When looking for gifts for her, should you opt for pretty or practical? Or is it possible to find really good gifts for her that are both pretty and practical?

It's worth bearing in mind when looking for gifts for her that, even in these days of so called equality, lots of girls like pretty things. Smock tops are still going strong, probably because they enable us to feel pretty and feminine even when riding a bike, changing a light bulb or loading up the car. Pretty dresses are back in fashion too, though we might wear them with jeans or leggings for greater practicality now that we spend our time running up and down stairs and escalators and hopping on and off buses and trains rather than playing the piano in the parlour or perfecting our embroidery. Pinks and purples are still in fashion. Flower prints made a comeback in the summer. Butterflies and stars are popular on clothes and jewellery.

How exactly is "pretty" defined? Dictionary definitions include "attractive in a delicate way", "pleasing by delicacy or grace" "appearing or sounding pleasant or nice but lacking strength, force, manliness, purpose, or intensity". Hmmm. Intensity? But can't something (or someone) be intensely pretty (in a good way)? I think they can. And as for lacking purpose, well, we'll look at that more carefully in a minute and check out some gifts for her that manage to be pretty AND have a purpose.

They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Does the same apply to prettiness? The answer is yes, no, sometimes (but maybe not quite so much)! There is perhaps a slightly greater consensus on what "pretty" is. One person might find a motor bike or a tractor beautiful, another might find the same object hideously ugly but probably neither would say it was pretty.

Pink is always pretty, isn't it? Obviously black is not a pretty colour. Or is it? What about delicate black lace or little black bows?

Kittens are pretty, hippopotamuses are not. But hippopotamuses are magnificent creatures and some might even find them beautiful. And they are pretty big!

An old English proverb will have us believe that "prettiness makes no pottage". Pottage is an archaic word for soup or stew. Presumably this is supposed to imply that if a man wants to be well fed he should choose a down to earth girl as his partner rather than a flighty one who is more interested in admiring herself in the mirror than chopping up vegetables. Nowadays, of course, with all those scientifically tested face and body products and clever kitchen gadgets we have at our disposal, women have perfected the art of prettying ourselves up for a night out while the pottage is gently simmering on the hob, not to mention rocking the baby to sleep with one hand and applying eye liner with the other, while carrying out an important business transaction over the phone.

We also like to prove we can do the things that traditionally we had to wait for the men in our lives to do for us, like putting up picture hooks and changing a plug. Of course, screwdrivers and hammers are not pretty things. Or are they? What if they are pink? No, really! If you are on the lookout for gifts for her that really are both pretty and practical, the Pink Toolbox contains a pink hammer and a pink screwdriver (complete with interchangeable tips) plus pink pliers, a pink wrench and a great deal more!

Also amongst the pretty and practical gifts for her, you can find the Princess Telephone in electric pink which is fully operational with modern technology, including push button dialing and auto redial. The Kitten Mopod is a pink kitten that lights up and dances when her mobile phone rings so she need never miss a call again.

Spots may not be generally considered pretty (unless you are a leopard) but polka dots are pretty all right and the Pretty Useful Office Stapler has polka dots aplenty. It will certainly help her keep things together at school, college, uni, in the office or at home.

Bath hats and shower caps are not generally considered cool but when you're in a hurry and you can't afford to get your hair wet, they can be useful. The Raspberry Beret Shower Cap is pretty and practical. And it's pretty cool too.

Diamonds can cost a pretty penny and there are only so many best friends a busy girl has time to go out to play with these days so why not seek out gifts for her that are pretty, pretty useful and pretty good value into the bargain.