Holly Jolly Garments!

It’s an unwritten rule: Buy someone clothing, be sure it comes with a gift receipt.

Discerning just one person’s taste is half the challenge. Mentally measuring their waist size is another 25 percent. The last quarter? Three shopping days left until it’s Christmas Day. Baby Jesus, that’s a lot of math…

In this final Weekly gift guide, we turn our sights on apparel–gifts that can be worn all year round. Instead of fixating on specific items, we advise you think broader when shopping for clothes and about function over trends. It’ll save you precious time…not to mention those gift receipts.

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The occasion: “The Cocktail.” In this economy, it’s natural for someone to want to get glam and Occupy Bar once in a while, right? Go all out in high fashion style with haute shops like the new Diane Von Furstenberg or the exclusive boutique collections at milk & honey and Aloha Rag that are sure to turn heads (they did on the Parisian runways, anyway).

The occasion: “First Friday.” When it comes to hitting the Chinatown bricks on First Friday, it’s all about what’s on their feet: They spend so much of time on them waiting to get into The Manifest, dancing at Nextdoor or cruising through art galleries. Kicks/HI has a select range of unique sneakers for both guys and girls just for the artful occasion. Check out their recent Converse x Missoni line you’d be hard pressed to find elsewhere on the island. That staircase at thirtyninehotel doesn’t walk up itself.

The occasion: “The Beach.” Okay, living in Hawaii, it’s something of a strain to consider going to the beach an “occasion.” That’s why getting dressed for it is akin to slipping on a pair of socks. Going to the beach is like any other thing. Make the Roxy girl in your life’s wardrobe shine with eclectic prints from Pualani in a treasure trove of styles and patterns, from convertible tops and bottoms to tankinis. For guys, any boardshort from Local Motion and Hawaiian Island Creations is always a safe bet.

The occasion: “The Grad Party.” Give local to your little local graduate this holiday with smart designs from three local retailers offering sweet Hawaiian fashions. Roberta Oaks has great one-of-kind, vintage-inspired Aloha shirts in a slim contemporary fit that’ll remind the family he’s graduating from college and entering his own real world, not dad’s closet and boardroom. For females, Wahine Toa and Maunahealii tread that graduation party line of young, local sophistication.

The occasion: “The Mainland.” Whether they’re doing their annual trip to Vegas or going back to school, there’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to what to wear in the other 49 states. Boardshorts in 53 degree weather? Talk about a wardrobe malfunction for locals. Patagonia, Crooks & Castles and Levi’s offer a range of unisex heavy-duty jackets that are stylishly cool, without entering frostbite territory. No matter what their final destination, at least they can feel like home. By that, we mean “warm.”

The occasion: “Da Gym.” Between treadmills and bench presses, they won’t really need you to look good, thankfully. But you can still help them in the process. From Brazilian jiu-jitsu to yoga stretches or just plain push-ups and sit-ups, Lululemon, HNL Fight Shop and American Apparel each offer sweat-embracing tops and pants, Arte Suave t-shirts or Rocky Balboa hoodies that don’t mind the burn.

The occasion: “Back 2 Skool.” Whether they’re breezing through nine credits or cramming overtime at 18 a semester, a large portion of their day is spent trekking the college campus. Between hauling textbooks and all-nighter Hamilton Library study sessions, items that are comfortable and durable are vital. The Human Imagination and Forever21 have a college cool selection of youthful digs–graphic tees, retro prints, classic bags–without sacrificing fun and style.

The occasion: “9 to 5.” It’s really not that hard to dress for that downtown job. There are two stores: J.Crew and Club Monaco. They just buy five different tops from one or the other and rotate them over the M–F workweek. For a year. Done! For contemporary job staples, both retail locations have an abundant collection of simple contemporary staples that transition nicely from the gift box to the workplace.