Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Features

Code Red

The clock is ticking, guys: Valentine's Day is four days away. Here's can't-miss advice for the man who dreads shopping.

By SHARON FINK
Published February 10, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT [iStockphoto.com] If your special person has a favorite, stick with it, but add a twist: Get a smaller bottle for her to carry in her handbag, or that line's body lotion or bath product.

This is our Valentine's Day present to all men who consider shopping about as enjoyable as a root canal - without Novocaine.

Men, if you're in that category, we know that shopping for a Valentine's Day gift for the special woman in your life comes with a special set of hazards. Go wrong with a birthday choice and you face maybe a few days of silence and an occasional pointed comment for the next few years. Go wrong for Valentine's Day and you can feel as if you've unintentionally questioned the very foundation of your relationship.

We may never be able to make shopping fun for you, but we can make it less painful. Our gift is expert advice on how to buy a successful Valentine's Day present. We picked four major gift categories - jewelry (of the non-engagement-ring kind), fragrance, lingerie and clothes - and asked four pros for their best basic shopping tips.

JEWELRY: It's an almost foolproof choice, the pros said, because it's a safe one.

Jewelry is the Valentine's bestseller at Marion's, a 20-year-old St. Petersburg store specializing in jewelry, clothes and handbags.

"Men like to buy earrings and a necklace that match," owner Marion Mitchell said. "They feel like they've really put together a nice assortment."

The safest of the safe choice is pearls, said Suzanne Wightman, owner of the Art Tarts, a Tampa store featuring work by local artists.

"Statistically, men that come in here buying jewelry, probably five out of six buy pearls," she said. "Pearls are . . . tried and true."

If you want to be a little adventurous with your choice, let some basic facts about your recipient guide you: How does she dress - casual, conservative, eclectic? Where does she shop - Ann Taylor, Macy's, a local boutique? Does she wear much jewelry for work or more for going out?

"What kind of car does she drive?" Wightman said. "All those things get a feel for the person."

And don't fear your instincts, Wightman said. If you see a piece that immediately makes you think, "This looks like her," get it.

Don't fear practicality, either. If you know your special person has a favorite jewelry designer, get a piece by that artist.

FRAGRANCE: If your special person has a favorite, stick with it, but add a twist: Get a smaller bottle for her to carry in her handbag, or that line's body lotion or bath product.

Otherwise, have a chat with a salesperson for guidance, said Debra Redmond, the beauty and fragrance director for Nordstrom's 17 stores in Florida, Georgia and Texas. Be ready to answer at least two questions.

"When you think of her, what does she smell like - more floral, more citrusy, more spicy?" Redmond said. "(And) what do you want her to smell like?"

Redmond said floral is the most popular type of fragrance in Florida. Two to try: the new Juicy Couture, from the people who do Juicy Couture clothes, and Cartier's Delices.

"Being in Florida also, because a lot of women don't like to wear heavy scent, you can go with something more citrusy, a fresh, clean scent," Redmond said, recommending Annick Goutal's Eau d'Hadrien.

"Spicy is a little bit more sensual, sexy. . . . The classic of all classics is Opium" by YSL.

LINGERIE: Men, this is the real minefield.

"In my experience, men buy mostly . . . stuff they want to see, not what women want," said Cheryl Underhill, president of TeddyGirl.com, a 7-year-old Internet lingerie business based in Clearwater.

"Women want bras, pants and basic underwear. Men aren't interested in that."

But if you're confident that diaphanous and lacy is the way to go, at least try hard to get her correct size and style.

"Raid their underwear drawer and find out their bra cup size and bust size," Underhill said. "You get most of your lingerie based on that."

If you go to a store where most lingerie items are sold in small, medium and large, get a salesperson's help to translate.

When it comes to style, "duplicate what they already have," Underhill said. For example, "if they don't have anything in a certain color, just know that's not them."

And consider an extra something special, Underhill said. "A man could also buy something sexy for himself, to amuse his wife for a change."

CLOTHES: They can be the most intimidating thing to buy.

Rule one: Know her size. Tops are a good choice, since the sizes aren't quite as specific as those for, say, jeans.

"Get her a fun top, to go with jeans, a skirt, something that gives them something to wear with something they have in their wardrobe," Marion Mitchell said. "Ladies always like another blouse or top."

Again, if you know what her favorite store is, go there. And talk to the salesperson about your valentine's tastes and lifestyle. Don't be shy about pointing out someone in the store who has a body type similar to your recipient's to help the salespeople help you.

Don't be afraid to trust your instincts here, either. And women, here's a tip for you, too: Let them.

"More women have made men so afraid to buy them clothes, and it's kind of too bad," Mitchell said. "They do have a good eye a lot of the time about what looks good on their wife."

GIFT GUIDE

Where to shop with our experts

- Marion's, 1301 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. (727) 522-3222; www.marionsonline.com. Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday.

- The Art Tarts, 4109B S MacDill Ave., Tampa. (813) 832-5665; www.thearttarts.com. Hours: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Special Valentine's Day shopping hours this Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

- Nordstrom, International Plaza, Tampa. (813) 875-4400; www.nordstrom.com.

- TeddyGirl.com, www.teddygirl.com. Choose Express Mail-Expedited Service for overnight delivery to anywhere in Florida. The deadline for orders for Valentine's Day delivery by Express Mail is 1 p.m. Tuesday. For more information, check the site's Information Center.

[Last modified February 9, 2007, 11:12:03]