi Jo, Mads and Annika. I have a dilemma. A couple of weeks ago, one of my best friends turned 30 and I completely forgot about her birthday. At the final minute I ordered a gift online directly to her house, a business book I thought she might find interesting. My friend called me out on this and she said it made her feel like our friendship didn't matter much to her because I didn't get her something lasting and sentimental, particularly because the book wasn't gift wrapped and had no label on who it was from. To make matters worse, she already owns the book. Some of our other closest friends delivered her home baked cakes, but the rest didn't get her anything. I guess I've now realised that as her closest friend in the group, I should have been the one to arrange a group birthday gift. She's been giving me a bit of the cold shoulder since the conversation and I do understand. I know people expect something extra special for 30th presents. She was the first in our group to turn 30 this year and there are six of us, so I'm finding the money conversation a bit awkward when it comes to spending expectations. Naturally, at this age we've all got different spending priorities, but I really do think we owe it to her to pull together as a group and do something a bit more thoughtful. This will probably set the standard going forward for what we spend. So what do you think is fair for each of us to put in to buy a nice 30th present? Something better than my book anyway. I'd love to hear what you think, and I'd love some recos from you girls on 30th, presents that are sentimental and special. Love, Nadia. Ouch. There's nothing worse than when you offend a friend because it just never comes from a place of intention to start with. So, like, you know, Nadia, I think, like, you know, that, you know, maybe you've missed the mark and like, you tried to rectify it, given it was last minute, but I know it feels like shit.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. Also, I think we have to touch on the fact that it was less about what she spent on the gift and more about the lack of thought that went into the gift. I know that probably in her mind she was like, well, can I get her? I'll get her this. I think she'll be interested in it. But because it wasn't wrapped and there was no card and those kinds of things. If her love language is gifts, that's going to feel really impersonal, especially for like a milestone birthday. But I think when it comes down to how much you should be putting in, it's really an individual situation. Like, as we spoke about on our loneliness episode, when you're in your late 20s, early 30s, you can be in vastly different places as a friendship group. Some of you might be on maternity leave, some of you might be earning a lot of money and can afford to put $500 towards a present. I don't know any of my friends that want to put $500 towards a present. But, you know, if you're in a group of people where there's six of you, maybe one of you just organizes the present and everyone puts in what they can afford, if you want to put in more and you're feeling more generous and you're in a position where you can put in 150 bucks and someone else is only in the position where they can do 50, at least you're combining that amount and no one shitty for what they've put in.

[C]

Yeah, I totally agree. It's really interesting you brought this up, though, because I had a friend's group 30th gift recently and one of her friends made a comment around how she thought it was unfair. Everyone's name went on the card with different amounts. And I. I'm so with you, Jo. I completely disagree with that because I have been in vastly different circumstances through different things. Like, as I've now mentioned on Inherited, I've had a divorce. Let me tell you, girls, not fucking cheap. So at that time, was that a time I could put $150 in for a milestone gift? Absolutely not.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But I would hope that my friends understood my situation at that time. The same way that vice versa, as they're going through having babies or planning their weddings and paying for those things where like, all just, you know, being really conscious of each other's situation. But it was very interesting hearing that hot take from someone.

[B]

Yeah, interesting.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

So I feel like also, Nadia, you are not the first person who's going to forget a milestone birthday and you won't be the last. And I actually think this is probably one of the main reasons why I still have Facebook, because you know how it gives you a reminder of birthday, so I can always jot them down. But I definitely agree with both of you. I think it's more so to do with the sentiment behind the gift. Like, I probably would have if I had forgotten. I probably would have taken a beat and been like, shit. And then actually given a belated gift and let her know that there was something still coming that had a bit more sentimental value. Cause I don't know if it's maybe as I'm getting older, but something I genuinely treasure so much is like a written card. And if it's handwritten, even better. Like, I have got stacks, you guys, of cards. I just keep them for keepsakes. And I love that box and I love going through it. And just those words mean so much to me. And I think that means more than any gift probably ever could. Because it's the thought that goes into the words, the story, the little, like, tidbit of something, a fun time. And as you get older, you see those stories change and evolve and it's all quite funny and really special to your friendship. So I feel like you could have found a way to maybe have done it in a little bit more of a meaningful way, I guess.

[A]

But given it was very last minute, I feel like the options were limited. Like when you're under the pump and you're like, I have to deliver this today and I haven't actually thought this through. I can't pre order something that's personalised. Like, that's a really tricky position to be in. But we are, we're correcting it.

[C]

We're correcting it.

[A]

We're on a correction course with Nadia and we're gonna go through some gifts and options.

[C]

Well, I mean, I recently turned 30.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

And I had all of my friends put in to give me money. I know that sounds like really weird, but I love jewelry. It's probably one of few things like, materialistic things that it all has a meaning for me. Like, every piece of jewelry I own has marked a milestone. Whether that be. I'm laughing because one of them is a divorce. I did buy myself divorce diamonds. Fucking get it, girls. I bought a watch when I got a bonus and, you know, like, 18th and things like, I have it all marks milestones for me. And they knew that, so they decided together, like, that they would do that. And then my best friend Christina, who had organized for that to be the gift, actually wrote a poem about me and Diamond. Like, just like, you know, like, this is our girl, you're our diamond. And so, like, go and treat yourself to something.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

I love.

[C]

Now, I'm not saying that this kind of money was enough to, like, go and buy some. Fuck off Diamond. Please don't think my friends are, like, all sitting in their ivory castles. But it was enough for me to go and buy a piece of jewelry, which I'm still deliberating because I'm like, this may be one of the most important pieces of jewelry I ever get. Not because of the cost of it, but just because of that. I loved that. But then on the total other end of the scale, I had some friends give me their favorite photos of them with me in these beautiful silver frames. And I was, like, incredibly emotional about that. Now they're like $60 photo frames. Like, so it's a beautiful photo frame, don't get me wrong. But, like, like I'm saying, it doesn't need to be a huge amount of money or a big group gift. Yeah, I loved that. There is also a really rogue idea that I know a friend had done for her 30th that all of her friends put in for them to actually get, like, a family photographer to take photos of them as the friend group.

[B]

I actually wrote that, like, it wasn't.

[C]

Like, bad Levi jeans. It was like, them in, like, the dog park with their dogs and, like, just the girls. And I'm like, what a great milestone birthday gift.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So there's some of my ideas.

[A]

I think it's just really around this, like, sentimental piece. It really has to mean something. And that, as you said, it doesn't have to mean that it's expensive. It just has to have some thought and, like, something kind of sentimental behind it.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

So I've got quite a few ideas. But on your, like, card situation, Adrian always makes me a card for, like, major things. So on my 30th, this is probably the nicest thing anyone's ever done. For me. But on my 30th, we were driving down to the Mornington Peninsula and he like handed me his phone and played this like 20 minute video of all of my friends and family and like personalized messages to me. I feel like I'm gonna cry talking about it.

[B]

Oh my God.

[A]

And so he asked one of my girlfriends to like help him put it together. Cause at that time he didn't really know how to edit a video together.

[C]

But like he's trained now.

[A]

Yeah, he's trained now. But it was so personal and like he had reached out to all of these people separately who at that time he hadn't really known for that long. And it was the most thoughtful thing like someone has ever done.

[B]

It's all welling up. It's actually very much.

[C]

I'm really glad you're marrying this man.

[A]

Same.

[B]

I'm clearly someone if you get the altar to take him because he's so fucking perfect.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And not only that, but he does the card as well. So he always writes me a really beautiful card. Honestly, I would take that over any gift any day. It's. It's that because gift giving is not really my love language. Like I just don't really care for it. I'm an acts of service person. Like if he wants to empty the dishwasher, I'm probably happier with that. But it just really is around those really thoughtful things that people do. And on one of my friends birthdays, it wasn't a milestone birthday, but it was during COVID And I think at that time birthdays were just really like, it felt really important to have people celebrate you because you couldn't go out and celebrate it. So one of my friends had a birthday and I had prepared this quiz that we did on Zoom together. And it was a quiz all about her.

[B]

Cute.

[C]

I love that.

[A]

And it was so much fun. I remember we were just pissing ourselves. Cause we've all known each other since high school. And so like we had all of these hilarious anecdotes and like I'd ask the girls to like put in little bits and pieces. And then we did this quiz over Zoom, which you could do for free in someone's living room. Like you could host a little dinner with your girlfriends or even just like have a charcuterie board there and have some drinks and have the little quiz set up for that particular friend. If you don't have a lot to spend.

[C]

Totally.

[B]

I love that.

[C]

I think if you don't have a lot to spend as well, like having Someone over for dinner and, like, going in that effort or baking them a cake, like, just. Those things are so lovely. I'm like, all for an adult summer party. Like, I've got a girlfriend who lives around the corner and gets really scared when her partner travels for work. The amount of time she's like, oh, just come over for dinner. And then she'll be like, oh, I could just drop you home. You could pick up chores, you'd come back. And I'm like, so this was always a ploy for me to sleep over, but I'm like, do a slumber party and, like, get some sheet masks out, watch a movie and, like, get, like, a little bit of, like, I love cobs, but I'm also down for the dirty, buttery, like, you know, microwave popcorn. That's where it's really at.

[A]

Yeah, 100%.

[B]

It's so funny, like, just valuing quality time with your people. And that can be anything. It can be a walk in the park, it can be a picnic. It can be a slumber party. It can be literally anything. But just actually spending time, I think, with those people that you care the most about.

[A]

Sarah and Sebastian also do soldered jewelry, which. And they do those initial necklaces as well.

[C]

Piercings. Cool. Yeah, yeah. Like, go for, like a best friend piercing.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

That's a really cute idea.

[A]

Love that as well. Lyndon Cook's impressions pieces as well. Highly recommend for, like, sisters or mothers and daughters or partners.

[C]

Lyndon Cook was a client of mine.

[A]

Brilliant. No worries.

[B]

Or dogs.

[A]

Also.

[B]

Dogs.

[C]

Yeah, yeah, they do dog nose.

[B]

Miso's nose. And the number of times that dog has been in there. Cause the scene because we cannot get his bloody nose.

[A]

Actually.

[B]

Yeah. I'm almost about to have to swap it to James's nose or something.

[C]

It's a really lovely gift. We actually bought that for a friend of mine who just turn. But he's having a baby. Because we were like, then she can go in and pick something with the voucher. Yeah.

[A]

Beautiful. Nice dinnerware. I got a set of in the roundhouse stuff from a few of my girlfriends as well. Fizik also do some really cool cocktail glasses.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

And Maison Balzac as well. They have home fragrance and they also have homewares. Really beautiful, like, iconic homewares too.

[B]

I actually love the homewares shout because for my wedding, my family actually started a really beautiful set from Alexandra Harness.

[C]

I remember you telling this. Yeah, that's gorgeous.

[B]

And now, like, whether it's a birthday or Christmas or something special, they just add to it.

[A]

They can always add to it.

[B]

And it's actually something I've started doing for a lot of my girlfriends. So many of my girlfriends actually now live overseas. Like, there's not that many of us here still in Melbourne. And I started, like, adding little pieces to their sets as well. And I think, like, they're like, oh, we're having dinner. And they'll send me a picture and be like, feel like you're dining with me. Like, it's actually a really cute gift idea.

[A]

Yeah, that is really cute.

[C]

I'm laughing in the corner. Cause I've just remembered what one of my girlfriends got me for my 30th. And it was a T shirt that said chicken tender slice.

[A]

That's a personal one.

[C]

And I'm like, I've got jewelry and then I got a chicken tender slut T shirt. All mean a lot to me. All as thoughtful as the other.

[A]

I do have a free recommendation for you, which only costs money if you want to buy into the things that you create.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

But my friend Diana, who I recommended on that episode. What episode?

[C]

Party. Still waiting for our dinner party invite.

[A]

Yep, the dinner party episode. So she went and did a Robert Gordon paint your own pottery workshop, which is free. And you go in there and you can design your own pieces. Like, you do the pottery and you paint them and stuff. And then you obviously have it put in a kiln and you just buy what you make. And that starts from $20. So you get a group of your girlfriends together, go and do that if they offer it in your city, and create something together as a group. And then you've got these, like, matching sets together for dinnerware.

[C]

Yeah, that's a great idea.

[B]

Create a little memory while you're doing it.

[A]

Yeah. Especially if, like, you were building out your, like, dinnerware or homewares at home and you wanted to have stuff that was really personal that you've created all your girlfriends.

[B]

Yeah. Nice.

[C]

That is just so great. Okay, we're going to keep continuing our high low gift ideas, but that will be right after a word from today's sponsor.

[D]

We love a trend here at Stylish hq, but not as much as our friends at Dan Murphy's, AKA the place to go for what's new and what's trending in drinks. If you're hosting a bunch of friends or just in the mood for something different, Dan's can save you from wandering the aisles aimlessly. Jump online or on the app to scroll their trending picks and new favorites like the hard rated Orange. A deliciously juicy take on the viral hard rated premix. Get [e-mail] and remember to drink wise. Thank you so much to Dan Murphy's for making this episode of Stylish Possible.

[A]

Speaking of spending time together, two of my very good friends and I, we actually just go out for dinners and we just buy dinner for the birthday girl.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

And so the two that aren't the birthday girl pay for dinner and that person chooses where they want to go. And so we just all like get to spend time together.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And enjoy it and kick somewhere we haven't been before and have dinner.

[C]

I really love.

[A]

And we all, we all benefit from that.

[C]

I really love that idea. If you have a friend who enjoys wine and is passionate about that. One thing that I have had gifted to me before that was a really lovely gift is a wine from the year of your birthday, which I think is a really lovely idea. Also, side note, if people are getting married, it's a really nice gift for the year that they first met or started dating. I think that's always really lovely.

[B]

Beautiful.

[C]

In terms of like gifts under a hundred dollars, I generally gravitate towards candles or coffee table books or photo frames. So. Girlfriend of mine, Georgia, has a business called Arete. What I love about this is I do not have fucking time to go and buy a photo frame and then head to officeworks or to Kmart and get it printed. You can literally order it, have it shipped to their house with the photo in there. You can do it in color or black and white. The frames are chic. There's like four or five styles to choose from.

[A]

That is so smart.

[C]

I'm like, it's really lovely as well. If a friend has a baby in their interstate.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Or it's a milestone birth and you can't get there. You just pay for it to be done. It's a great way to like. Yeah. Anyway, that's one of my favourites.

[A]

Kind of similar to the Francesca jewellery locket.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

You just put the photos. They print the photos for you and put it inside the locket. So you just get the finished product.

[C]

Mailed to you because it still feels thoughtful.

[A]

Yes.

[C]

You've just had someone do the action for you.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Which is key.

[B]

That's what I think it's all about. Right. Like, actually, when I was back in Auckland, God. One of my most recent trips, I was actually going through old family albums and my dad, he used to play rugby, so he used to travel quite a bit. And there were all these Photos and albums that he had actually put together. It was actually all of him, but he had handwritten notes to my mum, like, talking about, like, wish you were here and love you and thinking of you doing X, Y and Z. And I honestly, like, I looked at that and I was like, that is like the best gift just to have, like, scrapbooking, putting together memories of you and your friends and, like, all your loved ones and actually just having. I love the handwritten piece. Like, I'm truly a sentimental gal at heart. What's that saying? It's hard to be a sensitive gangster. Did you guys watch Love Island? You were saying?

[C]

No.

[B]

Okay. Anyway, neither. But I think it's just all about those little personal touches, like, and I think you can do it in such a cost effective way or you can do it in, like, you know, a really meaningful way. It's kind of like when you were little and you used to, like, write the things, the chores that you would do. Do you guys remember the little booklets you would create? Yeah, maybe I could create one.

[C]

I love that. My girlfriends, for my 30th, a couple of them, we'd all gone to Europe together and. And that trip was really special to me. It was like, I just had a shit one. And we went on that trip and I came back like a whole new person. We dubbed me Vacay Mads. And then, like, we joked about a month back into Melbourne, like, oh, shit, Vacay Mads is actually New Mads. How good.

[A]

Thank God.

[C]

I love that. I'm like, yeah, we got rid of Depresso Mads. We left her in Italy.

[B]

Mads 2.0.

[C]

But we joke that our group chat is called La Familia because we were in Italy the entire time. So they actually made a book, like a coffee table book of all of the photos of us together in Italy. And that was, like, really gorgeous. And I love that because it's, you know, in my house and it's special. Yes, same thing. It's like, it's easy because we have them all on our phone now, but it's, like, quite special to have them there.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

Can I also suggest. I know that it's extensive, but a Le Labo fragrance, where you can go and personalize the label thing, is really nice. And I think if you're in person and can together go and have the experience to pick a candle or fragrance, you don't need to go and pick 100 mil fragrance. You can, you know, pick your own size or do a candle, which is usually cheaper. But I do think it's really nice to like pick the day date, do that. Another one that I love. And this, I mainly do this for weddings. Done this for a couple of friends now, but is to go and do a couple of wines. You can do this for a birthday too and to put a label on it so it can be like for your next big job promotion or like for couples. What I'll usually do is like for a big celebration for your one year anniversary, for your ten year anniversary, for when you both want to strangle each other and like, you know, need to share, you know, a glass of good wine. And so I think like something like that's really nice for birthdays too. Just to be like for your next milestone or like, like for when the girls are over or someone comes over unannounced kind of thing.

[B]

I love that we always kind of do sometimes for like those bigger birthdays, more luxe birthdays. And it's always like a little weekend away and it's something I'll do with my besties or always. James. James is actually the best gift giver. Like it's actually just so nice getting away, getting out of the city and having like, like wining and dining and just spending time with that person. And it's just so. I think you can do it in a beautiful way, but then you could do it in like a more cost effective way as well if everyone pitched in and went to an Airbnb or something.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Just spending time together. I really love it.

[C]

I think one of the most beautiful birthday gifts I ever had was we went away one weekend and my girlfriend Phoebe was on maternity leave and I don't even know how she remembered this. We worked together years ago and I loved Beatrix Bakes. They don't exist anymore. It's a bakery. But that lemon tart. I'm not a sweet tooth, but that lemon tart is my favorite thing in the whole world. And I'm like going to cry. I don't even know why. I just. It was so thoughtful. But we got through the Queenscliff house and Phoebe's like, oh, I made a little something. And she'd remembered the lemon tart and had made it. And you talk about from the cookbook. Yes. And you talk about where people are at and what they're doing. I'm not here to say Phoebe couldn't afford to buy a gift, but she had gone and bought all these ingredients, spent that time and remembered that. And I was like, the thought it's.

[A]

Someone remembering that piece of information about you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think art is another really big one. If you feel confident to choose art for one of your friends.

[C]

Yes.

[A]

Like a Libby Haynes or, you know, something similar to that. If they have a similar, like art taste to you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And you feel like you could select something for their home that they're going to like.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Highly recommend. Even if you guys are pooling money together to give them cash to go towards a piece of art that they select.

[C]

I love that.

[A]

Also, I bought a print, a photo print from two girls. They run a business called Duo Art House and they have photographic prints from around the world. And I bought a print of Lake Como, which we loved Lake Como when we went there on a holiday a couple of years ago. And I feel like if you went on a holiday, like a trip together with the girls and there was an iconic spot, you could get a print of that rather than you with your friends.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Have a print of that place so that whenever you look at that, you're reminded of that trip rather than, you know, a photo.

[B]

I love you guys.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

That's such a good idea. Actually a wedding I went to was that this year or last year? This year was actually in a beautiful art gallery in Auckland and the couple, they said if you wanted to contribute towards a wedding gift, please put it towards like our wishing well because we're going to buy a piece from this artist.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

And they actually sent us all the most beautiful message and it's in their home and it's like something they all just treasure and it's just, I think, such a great idea. It's such a good use of funds.

[A]

Yeah. And art lasts a lifetime. You're always going to have that in your home.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Yeah, I totally agree. I think that's why I love, love something that is, you know, like a piece of jewelry or a piece of artwork. And I know that they are more notoriously expensive.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

But I do think there are ways to find cost effective alternatives to both of them. Whether it is a print or an Etsy print that you can put in a frame that has a meaning. I think there's definitely ways to alter the budget to accommodate, like what everyone's comfortable with.

[B]

And also no shade to gift vouchers. Like most of my friends live overseas now, so every year it's generally like a gift voucher. And I think there's so many beautiful things that you can do, like pamper sessions, spa vouchers. All of those things are so beautiful. We actually something James actually started doing, which I was like, sometimes he is like a bit of an empath and a bit of a golden retriever, kind of like Adrian. But he will always send, like if our friends have an anniversary or they're going out for dinner for their birthday or something special, he'll always make sure there's a beautiful bottle of champagne on their table from us. You know, like those cute things that always go a long way.

[C]

That is great.

[B]

But it's something nice as well. We take notes of what they drink and what we remember. Obviously those little sentimental things and just like celebrating for them, hosting to them from afar.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I think we have given some absolutely 10 out of 10 recs. If I do so say myself. Might say so myself.

[A]

I think we've been very helpful to Nadia. Hopefully that helps to give them some gift ideas to go towards a group present for their friend that maybe is a little bit disappointed with the first round of gifts.

[B]

And honestly, if you're creative like Lucy from our podcast here, she actually put a podcast together for one of her girlfriends.

[A]

Yes. If you have a skill.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You can learn tribute.

[B]

I want make anyone a TikTok, but.

[A]

It'S like I could.

[C]

But you could.

[B]

I could style someone.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Can I have that for my birthday?

[C]

Yeah, done. Sorted.

[B]

I actually did it for my mother in law and I was like, sorry, Sam, if you're listening, but the favorite daughter in law at the time.

[C]

Sorry to your sister in law, but I think that's a great point. Lucy was traveling for the wedding and as we all know, an international wedding can be very expensive.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

So she had all of their friends share stories of the couple and I thought that was just beautiful. When she was telling me, she was like, it's just really expensive. Like I've already spent so much going to their wedding, but I don't want to not get them anything. Like what's something that's super sentimental. Yeah. I do always laugh at those tiktoks though, where girls go out of their way to get girls ex boyfriends to send a message like for their birthday or hence.

[A]

No one do that for mine.

[C]

Please fucking don't even bring it near me. I will actually pay you not to get footage. I'd actually love to never see their face again. That is all for this week's episode of Stylish. Thank you very much for joining us. I hope you've all got a little gift idea or two for any girlfriends or friends that have birthdays upcoming. Thanks very much to you both for bringing such good ideas. Joanna Fleming and Annika Joshi Smith.

[A]

And cheers, Addison Sullivan Thorpe. If we're being formal, very formal.

[C]

Remember, you can drop us an email anytime@style-ishameless media.com or you can slide into our DMs over tylishpod. Like, I mean, you could be our next opinions, please. So, you know, send them on over. We can't forget to thank our lovely, shameless media team, head of podcast Lucy Hunter Hunt, and senior podcast producer Kate Emmerberg. We'll be right back next Wednesday.

[A]

Bye.

[C]

Ciao.

[B]

Happy shopping.

[C]

This podcast was recorded on Wurundjeri land.

[A]

Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.