It’s finally here! My ULTIMATE Shop Small & Love Local Holiday Gift Guide for 2020! Below you’ll find a roundup of some of my favorite small businesses along with many new-to-me businesses that I selected to highlight here as well! It’s no secret that 2020 has been a difficult year for many small businesses. One of my goals this holiday season (as it is every year) is to do as much of my holiday shopping as possible with these small brands & local shops! I challenge you to do the same, even if it’s just one purchase. If we each have this mindset, it’ll surely make a huge difference!

I’ve grouped businesses & brands by
the following categories in this order:

HOME
CLOTHING
ACCESSORIES
ECO-FRIENDLY
DOG
PERSONALIZED
WELLNESS

Feel free to scroll to whichever category
interests you the most!

Shannon Shipman // Fine Art Prints

Boston, MA [online]

Kicking off my selection of gifts for the home with one of my good friend’s artwork… Shannon Shipman! Her prints are gorgeous and I love how she focuses on sourcing sustainable and local materials for her print shop! For instance, the wood for her frames comes from sustainably grown North American Maples. Each frame is handmade in Boston, MA! Shannon is especially known for her oversized pieces, which are all limited runs and are truly breathtaking! It’s so hard to narrow them down, but check out my favorites here, here & here!

Backcountry Mercantile

Greenwich, CT [storefront & online]

Owner of Backcountry Mercantile, Amanda Gaudelet and I have at least one thing in common: we love a gorgeous tablescape! Her storefront in Greenwich offers a stunning curated collection of both hand-painted ceramic ware (designed by BCM and hand-painted by famed ceramic maker FIMA Deruta, Italy), as well as carefully sourced vintage and new glassware. These pieces are like jewelry for your tabletop! Amanda and her team are happy to assist in personalizing festive tablescapes for both every day and special occasions. Click here for their holiday collection.

Jen Strandberg Studio

Garden City, NY [online] 15% off with HOLIDAY15

While I haven’t met Jen in person, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know her over IG this past year. She is so kind and I absolutely love her artwork! Jen has such a cool story, she’s been painting her whole life, but made it her quarantine project to turn her passion into a business! Way to go Jen!! Jen splits her time between teaching in Brooklyn, NY and spending her summers in Nantucket! Check out her studio here for beautiful, affordable watercolor prints and products that capture the essence of Nantucket as well as other New England scenes.

JLM Photographs

Hopkinton, MA [online] 20% off with HELEN2020

Janice is another amazing photographer who I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know via IG! Janice’s beautiful photography is inspired by small coastal towns and the ocean. I absolutely love her Italy prints, which come in a variety of sizes! Check them out here, here & here! For anyone in your life who misses the ocean, traveling, or both, one of these prints would certainly make the perfect gift!

Estelle Colored Glass

Charleston, SC [online & in stores]

These stunning, handmade “jewels for your table” glassware pieces are at the top of my Christmas list this year! The founder, Stephanie, shares such a heartwarming story about how her grandmother inspired this business. Read about it here! And you can shop the colored stemware glasses, which are currently on sale here!

J.Alden for Women

Essex, CT [storefront & online] 20% off with Helen20

Located in historic Essex Village, J Alden for Women carries brands like Barefoot Dreams, Nic + Zoe and Spartina 449. They have a beautiful selection of jewelry and accessories.  I had the pleasure of getting to spend a day with Amy this summer up in Essex. She is such a wonderful human, kind, caring, and funny! Her positive attitude and energy are both equally contagious. People like Amy make it so easy to want to support small businesses. As for holiday gift ideas, these Chevy Woven Beanies are at the top of my list along with this Barefoot Dreams lounge set.

navyBLEU

Boston, MA [online]

navyBLEU is an online boutique dedicated to everything navy! Owner, Erin, has been navy-obsessed for just about her entire life. To Erin, navy is a color that represents sophistication, style and class. Her online boutique is a one-stop shop for all us navy lovers out there! Check out this carefully curated selection of clothing, accessories, and home decor here!

The Navy Knot

Whitefish Bay, WI [storefront & online]

The Navy Knot is a mother-daughter run businesses, which of course is extra special to me! While I’ve never met Riley, we connected on IG a few years ago and hit it off right away! I love their selection of classic American style with a spin. They offer women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, and home decor. Brands they carry include: Lilly Pulitzer, Vineyard Vines, Stoney Clover Lane, and more! Check out their Christmas Shoppe here!

Paul Landry

Boston, MA [online]

If you’ve been following along for a little while now, you probably recognize the name Paul Landry! I LOVE my Paul Landry pieces. They’re so well made and I love how personalized they are for the New Englander! Whether you live in New England or just love this corner of the country, Paul Landry has the perfect gift for you! P.S. The sweatshirts are SUPER soft.

Meg & Marie

Lincoln, IL [online] free shipping with STYLEINHERITED

Meg & Marie is a women’s clothing boutique owned and operated by mom, daughter, and daughter-in-law, Beth, Meg, and Courtnee. They offer high-quality pieces that are timeless, preppy, and feminine. Meg & Marie also gives back to others and with every “new arrival” purchased, they donate an item to The Center for Prevention of Abuse in Peoria, IL. I love how they offer cute styles at an affordable price point! Check out this adorable ribbed, puff sleeve top that’s only $42!

C&E Earring Co.

Rye, NY [online]

Sisters, Catherine and Ellie (who are 15 & 13 years old), started their own earring company this year during quarantine! They make each pair of earrings by hand, which means they can completely customize them… color, design, shape, etc! Not only are their earrings beautiful & fun, they’re extremely lightweight. You can order by sending them a DMing on Instagram @candeearringco or via email: candeearringcompany@gmail.com

Grace & Grandeur

Rock Hill, South Carolina [online]

Inspired by grandmillennial style, Sarah (the owner of Grace & Grandeur) crafts classic bows for fellow prepsters! Heritage, legacy and an appreciation for lovely family heirlooms play a major role in the G&G brand. Each bow is actually named after a lady among Sarah’s family tree. Shop these gorgeous handmade hair bows here!

My Blind Bag

Norwalk, CT [online] 10% off with TREATME

Jill and Melissa, founders of My Blind Bag, created this surprise gift service to bring treats & happiness directly to your door! My Blind Bag is a monthly curated collection of thoughtful and useful gifts that you didn’t even know you needed! You can send a “My Blind Bag” once or subscribe for 3 months at a time. Check out past bags here!

Stitched By Mar

Easton, CT [online] 10% off with HOLIDAY2020

Fun fact: Maria and I went to high school together! Maria has loved sewing her whole life, but just recently opened an Etsy shop selling handmade matching mask and scrunchie sets! Maria’s mask and scrunchie sets are a great (and useful!) gift this holiday season! Check out her Etsy shop here, and this cute tie-dye set here!

THOM KELLY

Clevland, OH [online] 15% off with TKHOLIDAY15

The women-owned sustainable clothing brand, THOM KELLY, creates effortless and classic pieces designed for comfort and versatility. Each style is built for real life and meant to take you from casual errands to an elevated evening with ease. All of their products are responsibly made in NYC using organic and eco-friendly materials, because they believe you should feel great about what you’re wearing on the inside and out. I have one of their button-downs and I absolutely love it!

On The Road Again

Hudson, MA [online] 25% off with BFCM25

On The Road Again is an eco-friendly brand that offers New England-inspired bags made from recycled billboard banners! Their up-cycled fashion accessories are a thoughtful gift for your friends & family members who are mindful of their environmental impact. Check out my favorite bags here & here!

Luken + Co

Norwalk, CT [online] 20% off*, no code needed

Luken + Co is a lifestyle brand that just launched a few days ago. Founder, Francesco Lauri, is a former executive in the fashion industry with over two decades of experience. Luken + Co offers cute, stylish bags and accessories that are affordable, washable, where possible, and accessible to all. Perhaps my favorite part of this brand is that they offer a number of recycled, sustainable, and/or organic products! Check them out here! *Discount code applies to select items.

Neely’s Nest

Greenwich, CT [online] 15% off with styleinherited15

Neely’s Nest combined their love of dogs with a desire to create luxurious dog beds that are beautiful in any room of your home. To sum it up, their dog beds are clean and classic, simple yet refined. Owner, Terri, grew up with a family motto of “there’s always room for one more dog!” Click here to read the entire story on why Terri started Neely’s Nest. And of course I especially love how each piece is made using sustainable rattan and high performance fabrics!

East Bay Leads

Boston, MA [online] 10% off with FRIENDS

This husband and wife team realized the right leash for their 2 pups didn’t exist, so they made their own! Not only are these leashes inspired by the New England shore, but each leash is made by hand and built for style, comfort, and durability! Currently they offer 2 leash types: The Millie is for dogs 15-40lbs and The Watson is for dogs 40lbs+. Check out East Bay Leads here.

Kotah’s Cakes

Port Chester, NY [local drop-off] 15% off with STYLE

Similarly to East Bay Leads, the owner of Kotah’s Cakes, Lydia, wanted to give her pup a special birthday treat, but realized her only options contained ingredients she couldn’t even read. So, she made her own. A few friends thought they were cute and asked if they could buy some and thus Kotah’s Cakes was born! Kotah’s Cakes uses natural, human-grade ingredients and the owner tries ever treat herself. How cool?! (Yep, I’ve tried some of Ranger’s food and treats before too…ha!) Because her treats contain no preservatives, Lydia is only doing local deliveries at this time. Check out her website here!

Brook & York

New York, NY [online]

I absolutely love my Brook & York jewelry pieces, epescially these gold knots, which I wear almost daily! Brook & York pieces are all made in America. I had the opportunity to meet some of the amazing women at Brook & York, and they were all so friendly! Just another reason why I love supporting them! They offer a variety of personalized jewelry pieces, which will make great gifts this holiday season!

The Monogram Corner

Bernardsville, NJ [online]

The Monogram Corner is your go-to shop for all things personalized. They offer custom monogrammed gifts for women, men, children, and the home. Erica, the owner, truly believes there is nothing better than knowing something was made just for you! I couldn’t agree more with that! Check out her shop here!

Shop Our Dyes

Fairfield, CT [online]

Shop Our Dyes is a custom tie-dye clothing company based out of Fairfield, CT. Since each piece is hand-dyed and custom made to order, everything is 100% customizable in any colors and styles. How cool?! Kayla started Shop Our Dyes when she was sent home from college in the spring due to the pandemic. She is now a junior at Fairfield University and runs this business in addition to being a full-time student.

AsOne Jewelry

New York, NY [online]

Funny story! I actually met Talia, the founder of AsOne Jewelry in Nantucket! After her senior year halted to a stop this March, she struggled to accept that she wouldn’t be graduating with her closest friends and peers by her side, so she channeled her creativity to launch AsOne Jewelry. AsOne is, primarily, a necklace company that delicately meshes together semi-precious stones that represent school colors and are spaced to spell out one’s graduation year in morse code. Pieces are completely customizable and every necklace is made with the intention of promoting unity, sportsmanship and the ability to stand AsOne. Necklaces are are available for purchase through direct message on Instagram.

Club Sweat

Greenwich, CT [studio & online] *discount code below

After owning her Pure Barre studios for 5 years, Laura was up for a new challenge. With a love for fitness and wanting to do something complementary to her current workout regimen, she created the first group fitness class utilizing cross trainers as the main piece of equipment. Club Sweat is a low impact, cardio sweat with classes both on and off the machine. It also has a wellness boutique and infrared sauna! Use code Clubsweat to get one year livestream and one month free through forte.fit for $95!

Before you go, check out Ranger’s
Holiday Gift Guide here!

keywords: Small Business Holiday Gift Guide // Shop Small // Shop Local // Love Local // Greenwich, CT // Fairfield County // Connecticut // New England