You can buy everything from haute couture to the weekly shop with the click of a mouse. Alanna Gallaghersurveys sites that make gift-giving a doddle, Deirdre McQuillanreveals her top choices for fashion buys , Marie-Claire Digbyshops for gourmet gifts, and Conor Popereveals the possible pitfalls associated with shopping online. (Illustration: Dermot Flynn)
BAGS
The type of handbag you choose to wear says a lot about you. is the commercial arm of Red magazine and its bag section is a wonderful resource for the label-loather. Annie Jones's Annabel leather shoulder bag is a must-have for multi-tasking mothers. It can support office files as well as baby paraphernalia without looking fit to burst. Better still, it will survive beyond fashion's fickle season (€237). Another neutral-looking bag is the A3 felt bag in anthracite grey from the Tate's online shop, (€21.50).
TOILETRIES
Afficionados of The 21st Century Beauty Bible will already be familiar with Liz Earle's wonderful, mid-price range of skin care products (www.lizearle.co.uk). Check out the Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser starter 200ml pack, which comes with two muslin cloths, €29, and Superskin moisturizer, €43.
Any good homemaker will love the Conran Shop's vast array of well-packaged toiletries (). The festive-coloured Ortigia pomegranate soaps (€23) have broad appeal and look the part.
space 's website doesn't permit online purchases unless you have a UK-registered billing address for your credit card, but you can call 00-44-20-8740-2085 and phone your order through. has more than perfume on its site. There's a great range of skincare and cosmetics on offer with the bonus of free delivery. hqhair.com goes way beyond hair products with its extensive range of brands, including electrical and accessories. 4men.ie is as the name implies, a site devoted to male grooming products with Ireland's biggest range for men in one place. Delivery is also free.
If you like your products pure as the driven snow check out www.ecoshop.ie, where a stocking filler of Atlantic seaweed will make bath-time messy but moisturising (€8.95).
WORDS
Bookworms have never been better catered for since the entry of Amazon into the online mix. But for something special, try www.kennys.ie which offers limited editions and a rare book section that lifts it out of the ordinary. Limited editions of The Dancer by Colum McCann (€382.50) and This Is Not A Novel by Jennifer Johnston (€382.50) would both make great gifts.
is the online store of An Cathach, on Dublin's South Anne Street. A recent trawl revealed a copy of The Fairies: A Child's Song by William Allingham, illustrated by E. Gertrude Thomson. This copy is inscribed by Mrs. Allingham on the title page and it costs €395.
SUBSCRIBE
A magazine subscription is another good gift idea. This is so much better than a gift voucher and easy to organise if you're busy. It's a wonderful thing to have your publication of preference delivered to your door. But think outside the usual. I'm a fan of Architectural Digest and it's much more reasonably priced by subscription, at €47 for 12 issues. Check out Fast Company, another American publication that covers the digital and design worlds in a new and exciting fashion (€32 for 10 issues). Expect to wait at least 90 days for your subscription to start arriving through the letterbox. The Dublin Review of Books () is a good choice, as is the New Yorker (), or Vanity Fair (). Special interest magazines such as Decanter or Saveur would be equally delicious.
JEWELLERY
Acclaimed jeweller Shaun Leane (www.shaunleane.com), who has worked with Alexander McQueen, Marc Jacobs and Sam Taylor-Wood, has a site worth visiting. Devotees include Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwen Stefani and Kate Moss, and when you see his yellow gold and red enamel thorned heart locket (€3,945), you'll know why. You need to complete an order form first.
In the US the quietly popular is fronted by jeweller Thom Gregg, whose collections are worn by celebrity residents in Carmel, the chi chi town just south of San Francisco. Clint Eastwood is the former mayor. The white gold and orange sapphire "Lifesaver" necklace is a doughnut of precious stones costing €817.50, while the delicious white and yellow diamond dragonfly necklace (€512) is the perfect present for oneself. The craftsmanship is second to none, but this is not reflected in the website design, which errs on the dour side. You will have to telephone or e-mail your order. Slim Barrett specialises in one-off commissions (), although he is still best known for designing Posh Spice's wedding crown. The Galwegian has also designed for John Galliano, Chanel and Karl Lagerfeld. His charm bracelets start from €387 and are the perfect stocking filler. Again, orders must be made by telephone or e-mail.
CLOTHES
Browns Fashion (www.brownsfashion.com) rivals net-a-porter.com as a one-stop shop for the serious fashionista. This is label central and guarantees you'll stand out from the in crowd. Most wanted this Christmas is the one-shoulder "goddess" dress by 3.1 Phillip Lim (€753), as well as the Jil Sander liquid turtleneck top (€244).
Lucky Shops () is a purchasing experience created by fun-to-read Lucky magazine. It's similar in concept to Billion Dollar Babes (see page 20) in that there are shopping events held in the US, but in addition there is also an online shopping facility. Many of the labels listed are less well known this side of the pond, but there are some headline grabbers such as a pair of Marni black leather, mid-calf biker boots (€354), and the on-trend, knee-high patent leather, square-toe tall boots (€638.90), by Balenciaga, for the long of limb.
After partying over the Christmas season you will thank the gods for , which offers elegant indoor attire, sleep wear, lounge wear and pyjamas to keep you looking good during your hibernation period. Long, wide-leg trousers with roll-tops and wrap tops (both €93), and camisoles (€43), in a neutral palette of sand, grey, taupe and black offer something for every shape and skin tone. AG