NYLON’s Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Quarter Life Crisis

Come ye and gather ’round, all fellow strawberries and snowflakes, the flaky job-hoppers who can never be content, the narcissists who’ve made taking selfies an actual source of income, the generation who needs attention and love all the time. Heck, let us raise a glass to the supremely Entitled. Just like in RENT‘s “La Vie Boheme”, we’re embracing all that, but not without one smart-ass comeback: OK boomer.

Millennials get blamed for everything, from the failure of shopping malls, IRL dating and proper words (not another acronym!), to the slow death of print magazines — aha, this gets personal. Trust us, the struggle is real. We get it. But millennials are also a generation that’s inspiring much-need change, whether it’s demanding for body positivity and inclusivity in the media we consume, or being #woke and bold enough to call out what isn’t right. With class and humour, of course. For that proud millennial you know, it’s time you give out the participation awards:

 

1. XOUXOU SMARTPHONE NECKLACE IN VIBRANT PASTEL, USD39

Available at xouxouberlin.com.

Screen time is practically unavoidable when you’re a go-getter with a side hustle — you, surely, know someone who can do with a hands-free phone necklace that keeps their device at less than arm’s length, always. They’ll never miss that important Whatsapp message again. Who knew a braided cord and silicon hard case would work wonders for productivity? Plus, we think this doubles up as fuss-free music festival gear too.

2. FOSSIL MOOD WATCH, $99

Available at Fossil ION, Shopee and Lazada.

As a true millennial, you’ll probably remember when mood rings were subject to your social standing. Bringing back old school is Fossil’s new Mood Watch that puts all your emotions on display. Your partner might finally decode what’s wrong. Here’s hoping.

3. PANDORA DANGLING ANGEL WING STUD EARRINGS, $159 [GIVEAWAY]

Available at Pandora stores and online

The millennial generation might have caused Victoria’s Secret angels to fall our of favour — body positivity please! — so here, everyone can earn their wings now. This little PANDORA beauty, hand-finished in sterling silver and cubic zirconia crystals, will be perfect to make a classy impression on their next Tinder date.

4. SUPERGA X YOOX 2750 IN WHITE LEATHER WITH ‘KOREAN HEART’ PRINT, USD108 EACH [GIVEAWAY]

Available at yoox.com.

If you know someone with a dedicated couple or wedding hashtag, instead of cringing or rolling your eyes at #couplegoals, pass on the love with these pairs of classic sneakers. The exclusive white leather 2750s, part of a collab between YOOX and Superga, come in matching his and hers “Korean Heart” prints, so they’ll have more ways to flaunt their neediness devotion. 

5. KATE SPADE NICOLA SHIMMER TWISTLOCK CHAIN WALLET, USD198

Available at Kate Spade stores and online.

You might be feeling too old to party, but that also means every party has to count. This glittery number from Kate Spade is the dream statement piece for your friend who somehow always gets on the RSVP list of every cool event, chi-chi brunch, or mega club opening. Check out the cutest mini spade heart closure!

 

 

6. UNIVERSITY GAMES ANTI-MONOPOLY, $21

Available at amazon.sg.

Buying real estate? In this economy? We can only dream. Play as either a competitor or a monopolist and see how well you fare in a (unfortunately) more realistic market. The two sets of players play by different rules, and soon you’ll be feeling the true terrors of adulthood.

7. AMAZON KINDLE PAPERWHITE 8GB, $205.70

Available at amazon.sg.

Nothing beats reading an e-book on a Kindle (it’s like looking at actual paper instead of a screen)… save your eyes the trouble and actually get one this year. And this new version is thinner, lighter and waterproof!

8. I AM LOVE ELEMENTAL ELIXIR CRYSTAL BOTTLE, $160

Available at Naiise.

Crystals have been said to cleanse the chakras of lingering negative energy — and whether you’re into the whole healing crystals craze or if you’re curious to find out if it’s just a pile of BS, consider this gift. With such metaphysical merits to note, this bottle essentially works just as good (if not better) as a genie lamp — except it’s supposed to attract Love in all forms, heal your broken heart, and elevate your spirit to new heights. All you have to do: Replenish your water bottle Elemental Elixir, place your hands on the bottle, close your eyes and wait for your true love to come knocking on your door — or at least till your Tinder date replies you — who knows, really. 

9. LENOVO IDEAPAD S540, $1,549

Available at lenovo.com.

Millennials want everything — and this laptop is everything. It has a premium look and feel with its diamond-cut aluminium chassis, gorgeous 14” display, and speedy 10th Gen Intel Core processor; and it can even keep intruders out with additional levels of security — there’s a privacy shutter on the camera, and you can add an optional fingerprint reader. 

 

10. YNM WEIGHTED BLANKET IN SEA GRASS, FROM $89

Available at amazon.sg.

Did you know that weighted blankets are a thing? We didn’t too until we “OK Google’d” — as it turns out, a good weighted blanket, like this one from YnM, feels like a hug and helps your body relax, which lets you fall asleep faster and improve on the quality of your sleep too. Never again will they experience mild panic after checking that sleep cycle app.

11. DOC JOHNSON TRYST MULTI EROGENOUS ZONE SILICONE VIBRATOR AND C-RING, $52.80

Available at Amazon.

As a kid, you’d find yourself waking up to a pile of toys waiting for you under the Christmas tree. But as the years go by, you’d find yourself getting stoked on toys that give you a more distinct appeal that you can’t put your finger on… we think. For those of us on the Naughty list, treat yourself or your partner to the gift of pleasure this holiday with this sexy toy to accompany you with on those hygge nights. Oh boy? More like, “Oh joy!” 

12. SKIN LAUNDRY SLEEPCYCLE™ PILLOWCASE, USD30

Available at skinlaundry.com.

Does our impression of millennials involve a lot of R&R? You bet — and that’s because we relate. For the person who’s already moved out of their parents’ place and doesn’t have the luxury of new sheets every week, this statistic should scare them: dermatologists recommend washing your pillowcase every TWO days to get rid of the dirt and bacteria. Right… No worries though, this pillowcase comes with silver ion technology for an anti-microbial effect, which means that the usual oil, dirt and blemish-causing bacteria a pillowcase normally absorbs doesn’t get transferred, and doesn’t end up on your face, for the goal of clearer skin. BRB, we need to cart this out too.

13. SLIP MARBLED MULBERRY SILK EYE MASK, USD$51.09

Available at net-a-porter.com.

Working long hours can be viewed as a badge of honour but honey, those dark circles under your eyes won’t shine like an Employee of the Month medal. Recommending, Slip’s Marbled Mulberry Silk Eye Mask, one of the most luxurious ways to up the ante on your bedtime routine.

 

14. DOIY POLAFRAMES, $23

Available at Naiise

When “for the ‘gram” doesn’t quite cut it, quit scrolling! Print out all your digital photos and display them in this frame that looks like a classic Polaroid® photo. Proceed to reminisce the good old days. Only problem is, you can’t do a #throwback.

15. MORTIER PILON KOMBUCHA BREWING JAR 5L, $74.25

Available at amazon.sg.

Juice cleanse, chia seeds, kombucha — if you’ve got a health-conscious, usually vegan friend who’s into all these trends, you know they’d appreciate this. They’ll get to brew their own kombucha — fermented black tea that’s rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and probiotics — in a dedicated crock that comes with its own filter, tap valve and re-writable label so they’ll be able to identify each batch. All the money they’d save! Healthy drinks ain’t cheap.

16. SIMPLE LAB EXPERIENCE KUNG-FU ON-THE-GO TEA SET, $39.90

Available at mrphy.sg.

Some days get you down. Pile on a boomer’s disparaging comments and things feel impossible. We’re here to tell you that there’s nothing a cup of good tea can’t solve. The Kung-Fu happens to be a handy tea set that you can whip out any time you need a “calm-the-F-down” moment to yourself, with smart heat resistance and a food-grade silicone filter that keeps your tea leaves out of that personal cup, designed for one. You can’t taichi away your problems, but you’ll feel ready to take them on after this.

17. SNOWCINDA SQUEEZE-A-BEAN SOYBEAN STRESS RELIEVING KEYCHAIN, $7.99

Available at Amazon.

“I’m not stressed!” you cry to your therapist. Maybe you have crippling social anxiety, maybe you don’t. In denial or not, keep this little keychain close by when you need a cheery face to look at — or to keep your fingers occupied during yet another dull meeting.

 


For items with the ‘GIVEAWAY’ labels, we’re giving them away in our massive holiday gift guide contests — head over to our Facebook  and Instagram pages daily to take part.

More of NYLON’s Holiday Gift Guides, coming soon — stay tuned! Click here to see our full list of gift guides.