Holiday Gift Guide: Part 3, The "I've Got To Spend Something" under-$150 gift for everyone on your list.

The problem: Roger Daltrey of The Who prophetically uttered "I'm not trying to cause a big sensation, I'm just talking bout my g-g-generation" back in 1965, and never do Daltrey's words seem to ring truer than when one is attempting to find the perfect gift for an individual who isn't a part of their, for lack of a better term, generation. Such is the case with today's subject, who's absolutely hipper-than-thou within their own age group, but who's taste level leaves something to be desired in yours...

There's something to be said for classic items which have seemingly not gone out of style since their arrival upon the scene, and herein may lie your salvation when it comes to getting this dude on your list a gift that totally makes him emphatically say "Raucous!" (or whatever term it is that kid's today use in place of the much simpler and more straightforward word of my generation: 'cool')

Today's subject: The Super-Hip Albeit Slightly Uncultured Younger Brother/Cousin/Dude

My under-$150 gift solution #1: A great pair of beat-up checkered Vans have been synonymous with teenage dude cool ever since a young Sean Penn donned them in the seminal 1980's teen comedy 'Fast Times At Ridgemont High'. As much as the fashion elitist part of you may scoff at the notion of gifting anyone, no matter their age or social status, with such a pair of shoes, you may want to check THIS out before you make any rash judgements either way: for a starting price of only $50 you can not only give the little dude in your life a pair of kicks that simply ooze laid-back cool, but more importantly the chance to play designer for a day with Design-Your-Own-Vans. Do-It-Yourself for the internet generation has never been so easy!

My under-$150 gift solution #2: You may have noticed that this guy is always, always walking around with his headphones on, be they the gigantic studio kind or the ubiquitous white iPod earbuds. If you're anything like me, you undoubtedly find it completely obnoxious when this individual has a conversation with you with his headphones still in his ears, but you think their audiophilia and obsession with all things music to be ever so slightly charming all the same. The Ion TTUSB Turntable with USB Record is the perfect gift for this person on your list because nothing warrants street cred with the teenage set more than having a cooler collection of vinyl than everyone else (never mind the fact that this particular machine actually converts such vinyl into MP3 format!) Throw in a couple of classic LP's and these nifty wall-hanging frames to ensure that this dude definitely has the most rad dorm room on the block...when he finally gets to university, that is. Turntable, $91, LP frames, $19, classic albums on vinyl that they will appreciate more and more with age = priceless.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's next installment of Modern-Guilt.com's Holiday Gift Guide for under $150 series!

Holiday Gift Guide: Part 2, The "I've Got To Spend Something" under-$150 gift for everyone on your list.

The problem: Being poorer than the person that one is buying a gift for is often a tricky situation, as there is naturally not much such person wants and doesn't already have. And when preferences are expensive, as was the case with the The Gadget-Loving Boyfriend/Husband/Brother/Dude/Person covered in this post, the perfect gift begins to seem like an impossible notion created by some evil corporate power for the singular purpose of making you experience strong feelings of misery, inadequacy, dissatisfaction and, eventually, financial over-compensation.

But fear not, readers, you don't have to feel this way! First and foremost, it's reasonable to assume that the expensive-shoe-lover on your list has an affinity for the finer things in life, and that this trait extends to more than just their footwear. I've yet to meet an "I-Only-Wear-Manolos" woman who doesn't also possess an interest in beauty and aesthetics on the whole - so work with that!

And so continues the second installment of Modern-Guilt.com's Holiday Gift Guide for under-$150 list for:

Today's subject: The "I-Only-Wear-Manolos" Best Friend/Mother/Sister/Person...

My under-$150 gift solution #1: Alright, it's been determined that this woman is discerning and impeccable in what she wears, and assumed that the same rings true in all other aspects of her faaabulous life. Naturally, her coffee table would appreciate '100 Years of Fashion Illustration' because she obviously needs something gorgeous to look at while waiting at home for the Prada cashmere cardis she scored on Cyber Monday to be delivered to her door! And make sure that she's not left to inelegantly crease the spine of the book when such packages arrives by including the Robie Bookmark, the design of which was adapted from a Frank Lloyd Wright wall sconce...and if that calibre of design isn't chic, I truly don't know what is.
My under-$150 gift solution #2: Not all designer items are that expensive, and if this person on your list is anything like mine and therefore currently stuck in the treacherous ugliness that only bitterly cold weather brings, a couple of not-knit-by-grandma outerwear accessories may be your first-class ticket to having the coolest gift under the tree for them this holiday season. Be it Miu Miu or Missoni, your Manolo-lover is sure to appreciate a cozy, functional beanie that doesn't make her look like a cross between the Abominable Snowman and a creepy cat burglar. Missoni beanie, $75, Miu Miu beanie, $60. More selection and matching accessories can be found at net-a-porter.com

Holiday Gift Guide: Part 1, The "I've Got To Spend Something" under-$150 gift for everyone on your list.

This is the first installment of a Holiday Gift Guide series which will be continuing throughout the upcoming weeks.

I totally get it. You're running out of time, you're not particularly crafty or adept at making things and, for that matter, you cannot think of anything to make that's doesn't hearken back to the Popsicle-stick jewelry boxes of your youth; sometimes, recession be damned, you're just left with no option but to get out there and spend. On the other side of the spectrum, stuff is, well... expensive, recession be damned or not; if the people on your gift list are as discerning and costly in their preferences as the people on mine, you're naturally feeling as though you're between a rock and a hard place.

So I've come up with a few ideas as to how one can overcome this particular hurdle. While you may not have the financial means to present the gadget-loving man (or woman!) in your life with a brand-new MacBook come Christmas morning, you do still have some pretty awesome and viable options.

Today's Subject: The Gadget-Loving Boyfriend/Husband/Brother/Dude/Person

The problem: Given the fact that common, store-bought technology has been updating at an exponential pace throughout the past couple of years, it's only natural that more and more of these types have been coming out of the woodwork. You probably have one in your life and, if you don't, you're undoubtedly acquainted with a few. I find these individuals the hardest to shop for when on a budget because let's face it: the things they appreciate don't come cheap.
My under-$150 gift solution #1: Sure, he's not particularly fond of clothing or home decor, but what if you found a way to parlay these types of items into gadget-related gifts? Thankfully for us, the brilliant geniuses over at Throwboy.com have done exactly this. Show the Machead in your life the above photo and watch them squeal and coo like a fashion blogger does over pictures of the latest Rodarte collection. Available for purchase here, at $29 each or $149 for the set of six as shown.

My under-$150 gift solution #2: If you've ever heard the words "If it doesn't have an LED screen, I probably don't like it" uttered by this person, you'll know that often the calibre of gadget is less important to them than the fact that the item in question is a gadget or computerized device of some sort - I have, in the past, made the mistake of doubting this and figuring that everyone appreciates a nice $600 designer coat when this is in fact NOT THE CASE. Above note an assorted variety of small, inconsequential electronic devices which are sure to please this person on your list far more than that pair of expensive jeans you were eyeing for them. Plus an array of presents under the tree is just fun for everyone, isn't it? Clockwise, left-to-right: Fruit Powered Clock $18, LED Umbrella $24.99, Giant Ear Bud Speakers $40, Electronic Bubble Wrap Keychain $9.99, Rocket Alarm Clock $20, Portable Electronics Charging Station $29.99

Stay tuned for the continuation of the gift guide on Sunday, at which point I'll be covering off the next subject of interest: The "I-Only-Wear-Manolos" Best Friend/Mother/Sister/Person...