Category: Reviews

What do you get for the single woman on your list? If she has everything, or you just don’t know her well, you might be stumped. That’s why I’ve created this list of 15 fantastic gifts for single women.

What to Buy a Single Woman

I don’t know about you, but when I’m stumped by what to get someone, I ask Google for ideas. “What to get for [fill in the blank demographic].” And list after list of ideas appear. But I noticed there’s not a whole lot out there for single folk. And a lot of people seem downright nervous about buying presents for us.

The good news is, I’ve created a list of lovely gifts for single women. Use this for women you don’t know very well, women who have everything, or women who don’t seem to want anything.

Ready? Here are my top 15 gifts for single women.

{Pst! You’re entering the part of this post where I share the gifts I personally recommend. Some of these are affiliate links, some are not, but all are products I love. Please see my affiliate disclaimer here.}

#15 – Pre-Colored Coloring Books

We were so delighted when coloring books for grown-ups hit the scene. But lord help us, we’ve all got more than we’ll ever be able to finish. Instead of giving your single friend yet another book to color, try this.

Powell’s pre-colored coloring books are a hilarious response to the adult coloring craze. This will work best with someone you know who already has everything she wants–including a stack of coloring books.

Perfect for: The woman who has it all.

#14 –  A Badass Calendar

Jen Sincero’s Badass book series didn’t make the best sellers list for nothing. Now you can get all that motivation in this page-a-day You Are a Badass Calendar. Your solo friend will feel like the unconquerable goddess she is with this daily dose of inspiration.

Perfect for: The woman who’s destined for greatness.

#13 – Snuggley Socks

This is a pretty standard “I have no idea what to get you” gift, but it doesn’t need to be. As long as you know one thing about her, you can get a pair of socks that match her interests.

Does she have a pup? Get her a pair of adorable dog socks. There’s a sock pattern for virtually everything in the world. Just avoid the typical winter sock patterns, and this can be a very thoughtful gift.

Perfect for: The woman who’s impossible to buy for.

#12 – Succulent Plants

We all know that one gal who loves plants but can’t seem to keep them alive. The last step before giving her an artificial ficus is a 5-pack of fully rooted succulents by Plants for Pets. These little guys need very minimal watering, indirect sunlight, and nothing else.

Perfect for: The woman who kills house plants like it’s her job.

#11 – A Door Security Bar

I mentioned this one in my last list, but it’s so good it’s worth repeating. The Master Lock Door Security Bar works best as a gift if you give it to someone you’re close to (or at least related to). I’ve used this club to keep uninvited maintenance workers from waltzing into my apartment for years. It’s never let me down.

Perfect for: Any woman who lives alone.

{Psst, are you a single woman who’s not thrilled about that status? Check out my FREE e-course below}

#10 – An Audiobook Subscription

If you know a woman who has a long commute or who loves to read, but never has the time, give the gift of an audiobook subscription. Scribd is by far the best audiobook subscription service I’ve ever found. For a flat monthly fee, you get as many audio and e-books as you can handle.

Perfect for: The woman who loves to read but can’t find the time.

#9 – Christmas Ornaments

Like the snuggley socks idea, this is super easy to personalize. Is she a bookworm? Get a stack of books ornament. Does she love to run? Get her a runner’s ornament. If all else fails, you can always get an ornament with her name on it.

Perfect for: The woman who loves Christmas.

#8 – A Luxury Blanket

You just can’t go wrong with a warm, winter blanket. Go for something really plush and cruelty-free, like this Pinzon Faux Fur Throw Blanket.

Perfect for: The woman who always says she’s cold.

#7 – A Copy of Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own

Kate Bolick’s brilliant book,  Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own is required reading for every single woman, whether she chose the solo life or the solo life chose her.

Perfect for: The woman who’s flying solo.

#6 – A Planner

Staying organized is a challenge when you’re a working woman. Make your solo friend’s life a little easier with a Panda Planner (Daily Planner, Calendar and Gratitude Journal). This cute little office tool is sort of like a pre-filled bullet journal. If you know someone who likes keeping her life in order but doesn’t have time to journal, Panda Planner will be a welcomed gift.

Perfect for: The woman who’s always on the go.

#5 – A Mug Heater

Where has this been all of my adult life? This simple little mug warmer will keep your coffee or tea mug warm while you work.

Perfect for: The woman who loves her cup of joe.

#4 – A Toaster Oven

The thing about cooking for one is you really don’t need to heat the entire oven. I cook every meal in the microwave or the toaster oven. And let me tell you, I seriously love my toaster oven. It makes solo cooking so much more efficient.

Perfect for: The woman who loves to cook.

#3 – A Food Subscription Box

As I mentioned, I’m getting better about cooking lovingly for myself. But not every single woman has time to come home and prepare a meal for one. That’s where you come in with a food subscription box.

Perfect for: The woman who hates to cook.

#2 –  Some Singles Swag

I did a review of the Singles Swag subscription box earlier this year, and believe me when I tell you some of my single friends are getting Singles Swag for Christmas. What makes this such a great choice is it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Choose from a regular or petite box and monthly, 3 months, or 6 month subscription packages.

Perfect for: The woman who loves nice things.

#1 – A Monogram Door Hanger

Single ladies, no matter how enlightened we are, still tend to see themselves as half of a whole. Remind your solo friend that she’s enough all own her own by putting her name up, loud and proud. This metal sign from AJD Designs says “You’re kind of a big deal.”

Perfect for: The woman who needs a confidence boost.

Thanks for Reading!

Did you find anything helpful on this list? Anything I should add? Let me know in the comments below.

Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own is written by Kate Bolick. It’s categorized as Social Science—Feminism & Feminist Theory, but it’s more than a sociological text. It’s a biographical, autobiographical, literary theory, and psychology text. Spinster asks the question, “What does it mean for a woman to truly live her own life?”

This question comes on a very long history of women sacrificing their own wants and desires to fulfill the needs of their children, husbands, parents, and society. In the past, accepting a marriage meant becoming a mother—something that would either end or limit a woman’s career. Bolick’s book shows that many spinsters might have been happy to marry (and some ultimately did), but refused because they were unwilling to subjugate their lives to the lives of others.

In modern American culture, women can marry and retain their rights, money, and careers. We can choose not to have children. What, then, is a modern spinster? Bolick weaves her decades-long search for the answer in with the lives of five female writers who chose spinsterhood over marriage.

{No spoilers, but I highly recommend this book! So expect to see some affiliate links in this post. You can read my affiliate links disclaimer here.}

The American Spinster’s Thoughts on Spinster

Normally, when people say a book “gives the reader a feeling of intimacy,” I read, “The author flung her most private moments onto the page in a crass manner, hoping to sound salacious.” That’s definitely not what happens in Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own. Yet the book was truly intimate. By the time I’d finished it, Kate Bolick might have been a close friend I’d grown up with.

She skillfully introduces her relationships (sexual, platonic, and familial) alongside the biographies of the literary spinsters who’ve influenced her. It’s not just a historical, nonfiction account of women who pioneered the spinster life in the United States. It’s also an account of how the author responded to their work and their lives. The result is an intimate, informative, thought-provoking look at the innate desire to truly be oneself.

Should you read Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own?

Throughout the book, Bolick deals with what she calls “the spinster wish,” which is “shorthand for the extravagant pleasures of simply being myself.” She struggles to understand why she isn’t happy being in a relationship with a man who seems like her perfect match. A man she’s in love with. Time and again, she turns to her group of five spinster writers from the 19th and 20th centuries.

This book is perfect for anyone:

• Interested in women writers, feminist theory, or women’s history
• Struggling  to live on her own, financially or emotionally
• Living in, or thinking about living in, a living-apart-together relationship
• Harboring a secret “spinster wish”

Even if you don’t see yourself as a spinster (or even single), it’s still an inspirational look at, as Bolick writes, “holding on to that in you which is independent and self-sufficient, whether you’re single or coupled.”

 

Looking for other great books about the solo lifestyle? I’ve got a whole library.

One of the books on my spinster book list is Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone, by Eric Klinenberg. If you’ve wondered whether or not it’s worth adding to your own library, here’s my take on it.

{Because I enjoyed and recommend this book, this post contains affiliate links. Please read my affiliate links disclosure here.}

What’s Going Solo by Eric Klinenberg About?

Going Solo is a nonfiction book that examines, as the subtitle suggests, the fact that more people are living by themselves these days than they ever did in the past. Klinenberg uses statistics and anecdotes to take a pretty deep look at the issue.

Going Sadly Single?

Overall, this is a well-balanced, well-written book about the trend toward living singly.  In my opinion, despite the largely positive introduction, the book takes a relatively neutral–if not slightly pessimistic–view on the issue.

At certain times the author seems to conflate living s solo life with living a life of severe social isolation. Klinenberg does recognize the distinction between the two in the book. Still, he devotes a lot of time to stories of people who either ‘went solo’ without really wanting to or who simply isolated themselves.

My Take-Away from Going Solo

In the end, it’s a pretty balanced book. The introduction made me think it might be more of a champion for living solo, or offer some practical steps to living alone in a healthy way, but that’s really not what this book is about. Klinenberg saw this trend and decided to explore it, and he does so very well. He doesn’t shy away from the fact that a lot of people are living alone not because they want to but because they’ve found themselves in that situation.

But he does also examine things from the pro-solo community. He also glances at the fact that in some cases the compulsion to be isolated–rather than the choice to live singly–may be the cause of much of the unhappiness about living alone.

Should You Check It Out?

I’d recommend reading this book if you’re interested in:

• The difference between living solo and living in isolation
• Learning more about living singly
• The surprising trend toward solo living and what might be causing it
• How living alone affects people and society

Even though it wasn’t quite what I expected when I picked up the book, it was well worth the read. A few of Klinenberg’s writing quirks stood out to me, but nothing that seriously distracted me from the overall message. This is by far the most comprehensive book on the topic of single living I’ve found.

Where to Buy Going Solo by Eric Klinenberg

If you’re not ready to put down the cash, support your local library by borrowing this book. If you’d rather underline, dog ear, or highlight the pages, you can order a copy through this nifty affiliate link. Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone

Please note: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Have you read Going Solo? What did you think about it? Let the solo community know in the comments.

Typically when you think of a list of books for single women, you imagine a list of books about how to secure a mate. Of course, at The American Spinster, that’s not going to happen. So instead I’ve created a much-needed list of the top five books to read if you are – or wish to be – a happily single woman.

These books empower, educate, and inspire you to live your best single life. The un-ranked list includes nonfiction narratives, histories, self-help, and even a badge book. So without any more ado, here are my top five, must-read books for single women.

Because I so highly recommend these books, this post contains affiliate links. Please see my affiliate links disclosure here.

1. You Are A Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life, by Jen Sincero

While not aimed at women particularly, Jen Sincero’s Badass books should be required reading for every single and/or childfree female. You Are A Badass is a no-nonsense pep talk from an author who’s part comedian, part inspirational drill sergeant. You will be Sarah Freaking Connor after you’re done reading.

The best part is that Sincero was in her forties before she started getting her life together. And now she’s raking in the dough and traveling the world as a best-selling author. As she says, “If I can do this, anyone can.”

You Are a Badass®: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life

2. Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own, by Kate Bolick

Right from the introduction, you can tell Bolick’s book is going to be an entrancing exploration of the beauty of singleness. Filled with history, narrative, and a captivating writing style, this is the handbook for single, childfree women.

Spinster: Making a Life of One’s Own

3. Yes Means Yes! Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape, by Jaclyn Friedman

This is an example of a book that delves boldly into the dark and emerges triumphant, inspiring, and empowering. Rather than focusing on the bare minimum of consent, this book takes “yes” to a new level.

Yes Means Yes!: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape

4. All The Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation, by Rebecca Traister

Sometimes you’ve got to know where you’ve come from to appreciate where you are. Traister traces the rise of singledom and offers some satisfactory explanations for why women are choosing to remain single longer.

All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation

5. You Can Do It! (The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls), by Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas

I found my first copy of this book when it was discounted to a dollar. Because it’s hard to go wrong at that price, I bought it. Then I went back and bought the rest of them and gave them out to my best female friends. True story.

You Can Do It!: The Merit Badge Handbook for Grown-Up Girls

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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Have you read any books on this list? Are there any other must-read books for single women that I missed? Let me know in the comments below! While you’re at it, check out The American Spinster’s list of Top 5 Books for the Childfree Lifestyle.

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