Get the gifts you really want this year: Stuck for ideas this Christmas? AMY KESTER puts together the ultimate wish list

Why is it that when someone asks what you want for Christmas, you can rarely think of anything? The trick is to suggest something classic that you know you will actually wear.

With this in mind, here’s my roundup of quietly luxurious fashion finds, designed to bring some serious polish and quality to your everyday wardrobe.

We’ve taken the items that are most often on a wish list – the handbag, the jewelry, the boots – and looked for pieces that will take how you feel to the next level, from the beautiful lingerie you actually wear to the stylish (not a dreary dressing gown) pajamas that you like to slip into at night.

And there isn’t a cheap, scratchy sweater or horrible slipper in sight…

Jewellery? Make it semi-fine

Gold celestial earrings with tiny stars, £125, astleyclarke.com

Leave the 9-carat gold studs and ‘fun’ earrings to the less imaginative. Step up a gear this season with super luxurious gold chains, mixed metals and colorful gemstones for a striking finishing touch.

Demi-fine jewelry unites the durability of fine jewelry with the fun of costume. Look to Monica Vinader for designer details at high prices; Daisy London for gilded everyday pieces; and Astley Clarke for crystals that sparkle without the price tag of a carat count.

Cozy cashmere

Cashmere funnel neck jumper, £129, thewhite company.com

LR: Oversized cashmere scarf, £153.30, gobicashmere. com; Cashmere wrist warmers, £49, thewhitecompany.com

So much more indulgent and thoughtful than lambswool or a blend thereof, cashmere is a gift that always wins when it comes to longevity.

The White Company has a beautifully sleek selection of pieces certified by The Good Cashmere Standard in soft shades of cream, snow white, chocolate and ice blue that feel perfect for a cozy winter dress (from £110, thewhitecompany.com).

For a more affordable entry-level price point, add the Cashmere Wrist Warmers (£49, thewhitecompany.com) to your list. Or try Gobi for 100 percent pure Mongolian cashmere scarves (from £59, gobicashmere.com) that drape beautifully and offer an instant dose of cozy chic.

Large bucket bag, £425, demellierlondon.com

Yes, another handbag!

Look to the mid-range for a practical and elegant choice that still looks luxurious. DeMellier’s limited edition designs have become every fashion editor’s favorite item over the past year.

The New York Bucket Bag features pleated details and gold abrasion resistance and can be worn on the shoulder or crossbody. Now that the bucket will be in 2024 shape, nothing beats the cost per future wear and tear.

The fashionable PJs

Sage stripe pajama set, £165, honnalondon.com

Boston large buckle, £190, birkenstock.com

Swap silk for organic cotton, add a statement stripe, and you’ve got the perfect Christmas pajamas fit for the guest (unlike the negligée he bought you last year).

Head to Honna London for fresh colors – sage or olive green, dusty or sky blue, plus mauve – and a choice of styles. The cut is generous – think wide legs and deep cuffs – and the atmosphere is relaxed in the English countryside. This is especially true of the green vine print pajamas (£130, honnalondon.com) which come with an elasticated waist for total Christmas comfort.

Borg fabric slippers (not last year’s brown suede) complete the look.

Knee-high platform boots, £315, bobbies.com

Block heel boots

Step away from the stilettos. We may be pushed to wear a pair for the festive season, but a hard-working pair of nice boots is at the top of every woman’s winter fashion list. They need to work to commute, shop, party and have lunch – and be comfortable.

You need a boot that can do all of the above and still look stylish. Parisian label Bobbies has made durable, luxurious styles from buttery-soft lambskin, albeit at ‘main present’ prices. Russell & Bromley are hard to beat when it comes to black options that can’t go wrong.

Forget seasonal little ones

Lace bodysuit, £69, and silk dressing gown, £220, intimissimi.com

Soft cup bra, £40, and lace shorts, £32, wacoallingerie.com

Reduce the diamond details and reduce the color palette. This season’s most flattering lingerie comes in soft jewel tones of emerald and forest green and muted monochrome – and in super-soft fabrics.

Styles can be delicate and revealing, with openwork shapes and deeper necklines, but banish the underwire bra and anything red. Turn to Intimissimi and Wacoal for beautiful floral appliques and designs that gently enhance, not restrict.