Fabulous Gifts for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day approaches, and you’re thinking ‘how drunk can I get and how long can I hide under my duvet?’ That is if you’re single, and February 14 is your WDOTY (Worst Day of the Year.) Or you’re a guy in a relationship and wondering what on earth to get for your girlfriend.

This second kind of thinking includes musings on important life questions such as a). What kind of gift can I afford? b). What does the kind of gift I get say about the current status of our relationship? c). Depending on what I get, what are the chances that I’m going to be her favourite person in the world, and what are the odds that I’ll spend the night on the couch? So, what do the presents you get your girlfriend say about her?

1. You’re so cute: Lollipops Lindienne Rain Boots (£22.50) say that you think your girlfriend is fun, kooky and so cool. These are definitely for the off-beat girl, the girl that wants to slosh through puddles with you, feed hungry kittens, wear skinny jeans and work at that homeless shelter over Christmas. She’d rather go out for a paintballing session, followed by a chunky burrito in Soho than be wined and dined at some hoity-toity restaurant.

2. You’re hot, hot, hot: Lingerie is really a present for you as much as it is for her. It says you think she is sexy and feminine and a sex goddess. This woman is more Belle de Jour and less Betty Boop. More Veronica than Betty. More a dominatrix than a dog walker. Warning: This present doesn’t work so well if a). She’s already asked you to slow things down, or b). She reminds you twice every date that she has a brain, too, and oh, her eyes are over here, under her forehead. It might work wonders, though, if you’re in a bit of a romantic slump. Check out Ryder and Rowe, the new kids on the lingerie block.

3. You have a heart and a head and you look fabulous: Does your girlfriend have more to say about the dangers of capitalism than about her favourite shade of lipstick? Can she rattle off Marx and Engels by heart, but looks blank – or actually hostile – if you mention Miranda Priestly? Does she hug trees, read a lecture to unethical cow traders, and join bra-free marches? And does she also have a secret desire, now and again, to wear really cool and sexy stuff? Your girlfriend is the perfect candidate for Beyond Skin vegan shoes (£69). Get her a pair of red Jojo Faux-Suede pumps.

4. You’re an arty type: Not everyone can carry off clothes that look like a mating of Jackson Pollock with mad scribblings about Che Guevara. Of course, not everyone wants to. But if your girlfriend stays up half the night painting her walls, and wakes up with dark circles under her eyes, if she seems troubled by the workings of her soul, if she is hungry for life and passion to consume her, if she is smiling one minute and throwing a fit about the state of the human condition the next – then Desigual might just be the right place to shop. The Amy dress is just the ticket for spring and is £119, though this pricey store still has a big winter sale on!

5. Will you marry me: Jewellery is serious stuff. Many people choose Valentine’s Day to pop the question – though, yes, be warned it may be a little tiny bit of a cliché. Still, if you’re not worried about that, and your girlfriend is the kind who wants you to romance her socks off, then go the whole hog. A sexy weekend in Paris wouldn’t be out of place. Even if you’re buying a present for a very special girlfriend or wife, look at Mimi sterling silver earrings at By Brilliant or check out the range of rings.

6. Or take a walk through Soho and discover a little gem of a concept store (Cabinet of Dreams at 9, Noel Street). Domestic abuse charity Women’s Aid are giving you the chance this February (until Valentine’s Day) to visit this store front that houses a 3D installation of quaint bell-jars – some chocker-block with chewy sweets (A Portion of Spoilt Rotten, by Suck and Chew), others that house tiny Doll’s House type characters reading a book, enjoying a quiet moment together under a wintery tree and a romantic lantern (Some Old-fashioned Romance, by Marie-Louise Jones). Make a donation to Women’s Aid, text a number to the charity, and your girlfriend will receive a virtual gift that shows you really care. Donate £2-£20