Türkiye has always been a thriving hub of technology and fashion, where modernity and tradition meet and are equally passed on and valued. While Türkiye has always been on the cutting edge of technology it also has a strong connection to all things retro, earthy, and hippy. Not only do some of the best gift ideas in Türkiye have added sentimental value, in that they are actually old, but many are also extremely stylish and practical.

Top 10 retro gifts

Fabulous flowing fabrics: Türkiye is revered for its "Şile Bezi," which is a type of 100% cotton that is thinly woven and cut into flowing designs and painted in pastel tones with natural dyes. These shirts are extremely practical and stylish and are an affordable and unique gift option from Türkiye for men and women.

Stylish şalvar: The ever-so-comfortable "şalvar" pants, which looks like a long skirt as the dividing line is long, may have recently risen to fame as a fashion item from these parts of the woods, but they have actually always been around and were once considered so commonplace it would be snubbed as a gift. This is because şalvar pants are also what women wear when they do gardening or any sort of movement that requires flexible motion. The rule of thumb could be: buy a şalvar from Türkiye, but not for a Turk.

Colorful socks: Another item that I have never understood why is not worn by anyone and everyone that has ever seen them is the ever-so-colorful handwoven socks, hats and neck warmers sold by nomads at farmers markets and tourist shops. Referred to as "yörük çorabi," they are the most colorful and, in my opinion, beautiful socks I’ve ever seen. Granted that said, woven from pure wool, they are a bit itchy, but they are so colorful they could also make a great accessory to hang up on the wall.

Time-telling has no limits: While the appeal of watches is nearing extinction, hear me out as the time-telling apparatus’ here in Türkiye will probably never go out of style. First and foremost, Türkiye is the first and only place I have seen a proper pocket watch. This is because, in the historical antique section of the Grand Bazaar, you can actually see the originals and replicas of these types of historical watches. Meanwhile, other less authentic tourist markets may also have colorful plastic clocks that are replicas of mosques and have a prayer ring at the top of the hour.

Playing tavla like a Turk: It could easily be said that backgammon, aka "tavla" in Turkish, is the country’s unofficial national sport. Everyone here owns their own backgammon set and if not, they certainly know how to play it. But what’s interesting is that the stunning and colorful mother-of-pearl inlay varieties with velvet-lined pockets are not the game of choice for any seasoned player. In fact, many a Turk might scoff at that type of backgammon board as not only do they tend to be smaller but they also tend to make less, if any noise.

Now to any reasonable mind, this would sound great, not only are they beautiful and compact, but they also prevent the loud sounds of dice and chips smashing down onto the traditional unlaquered wooden board. Well in Türkiye, it is those sounds that make the game exhilarating, and taking away the elements that allow for the speedy and noisy exchange just does not make sense. Turks also don’t use a cup to roll the dice. Instead, Turks prefer a plain wooden backgammon set with smaller-sized dice that they can set up on an elongated spin and still read the dice.

Engraved bracelets: From puzzle rings as engagement or wedding rings to gold bracelets as gifts from family for either of such occasions, there is a lot of sentimentality placed on jewelry here in Türkiye. One of the most sentimental gifts one can give or receive is to have an engraved bracelet or necklace with your own, your betrothed or both engraved upon it. Now here me out: This was actually all the rage here in Türkiye well before Carrie Bradshaw of "Sex and the City" began sporting her name written out in cursive in the center of her necklace. In Türkiye in the premillennial, silver chain bracelets were the design of choice and it would have name tags where an individual’s name was written out in handwriting or printed letters.

Shaving sets: One of the lesser-known joys of visiting male foreigners is to have the experience of having their beard trimmed and shaved at a Turkish barber shop. From the foamy soap and fuzzy brush to the sharp razor and cologne, now you can take that all home with nostalgic shaving gift sets that even include the original Arko brand shaving foam that people swear by.

Healthy soap: While these days finding cleaning and especially personal care products that do not include heavy metals and chemicals seems to be a new world challenge, here in Türkiye, using healthy soap and products with natural ingredients has always been a priority. This means that the "bıttım" soap for hair, apricot cream for our face, olive oil soap and so many more healthy products that seem like luxuries are and have always been essentials here in Türkiye.

Is it a wrap or a towel?: Hands down the best gift for anyone at any age is the "peştemal" and now hear me out. Not only is this 100% cotton wrap the first towel in history and has also maintained its original shape, but it also serves as a towel, a wrap, a blanket, a sheet and a tablecloth.

Historical shoes: Did you know Türkiye has an obsession with slippers? They have one pair for at home, another for outdoors and some even have a pair they travel with. This makes them an expert in the right material and shape for maximum health and comfort. For this, the historical Yemeni shoes, which now come in a variety of colors and textures in addition to the traditional leather, have remained a simple classic. Another steadfast classic gift from Türkiye is also the intricately woven summer leather sandals, where in Bodrum especially, the style was made famous by a belated and beloved cobbler.