Need some great ideas for what to put in their stockings this year? The Pink Giraffe has you covered for all kinds of fun monogrammed stocking stuffers for women and children this season.

A Personalized Watch is  Great Gift

You want small items that fit into the stocking easily, but will be unique and fun to receive on Christmas morning. A monogrammed watch is an excellent choice for any preppy lady. Custom design your own watch in any two colors for a truly fabulous gift that will wow her this holiday season. Available in best selling gold, or stainless steel and colored plastic. Whatever color scheme you design, she will absolutely love to see her initials appear on her wrist.

Silver and Gold Make Great Holiday Choices

For a timeless and classic gift, an engraved and personalized piece of jewelry is a standard go to option. Choose from a monogrammed ring or pendant with initials for that special lady. How about a name necklace in gold, silver or pewter? Filigree initial necklaces are all the rage right now and she will absolutely love to receive such a special holiday gift. Sterling silver is always a favorite for women of all ages. A monogrammed silver bracelet is sure to be treasured for years to come as sterling never goes out of style. Add an embroidered jewelry case as well to keep all those great new accessories in one place. They are the perfect option for the traveler on the go.

Custom Design Your Own

Want to design something just for her that will reflect her favorite colors and pattern? Choose from our personalized key chains that can be customized however you like. Great for school colors and also make excellent teacher gifts. Is someone getting a new smartphone this year? Make sure to order a monogrammed phone case just for her. She is sure to love it and it will allow her to sport her preppy style whenever using her phone.

Whatever you choose for your loved ones this year for Christmas this holiday season, if it is sporting her initials embroidered or engraved, she is sure to love whatever you choose. Make sure to remember the rule that for a traditional monogram the last name initials appears larger in the center with the first name letter on the left and the middle initial on the left.

The Ultimate Preppy Girl

Want to present a classic, polished and preppy look for your style? All you have to do is pull together a simple look with just a few personalized accessories to bring your perfect wardrobe together. However there is more to being preppy than just wearing a pastel polo and loafers.  It is more about showing off the demeanor of the privileged lifestyle that created the look to begin with. Presenting yourself in the right way is the trick to appearing as preppy as you choose.

Keep Your Look Simple.

Preppy style is the representation of luxurious textiles, fitted and modest cuts as well as color schemes that reflect nautical scenes and pleasing bright colors. If an article of clothing looks particularly flashy or revealing, it isn't preppy. Long associated with style and grace and adorned on the likes of Kate Middleton and Grace Kelly, it exudes a lifestyle of beauty and class. Tailored apparel such as fitted sweaters and gingham button downs are the basis of the preppy girl's closet.

Build a classic wardrobe.

When you're adding pieces to your closet, focus on choosing items that are well-made, will last for ages and are timeless pieces. A true preppy girl can keep pieces in her closet for 10 and 15 years because they don't go out of style. Figure out what colors look best on you. Every piece of clothing you own should compliment your skin tone. A deciding factor is to establish whether pure white or more ivory tones looks better against your skin. If pure white is clearly your best option, choose colors in "cool" shades.  If off-white is your look, go for "warm" shades. A true preppy girl will have a closet overflowing with navy and pinks but will likely include colors such as such as yellow, lime green and turquoise. Patterns such as plaid, nautical stripes, gingham, argyle, lively florals (such as Lily Pulitzer) and tartan are classic staples in any preppy wardrobe

Preppy Girls Wear Monogrammed Shoes

The most common way to spice up a preppy outfit is to make it personal. Add a pair of monogrammed shoes to any outfit and you have an instant classic. There are many options when selecting personalized footwear such as custom clogs which are so much fun to design in your own colors and font style. Monogrammed clogs are the ultimate choice for those cooler days of fall when sporting jeans and corduroys. Wear them everywhere from the ball field to the backyard, they are high in comfort and durability.

Needlepoint Shoes

Custom needlepoint shoes are another ultra preppy option. Design your pair of mules, loafers or even sandals in your choice of leather color and yarn color and accent with your monogram for a fabulous personal touch. Nothing says classic preppy quite as much as needlepoint.

Embroidered Driving Moccasins

Leather moccasins with monogrammed ribbons are great for finishing any fun outfit. Initials are embroidered onto grosgrain ribbons that adorn the front of the shoe. Available in pink, black, navy or brown and ribbon colors that represent every color of the rainbow, any modern preppy girl is sure to find a welcome home in her closet for these great personalized shoes.

Custom Leather Flip Flops

Custom leather sandals with a whipstitch edge and monogrammed leather center are simply yummy. Fully customizable in any two colors which makes them the perfect option for those outfits that can't seem to find a footwear match. Look no further! Available in flat and high heels and are the personalized flip flop choice of preppy girls everywhere. The best part is that these great shoes are shipped for free to your door and in just 2 weeks for plenty of summer wear.

Monogrammed Rain Boots

Rainy days will have preppy girls jumping for joy when you get to sport these incredible personalized rain boots. If you're heading out to the grocery store, the barn or a play date you can walk in style with our classic boots for women. Custom monogrammed rain boots bring in an old school equestrian style. In addition to keeping your feet warm and dry and of course keeping you looking stylish so that you can design a look that's uniquely yours. Classic boots were designed just for preppy girls and children with a modern twist.

Don't Forget the Jewelry

A quick and fun way to add a personal touch and to truly show your preppy side is to add some fun monogrammed jewelry to your outfit.  Choose from numerous materials such as acrylic, gold, sterling silver, pewter, wood, nickel and more. The great part about sporting personalized jewelry is that it can be done on a budget with affordable options which also makes for great gifting. Choose a pair of cut out filigree initial earrings in gold or silver for a great accent with denim or chambray. An engraved silver necklace is always in style. Pair your bangle bracelets with a floating monogram in acrylic or beautifully crafted out of sterling silver for a wonderful keepsake that is sure to be a conversation piece. A monogrammed silver ring can be the perfect compliment to any getup.

A new trend and quickly becoming an instant classic are monogrammed watches in gold, stainless silver, and plastic. Sporting initials on a timepiece is the ultimate preppy display! Pair our chunky gold watch with a charm bracelet and epoxy enamel bangles for a fun an chic look all your own.

Whatever your version of prep, always remember to make it your own so that your look is as unique as you are!

The Beauty of Sterling Silver

Monogrammed sterling silver jewelry and gifts are some of the most desirable and unique gifts available on the market. Engraved with initials onto a necklace, bracelet or ring has been a tradition for centuries. The lightest color of all of the precious metals, sterling silver has been known for centuries for its gorgeous appearance and functional use.

 Even thought it is harder than gold, sterling silver is still considered one of the softer metals. The versatility of sterling makes silver easy to hammer and shape into various forms and molds. Silver melts at a slightly lower temperature than gold with makes it delicate nature even more pristine. Dating back to the time of earliest man, silver has been known as a great and precious metal. The name "sterling" came into existence in the 12th-century. As payment for English cattle, an association of Germans compensated the British with silver coins called "Easterlings." It quickly came into being that Easterling was widely accepted as a standard of currency. The name was ultimately abbreviated to "Sterling," which is in modern day used to refer to the highest grade of silver metal. The official hallmark of sterling to a piece of plated silver indicates that it contains at least 92.5% of pure silver. The remaining 7.5% can be made up of any other metal alloy, most commonly copper.

It is common belief that a 100% silver content would be preferable, however that is not the case. Metal alloys with a silver content of more than 92.5% are too soft to be used without becoming severely. The secondary alloy is needed to make sure that the metal's stability is in place.

Silver in Other Forms

In addition to sterling silver there are many other affordable varieties and grades of silver available for more widespread use:

Fine Silver

Fine silver has a silver content of 99.9% or higher. Fine silver is much too soft to be used for everyday gifts such as jewelry and picture frames, jewelry boxes or tableware. This highest form of silver is used to make bullion bars for worldwide currency.

German Silver

German silver is basically consists of 80% silver and is commonly used for silverware, silver gifts and jewelry, and engraved jewelry boxes and trays. There is also a higher silver content that is 900 standard and is another high grade version of German silver, and has a 90% silver content. The best thing about German silver is that it is very affordable and can be used in various forms for inexpensive silver jewelry that will not tarnish or turn. When engraved with a monogram or name it is perfect for gift giving even to a collector of silver.

Silver Plate

Silver plate is the process of bonding a thin layer of silver to a base metal that is most commonly copper, brass, or nickel. Silverplate is much more affordable than sterling for this reason making it a great option for engraved silver picture frames and inexpensive silver gifts. Silverplated mint julep cups and jewelry boxes are both very common and affordable.

History of Sterling Silver as Tableware

Hosting a dinner party is just not quite the same without the appointments of sterling at the table. With its polished patina luster and timeless elegance the addition of silver has the power to turn any ordinary meal into an elaborate event. Although, due to the rise in cost of sterling it is not as commonplace as it once was a key accessory in setting a proper table. The use of sterling silver in fine dining was most common between 1840 the mid 1900's. Between 1870 and 1920 the production and sales of silver ramped up quite a bit to accommodate the growing demand.

At some point during the Victorian period in history it was considered vulgar to handle food without the use of a utensil. The status symbol for the elite when dining was sterling silver flatware. Silver flatware patterns were vast and often included upwards of 100 pieces. Formal dinners in the late 1800s and early 1900s were extravagant events often consisting of up to 10 courses. For each course a different set of silver utensils was necessary.

The obsession with silver did not stop in centuries past. The love of sterling silver is every bit as alive today in our culture among finer homes. Monogrammed silver gifts and decorative silver accents include sterling silver baby pacifier clips, and engraved silver picture frames. Monogrammed silver mint julep cups are a classic favorite for groomsmen gifts and make a great keepsake for years to come. For bridesmaids, the gift of monogrammed silver jewelry is a must have. Engraved with a woman's initials makes for a wonderfully thoughtful and unique present. Luxuriously personalized wedding gifts in silver or for a special housewarming gift is a classic that will never go out of style.