H&M’s Holiday Collection Is Here — & It’s Full Of Brilliant Gift Ideas

The way we see it, successful gift-giving is defined by two factors: 1) Picking out something your recipient would never get themselves, and 2) Selecting an item that’s not so outside their aesthetic that they’d keep it around as an objet d’art but never actually use it.

It may not be the easiest dichotomy to navigate, but with H&M’s superlative holiday collection — the sequins! the Fair Isle knits! the flouncy dresses! — and a little extra thought, it won't be hard to earn the title of Most Observant Friend. Ahead, we’ve picked out the very best pieces to fit four distinct styles, from English-countryside-meets-ugly-sweater-party to a high-drama aesthetic inspired by the City Of Light. Matching these vibes up to each member of your crew is up to you, but we’ve taken care of the rest.

For the friend who lounges on the steps of a world-class art museum as casually as if it were just another stoop hang, we’ve picked heritage-inspired shapes and fabrics that are anything but starchy. A plaid skirt suit, for example, can go from function to...less-fancy function with a styling shift (mind the pearl-embellished headband), while a half-zip polo-neck can be layered as many ways as they can imagine.

H&M A-line Skirt, $, available at H&M

H&M Jacket, $, available at H&M

H&M Hairband with Beads, $, available at H&M

H&M Fluffy Sweater, $, available at H&M

H&M 2-pack Hair Clips with Beads, $, available at H&M

The holiday 2019 brief: nonstop sparkle. Maximalist or magpie, we’ve sorted this pal out with sequined separates for head-to-toe — or mix-and-match — glam along with high-shine accessories she’ll wear to liven up that weird interval between Christmas and New Year’s during which nobody knows what day it is or what they should be doing.

H&M Wide-cut Dress, $, available at H&M

H&M Sequined Top with High Collar, $, available at H&M

H&M Calf-length Sequined Skirt, $, available at H&M

H&M 2-pack Hair Clips with Beads, $, available at H&M

Should you have a bud whose dress sense can best be described as "Parisian couture doll," we’ve got all the drop waists and structured bows she could ever want right here — oh, and a beret, as well.

H&M Ruffled Crêped Blouse, $, available at H&M

H&M Cotton Poplin Dress, $, available at H&M

H&M Wool-blend Beret, $, available at H&M

H&M 2-pack Hair Clips with Beads, $, available at H&M

Not everyone appreciates a reindeer sweater, but if you do know someone who does, may we suggest some other highly giftable options for those who own wellies and go for country walks? A maxi-length floral dress, lace-up boots, and a touch of cable-knit make cosplaying the heroine in an 18th-century novel a simple matter of getting the accent (and meddlesome spirit) right.

H&M Cable-knit Dress, $, available at H&M

H&M Dress with Stand-up Collar, $, available at H&M

H&M Warm-lined Boots, $, available at H&M

H&M Knit Mock-turtleneck Sweater, $, available at H&M

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from Refinery29