Tomorrow is #InternationalWomensDay and I am celebrating by putting together a #GalPalGiftGuide with gift ideas that your best babe will love (at any time during the year, but feel free to use tomorrow as an excuse!). Another way I will be celebrating is by sharing about all of the badass women in my life and their accomplishments in my instagram stories. For this I need your help, so go ahead and send me their usernames in the IWD highlight on my profile and bask in the joy of spreading the love. Without further ado, here are a handful of awesome gifts for your best babe, boss mama, bestie, or whatever you call the women in your life who inspire you, any time of the year!

Gal Pal Gift Guide

Functional Hairpieces That Are Also Pretty

The first on my list is Julia’s @Piccolina.Shop. Especially since I became a mother, leaving the house with my staple messy-bun (aka the mom bun) is a common occurrence. As much as I don’t really care what strangers think, it’s nice to know that I can pick out my favourite headpiece to elevate my look instantly and feel like I actually put in some effort. that my friends makes me feel empowered that I am still an actual human being–not just a feeding machine–and that I can look nice with little to no effort. WIN!

The black with pearls headband is my favourite dress-me-up because it goes well with pretty much any hairstyle (including the mom bun), and elevates any outfit (even the leggings + tee combo!). For everyday wear, she has a ton of scrunchies for you to choose from, from the basics to super fancy options. They are tight enough that you can use them ‘whole’ and big enough that you can wrap them around your bun twice for an extra snug hold. I love the headwrap because it is soooo comfy (not too tight, but not so loose that it doesn’t work) and tames all those baby hairs & postpartum tendrils, and perfect for wearing while I work in my hot studio. Bonus that there are matching options for your littles!

Jewelry With An Added Purpose

The next on my list is Ricki’s @GlassHouseGoods. Her pieces are super minimalist & dainty and can be worn with pretty much any outfit to dress it up, and come in a few different colour options (rose gold, silver, gold) so they truly do go with everything! Not only that, but inscribed on the inside of the rings and bangles are motivational words and sayings that can be customized to meet your needs and desires.

The necklaces show of these words of wisdom, so of course I picked the one that I need to continue to believe but can have trouble getting across to others: UNFUCKWITHABLE. I love this saying because it is a more polite way of saying ‘Do not f*uck with me’ combined with the motivational ‘Do not let others f*ck with you, they are not worth it’. If you are not brave enough to wear your mantra around your neck, the bangles and rings are your best bet because they are hidden where only you know they are there, so reminders like ‘I am enough’ can be a subtle one just for you.

Phone Accessories That Make Photo-Taking Easier

I might be a little biased on this one, but especially for moms, but anything that makes your photo-taking experience faster, better, and easier is a huge win! For the boss babe or mama in your life, a tripod, remote, or stand will help tremendously because it means they can take more photos of their life to remember later when their memory fades, and many more in-the-moment photos to share with the kids as they grow up. This photo-helper in particular doubles as an aid for taking selfies AND as a phone stand if you place it just right. BUT the best part about it, and why I picked it for this list is what it stands for. The saying “Strong As Hell” would have been enough to include it as an empowering statement, but all profits that come from the sale of this popsocket goes directly to the local organization EmpowHER. Their mission statement is “Supporting young women in Ottawa to excel in their professional, personal, and civic lives through peer-to-peer mentorship, networking opportunities, and skills-building workshops.” and I can definitely get behind that!

Food. Enough Said.

This one doesn’t take much explanation as to why, but sometimes we get carried away with our lives and can forget to take care of ourselves. The gift of food can be the gift of a special treat or homemade baked goods, it can be a galpal date just to get out of a fun, or it can come as a gift certificate so that your best babe can sneak the treat of her choosing without having to justify it or share it with anyone (except maybe you?). My personal favourite is the local bakery because they cater to my nut-free needs (allergies!) and it is walkable from my house so even if I am cooped up with the kiddo and no vehicle, snacks are never far away! When in doubt, grab a grocery store gift card because they can literally choose anything, including wine or beer! #noshame

Friends Relax Together

Some people like to go to the spa while others prefer to climb mountains or jump out of planes. Whatever your most relaxing activity may be, do it with a friend! Pick an activity that you know your friend loves, and invite them out for a friends date to enjoy some quality time together relaxing. You guys can do YOUR thing next time! Here are a few fun activities to get you inspired:

• Spa Mani/Pedi or Massage
• Escape Room
• Hiking
• Sight-Seeing
• Movies (with full snack stash!)
• Rock-Climbing (indoors or outdoor options)
• Beach (swim or lounge)
• Staycation (with room service!)
• Lonestar for the best frozen Margaritas
• Waterpark or Roller Coasters
• Boatride or Tubing
• Downhill Winter Fun (tubing, skiing, toboganing, etc.)
• Dancing (nightclub or lessons)
• Paint-Night
• Workshop (cooking, pottery, woodworking, etc.)

Honourable Mentions

• Feminism is my second favourite F word tee from The Spark Company, where every purchase helps a woman in need #GirlsSupportGirls.
• Empowered Women Empower Women tee from Boss Babes Co., where a portion of every sales goes towards giving women the resources they need to have a bright and beautiful future.
• Women Attributes Art Print from Paige Payne Creations (worth the click on this one!)

So there you have it, a handful of thoughtful gifts that you can get for your gal pal any time of the year. You can wait for their birthday or holiday like Mother’s Day or Christmas, or spoil them just-because. Heck, you could totally buy these things for yourself!

Cheers!

Disclaimer: This post does NOT contain any affiliate links, nor am I being compensated for publishing this blog post (all opinions are my own and uncoached). However, in the interest of full-disclosure, I was gifted several items that are part of this list upon my request so that I could capture in-use images of them specifically for this post. All photos are copyrighted to Stephanie de Montigny and are not to be used without express written consent. Thank you.