My favorite part of opening presents is opening my stocking. I take a lot of time to find fun and interesting things for the stocking and luckily for me, you don’t have to go much further than Old Town. There are so many unique gifting options in Old Town, so skip Target and Amazon this year and SHOP LOCAL!

As you are reading this you might be trying to figure out how to get your last-minute Christmas shopping done. Well, look no further than Old Town Alexandria. If you are still trying to cross people off your list this late in the game, then you really have to buy for them in a brick-and-mortar store. I thought I would share how I checked a long list of people of all ages off my list—all in Old Town.

If you are looking for a last minute gift, look no further than The Hive’s new arrivals from Lizzie Fortunato. Do you need something for that hard-to-shop-for friend or mother-in-law? You can’t go wrong with the organic hoop, which now comes in a mini size. We just received a new shipment of all different colors of both sizes.

One key part of this annual event is making sure the men know what to get when they arrive. This is where the Stylebook readers come in. This isn’t just for Men’s Night – this is for the entire holiday shopping season. Come in and fill out a Wish List and we will do the rest.

Don’t forget to make sure the men know it’s at 315 Cameron Street this year. We won’t kick them outside like years past; we will instead let them stay warm inside. And one thing that hasn’t changed at all – we’ll have top-shelf bourbon and scotch to make the shopping a pleasant experience.

If you’re a regular reader, you know I have written a lot about Tibi. Last year Tibi put out a book called The Creative Pragmatist and I am happy to finally have found something that makes my life and getting dressed easier. 

Never has there been a Tibi delivery I have loved more than this one. I started to count how many personals I ordered and well, I didn’t have enough fingers. It was an obnoxious amount and I could have ordered more. Despite the long ticket, I actually showed self control. Join us for the trunk show this Friday, Dec. 6.

There is one particular group in our city who I can always count on to support our events: the real estate community. They devote a massive portion of their marketing dollars to things that help other people and make Alexandria livable. We’re grateful Lauren Bishop is sponsoring Plaid Friday and thought it would be fun for her to share some of her top holiday shopping picks.

Alexandria has great architecture and history. It always had the “good bones” to be a destination. But what makes it great are the people. After owning retail shops here for 21 years, I know there’s not a more loyal clientele or a more collaborative community of small business owners. And bonus, there’s a core group of phenomenal female entrepreneurs who make big things happen.

Since Alexandria is what I consider the best collection of independent retailers around, this Small Business Saturday, a group of over a dozen stores have collaborated to do a day of gifts with purchase. Stop in, shop and get a little gift from us. Just a thank you for shopping small this holiday season and helping us keep the doors to our shops open another year!

Since merging stores it seems like we have a ton of bags in stock. We kept all the purse lines from The Shoe Hive and moved them into 315 Cameron. As a result, it’s hard to miss our bag selection when you walk in the door. Since we’re hosting our Think Rolyn Trunk Show this week, I thought it might be nice to share all the great bags we carry.

Think Rolyn’s crossbody bags and sling bags are a favorite – especially for travel. They are the perfect size, they are weather resistant and the zippers and pockets are in all the right places. I use the wingman all the time when I go to NYC for work or away for a weekend. You can throw so much stuff in it and after owning it for five years, it looks like new!

My Libby’s List this past week featured the Ann Mashburn Funnel Neck sweater. It’s a favorite of mine and my top pick for the trunk show. If I had to suggest a second item that is a must-buy buy, it would be a pull on pant. Pull-on pants are definitely having a moment right now, and Ann was in early on the trend. I asked Madeline to style each version to show their versatility.

I know when you think of Ann Mashburn, most people think of clothing. And they should! They make the best sweaters and shirting around. In my opinion, they also make some of the best shoes around. If you haven’t tried them, you should. First, they are made in Italy and the Italians simply know how to make shoes. Second, they are comfortable. I can wear her shoes all day, especially the loafers.

On November 14, we will host our holiday trunk show for Ann Mashburn. They sent us so much good stuff! The Addie Sweater Dress, Superfine Funnel Neck and Joy Mule are just a few of the pieces I wanted to get for the store and they were nice enough to send for the event. I think the thing they do best is sweaters.

When we go to New York and place deliveries we try to be mindful about what the weather is going to be like when the items we’re looking at actually arrive. So when we pick pieces from the resort season delivery, we want to make sure you don’t have to wait until spring to wear it!

I know people love the ease of a dress. I get it: the throw and go option of a dress simplifies your morning. I just don’t wear many. Maybe it’s my body type, maybe it’s just what makes me feel comfortable, but I tend to gravitate towards sets. Yes, I have written about my love of a track suit. It runs deep in me. But my affection really lies with anything that coordinates.

Every season we try to add a new line or two to our selection. Often, it is items we have been buying personally from other stores and we realize, why aren’t we carrying the line at The Hive? That happened with both of these lines I’m writing about today. I purchased my first Closed denim jacket a few years back. As it is with most items I track down, I saw someone wearing it at market. She owned the store Meridian in Bozeman, Montana and really I wanted her entire outfit.

Sometimes you get an item that just fits everyone right. It’s the item that if it makes it into a dressing room, there’s a 99.9 percent chance it will go home with the individual trying it on. That’s the case with the Rene Pull-on pants from Apiece Apart. They are the perfect pull-on pant.

I own a lot of shoes. It might be reaching the 200 number. Despite my very large collection, there are always a few shoes each season that I wear over and over again. Last year when I walked into Franklin Showroom, which represents Freda, I almost started to tear up when I saw what I knew would be my replacement for these overly loved Tibi shoes. The style is called the Marie Slingback.