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50 Cool Sweet 16 Gifts: 2025 Picks

Updated
Celebrate the young woman in your life turning 16. Read on for some great gifts that honor her milestone 16th birthday in the freshest way possible.

A sweet 16 birthday celebration is a special time in a girl’s life. It is the first formal party she gives that observes this milestone. She is becoming a woman, and if that prospect sounds scary to you, it may not scare you as much as what sweet 16 gifts you should give her.

If your 16th birthday was so long ago you can’t even remember it well, fear not. We’ve got you covered for traditional, modern, and unique sweet 16 gift ideas for the very special birthday girl that she’ll cherish for years to come.


50 Creative Sweet 16 Gift Ideas

Break out your party gear with these awesome sweet 16 gifts below for the teenager who is becoming a woman.

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Sweet Sixteen Wrap Bracelet

  • Beads For A Sweet 16

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Keepsake, Birthday

Bring this sweet sixteen keepsake into the life of the teenage girl you know and touch her heart. The wrap bracelet contains 16 delicate beads to represent one for each year of her life. The birthday message and cute jewelry will help bring a symbolic meaning into her life on her sweet sixteen and beyond.


Sweet 16 Socks

  • Sweet 16 Good Humor

  • $$$$$
  • Funny, Set, Birthday

This set of socks celebrating her 16th birthday will keep her laughing and keep her feet warm. The vibrant pairs of socks both feature fun birthday icons like a cupcake and gifts, with each containing its own message—“Sweet 16” and “Now That I’m 16 I Officially Know Everything.” She’ll love wearing the comfy socks around the house while showing off her brilliant sense of humor.


Sweet 16 Necklace

  • A Keepsake Memory

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Birthday, Jewelry

This sweet 16 necklace is made up of an elegant interlocking circle design that sits at the perfect length to wear anywhere. Certain sweet 16 gifts like this necklace are a wonderful way to give a beautiful piece of jewelry to the 16-year-old you care about. The unique design and precious gift box will make her feel extra-special on her big day.


Sweet 16 Birthday Set

  • A Sweet 16 Mini Spa

  • $$$$$
  • Set, Accessories, Birthday

This lighthearted gift set makes the perfect happy birthday to the teenage girl you know, celebrating her sweet 16. The set includes a 16th birthday tumbler that she can take anywhere with her, plus some helpful spa items like a bath bomb, shower cap, pumice stone, and a bath sponge. She can complete her post-birthday relaxation ritual with a scented candle. Her weekend recovery will be spectacular.


Homemade Molten Chocolate Cake Kit

  • Instant Birthday Cake

  • $$$$$
  • DIY, Birthday, Creative

When you want to give a little extra birthday cake for the 16-year-old in your life, give her this creative DIY molten chocolate cake kit that easily whips up into four delicious ramekins. She can have her cake on her birthday and then enjoy some more molten cake at the same time or anytime she needs some sweetness.


Awesome Women Book

  • No Boundaries

  • $$$$$
  • Books, Keepsake, Creative

This book of awesome women will inspire any 16-year-old well beyond her sweet 16 celebration. The book includes 200 stories of amazon women throughout history, from the worlds of science, politics, Hollywood, and more. These stories will give her the confidence and belief in herself that she needs to launch into her life as an awesome woman.


Lighted Makeup Mirror

  • Light Up Her Face

  • $$$$$
  • Accessories, Home, Creative

This light-up makeup vanity mirror is the ultimate in home accessories for a 16-year-old’s bedroom or bathroom. The mirror contains 16 LED lights and has multiple settings to suit her mood, like high-definition, normal, and clear light. She can even rotate the mirror up to 180 degrees to get the angle just right for her close up.


LED Marquee Letter Lights

  • Her Name In Lights

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Accessories, Creative

These popular marquee lights can be personalized to display the first initial of the sweet 16 birthday girl you know. She can choose from up to 16 colors and control the level of flash that the letter emits. You can even buy several of these if you want to spell out her whole name as a cool and unusual centerpiece to her sweet 16 party.


Inspirational Mantra Cuff Bracelet

  • Birthday Inspiration Time

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Keepsake, Creative

This cuff bracelet will motivate your favorite 16th birthday girl to great things. On the inside of the bracelet is an inspirational message that reads “Be Fearless In The Pursuit Of What Sets Your Soul On Fire.” The otherwise classic design of the bracelet will stay on her wrist through good times and bad, while it will always help her believe in herself.


The Driving Book

  • For Her Time Behind The Wheel

  • $$$$$
  • Funny, Books

Don’t let her 16th birthday party go by without giving her a funny and helpful book about getting her driver’s license. This book on driving includes “Everything New Drivers Need To Know, But Don’t Know To Ask,” along with entertaining yet instructive stories about driving scenarios that she will be sure to face once her license is in her 16-year-old hands.

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Sweet 16 Jewelry Box

  • Music To 16-Year-Old Ears

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Jewelry, Birthday

This thoughtful 16th birthday keepsake looks like a beautiful wooden jewelry box, but once opened, it reveals a musical box as well. The intricate trim and heartfelt gift message printed on the box makes this a special gift that will itself hold further treasures she collects in life. The musical component plays “You Are My Sunshine” and will let her know how much she means to you.


Sweet 16 Swarovski Bracelet

  • For A Pearly Girl

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Keepsake, Birthday

Give the customizable gift of 16 Swarovski crystal pearls to the sweet 16 teen in your life with this keepsake bracelet. The stylish design includes authentic pearls with a Swarovski birthstone pendant in the center that you can choose according to her birth month. The bracelet will feel personal and become a treasured part of her jewelry collection.


Teen Cookbook

  • Culinary Teen Creations

  • $$$$$
  • Books, Home, Funny

Bring some culinary skills to the life of a 16-year-old girl you know with this super easy cookbook for teens. As a beginner, she can learn 75 recipes that will build a solid foundation for more advanced cooking skills as she grows up. Teen favorites like chicken parm, pancakes, and ramen are all packed with flavor that she’ll love and love to learn to make even more.


Fire Tablet

  • Tech That’s Fire

  • $$$$$
  • Accessories, Birthday

A super-special gift for girls turning 16, this fully-loaded Fire tablet comes with an 8-inch display, 12 hours of battery, and is ready to watch all her favorite apps like Netflix, Hulu, and TikTok. The tablet is a surefire way to get on the good side of a daughter, granddaughter, or any teenage girl that would love to have a tablet to watch entertainment all to herself.


16 Years Poster

  • All The Days Of Love

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Keepsake, Birthday

When the teenage girl in your life receives this 16 years poster for her sweet 16, she will smile so much it may hurt. The classic black and white displays a “You Have Been Loved” message that lists the number of months, weeks, days, hours, and minutes that have made up the 16 years of her life that you and others gladly celebrate with her.


Crossbody Bag

  • A Purse For Everyday

  • $$$$$
  • Accessories, Creative

When 16-year-old girls are on the go, they’ll appreciate receiving this ideal crossbow bag as a birthday gift. The bag is a cute boho style with tassels that includes the perfect amount of space for all the stuff they need the most: cell phone, credit cards/money, lipstick, and mirror. She won’t be bogged down with big lumpy bags or lose anything in her purse ever again.


Sweet 16 Makeup Bag

  • Birthday-Themed Pouch

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Accessories, Keepsake

A friend who is turning 16 will love this fun makeup bag that is part keepsake and part everyday use pouch. A thoughtful birthday message will let her know how much you care, which may make her think good thoughts for you every time she uses this pouch for her makeup, small items, as a purse, or as a secret place for special things.


Sweet 16 Coffee Mug

  • Sweet 16 In The Morning

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Birthday, Accessories

This stunning stoneware coffee mug is a delightful keepsake that honors any teenage girl’s sweet 16. The beautiful floral design will fit into her life every morning and yet still remind her of her special day with a thoughtful birthday message for her sweet 16: “May You Always Dream Big And Cherish Every Amazing Moment.” Not a bad way to start the day.


Sweet 16 Picture Frame

  • Treasured Birthday Memories

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Keepsake, Home

This silver picture frame holds a photo of the birthday girl with her ones and contains a special birthday message beneath. A wonderful way to cherish the fun, meaningful memories of her sweet 16 is with 16th birthday gifts like this that keep those memories right in front of her at all times. She can rotate all her favorite party photos so everyone she cares about is represented in between the birthdays in her life.


Birthday Cake Candle

  • A Cake In The Candle

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Keepsake, Home

When the teenage girl you know wants to relive the deliciousness of her sweet 16 birthday cake, give her this awesome scented candle that will have her mouth-watering. The soy candle smells like the best delicious birthday cake batter, warm sugar, and vanilla. She will even find a surprise ring inside the candle as it burns down so birthday gifts need not end on the day itself.

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New Driver Keychain

  • New Driver Birthday

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Funny, Accessories

This keepsake keychain will send good thoughts her way as she learns to drive. The message “Be Safe / Have Fun” will stay with her on the road. Sweet 16 gift ideas that focus on the birthday girl becoming a new driver work well in the long run. This cute keychain will make a unique gift, especially if it happens to come with a car (car not included)!


Happy Birthday Cookie Gift

  • Sweets For Sweet 16

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Set

When you can’t be with the girl who is turning 16, send her the sweetest gift around—a gift set of scrumptious birthday cookies. This gift box contains 12 delicious chocolate-covered cookies with different toppings to add to the flavor and festivity of the gift. She’ll love having these sweet treats to keep the birthday celebration going.


Tuck Away Nesting Jewelry Box

  • Jewelry Hibernation

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Keepsake, Creative

This unusual jewelry box manages to re-work the way that teenage girls can organize their jewelry. The cool-looking wooden box made from bamboo is made up of several cubes that each hold a different type of jewelry. The box opens to reveal all the different spaces where the 16-year-old you know can always find her jewelry. She can enjoy her little secrets with the unique quality of this well-gifted home accessory.


Personalized Charm Necklace

  • Personalized Charms

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Birthday, Keepsake

Traditional gifts like this personalized charm necklace will always win big with your favorite sweet 16 birthday girl. The sterling silver necklace not only personalizes the bar-shaped pendant with her specific birthstone but also includes her name written out on the pendant itself. The keepsake will contain great meaning to her while she enjoys wearing it every day. The look of luxury that this pendant will continue to provide is most definitely priceless.


16th Birthday Makeup Mirror

  • Birthday In A Mirror

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Keepsake, Accessories

Something so practical as a makeup mirror can also prove to be a meaningful keepsake that honors the milestone birthday of a 16-year-old girl you know. This foldable makeup mirror has both a normal and magnified reflection so she can see all the detail whenever she goes. Plus, the mirror contains a loving, sweet 16 birthday message that will touch her heart no matter where it travels to.


Sweet 16 Shadow Box

  • Shadowplay Birthday

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Birthday, Home

This extra-special shadowbox is a thoughtful way to keep her favorite sweet 16 memories close by. The wooden box is an instant keepsake that commemorates the birthday of a 16-year-old girl you know. It can hang on her wall or be kept on a desk or table, and she can drop more small mementos inside or birthday cash. The shadowbox will slowly become personal to her and a reminder of her special birthday.


Birthday Cake In A Mug

  • Instant Birthday Fun

  • $$$$$
  • Set, Birthday, Creative

Everything your favorite birthday girl needs to have her own birthday cake in a mug comes in this fun birthday set, including the mug. All any 16-year-old girl needs to do is add a few ingredients and pop in the microwave. The set comes with some sprinkles and a birthday candle so the party can start without delay. The cute birthday mug even reveals a special “And Many More” message when it heats up.


97 Things Book

  • A Teenage Declaration

  • $$$$$
  • Books, Creative, Funny

This cool book of 97 things to do before she finished high school is one of those sweet 16 gift ideas that keeps on giving. The book is an entertaining and unique read, where 16-year-old girls can find the best new hobbies, activities, projects, and experiences that they never knew they were capable of. The book will inspire her to go for it all, even before her 18th birthday.


16th Birthday Signature Board

  • Everyone Leaves Their Mark

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Home, Birthday

This 16th birthday signature board will add to any sweet 16 party and remain a treasured keepsake long after the cake is eaten and the balloons pop. The print includes a “Cheers To 16” design that has blank space for her loved ones, family, friends, and guests to write their own birthday wishes to the coolest 16-year-old girl they know. She will keep this personalized print nearby so she can remember the awesome memories.


Personalized Sweet 16 Necklace

  • Her Personal Gemstone

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Keepsake, Birthday

This handcrafted sweet 16 necklace is the ultimate in sweet 16 jewelry. Perfect for a daughter or niece, the necklace can be customized by choosing a chain length, a particular gemstone, and even by adding the birthday girl’s name to the enclosed poem. The 16-year-old in your life will appreciate the detail and beauty of this gift, along with the very personal way you’ve helped make it her own.

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Watercolor Brush Pens Kit

  • For The Artistic Teen

  • $$$$$
  • Set, Creative, Accessories

Bring practical artistic tools into the creative arsenal of the 16-year-old girl you know for her sweet 16 with this watercolor kit. Unlike typical watercolor paints, this kit consists of 24 watercolor pens and a brush pen that creates soft detail using the addition of more water into the color mix. She can create spectacular landscapes and portraits with ease and less mess. You’ll be investing in her artistic side in the best way possible.


16th Birthday Tumblr

  • Birthday Drinks To Go

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Accessories, Keepsake

This practical 16th birthday tumbler will come in handy anytime 16-year-old girls need to take their beverage with them on the go. Whether they have a hot or cold beverage, it will stay heated or cooled to their liking. They won’t be able to resist the pretty rose gold look of the 20-ounce tumbler with its “Happy 16th Birthday” message that lets everyone know they’ve made it to their sweet 16 in style.


Gourmet Chocolate Gift Box

  • A Sweet Chocolate 16

  • $$$$$
  • Set, Birthday

The deliciousness of gourmet chocolate always gets top notices with 16-year-old birthday girls. This stylish chocolate gift box includes festive gift packaging and includes 16 different chocolate bars, one for each year. The bars are individually wrapped and feature unique flavors like uncured bacon and crunchy waffle cone. She can enjoy one anytime with the knowledge that they will remain fresh until she’s ready to try a new flavor.


Vortex Wireless Speaker

  • The Lava Lamp Of Today

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Creative, Accessories

Wow her while bringing some awesome visuals into her favorite sounds with this vortex wireless speaker. A Bluetooth speaker like no other, this speaker connects to any device while providing the most mesmerizing water visuals that light up in different colors to reflect the frequencies of the song. The dancing water looks like an audio-inducing volcano and will impress any 16-year-old’s most techie friends in an instant.


Happy Birthday Cookie

  • Cookie Time

  • $$$$$
  • Birthday, Set, Creative

There’s nothing as fun as sending a birthday cookie gift to your favorite 16-year-old girl on her sweet 16. This set of two big cookies are delivered super festive, fresh, and delicious. The vanilla sugar cookies are hand decorated with birthday cake and birthday greeting imagery. She won’t be able to decide whether to enjoy the cookie as art or eat it as a tasty treat. Luckily, there are two!


LED Laser Star Projector

  • Set The Mood

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Accessories, Creative

Give the 16-year-old girl you know the stars in any color she wants. This LED laser star projector easily converts any space into a multi-colored galaxy of nebula clouds and moving stars. She can turn any party or gathering into a celestial affair or just pretend she’s watching the Aurora Borealis from her bedroom. She won’t forget this gift, which will keep her mood pointed at the night sky.


Teen Baking Cookbook

  • The Oven Life

  • $$$$$
  • Books, Home, Creative

Give the 16-year-old baker in your life a wonderful starting point to up her baking skills with this fun teen baking cookbook. The cookbook is packed with easy-to-learn baking terms and tips for creating 75 sweet and savory baking-centric recipes in the family kitchen. She’ll love having this book in her arsenal and thank you for investing in her ability to bake treats for her college buddies one day.


Life Story Journal

  • A Teenage Scrapbook

  • $$$$$
  • Keepsake, Creative, DIY

With this life story journal, the sweet 16 birthday girl you love most can write down her memories, dreams, stories, and more. She can add photos of friends and events (including her sweet 16 party) and keep all sorts of mementos and items that form her life story so far. Her keepsake will grow with many other keepsakes used to help her remember the best times of her teenage years.


Fuzzy House Slippers

  • If Flip Flops Met Slippers

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Accessories

You can give the 16-year-old in your life freedom and comfort for her feet. This pair of unique fuzzy house slippers are formed like flip-flops but made with the toastiest fleece material that will allow her feet to breathe while keeping them warm. The comfortable non-slip soles will allow her to wear these beauties all day and night when relaxing at home. Comfort is key when you make it to 16, after all.


Sweet 16 Charm Bracelet

  • Her Heart Has Charm

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Birthday, Keepsake

A wonderful way to honor the milestone sweet 16 birthday for any teenage girl, this charm bracelet glitters with silver and features a unique lobster clasp design that holds a sweet 16-themed heart charm. The charm stylishly dangles from the bracelet just enough to make an impression on the world and remains a meaningful keepsake for her very important 16th birthday.

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Sweet 16 Birthday T-Shirt

  • 16 Years Of Calm

  • $$$$$
  • Funny, Birthday, Accessories

Add some style and humor to the clothing collection of a 16-year-old girl you adore with this fun, sweet 16 t-shirt. The shirt is pre-cut to look their best in ladies sizes and contains the popular yet focused message “I Can’t Keep Calm It’s My Sweet 16.” Whether she wears it to the party, to bed every night, or with friends, she’ll delight in the humor and excitement that came with her sweet 16.


Princess Style Jewelry Box

  • All The Jewelry Spaces

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Accessories, Jewelry

This practical, elegant jewelry box will help organize all the jewelry, baubles, and trinkets that any 16-year-old girl manages to amass during her 16 years. The beautiful compact design looks like a curvy mini suitcase from the outside, but once she’s inside, she’ll find three tiers of endless jewelry organization for rings, necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. You will be providing a safe, pretty place for all the sweet 16 jewelry she is sure to receive.


LED Neck Reading Light

  • Teenage Readers

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Creative

Some very special sweet 16 gifts are the most practical, like this LED neck reading light. The neck light is bendable, so it will keep teenage eyes healthy while they do late-night studying or when she can’t put down her favorite book. The reading light has multiple brightness settings, including a warm and cool light. She can put all the all-nighters she wants safely and enjoy all the books to come.


Michael Kors Wristlet

  • A Purse For The Wrist

  • $$$$$
  • Accessories, Keepsake

This stylish Michael Kors wristlet is a perfect choice in a sweet 16 gift for a teenage girl. She will feel less like a teen and more like a young woman when she carries around this monogram design purse that is ideal for carrying around her wrist. The zipper tops hold a cell phone, the contents of a wallet, and just enough to make any day out for a girl of 16 a better one.


7 Piece Pajama Set

  • All The Comforts Of 16

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Accessories, Set

Shouldn’t your gift to a 16-year-old girl bring her some comfort and relaxation after the party? This cute 7-piece pajama set has it all: a pair of pajama pants and shorts to choose from, a cami, a full pajama top, an eye mask for the best sleep, and a hair tie. All the satiny pieces come in a matching bag, making this the best kind of gift set for a girl who needs her rest.


Daughter Necklace

  • Mother-Daughter Love

  • $$$$$
  • Jewelry, Keepsake, Birthday

This sweet 16 necklace is perfect for a mother to give her daughter on her 16th birthday. The darling heart design sits on a 20-inch chain and contains the heartfelt message “Always Remember That I Love You You Are Braver Than You Believe Stronger Than You Seem Smarter Than You Think And Loved More Than You Know.” The birthday girl will know how much you cherish her every time she looks down to see it.


Moon Lamp

  • All The Colors Of The Moon

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Accessories, Creative

This awesome moon lamp will make a unique addition to a newly 16-year-old girl’s bedroom or hang-out space. The moon shape sits on a wooden base and can be controlled by touch or via remote control. She can turn her moon multiple colors depending on her mood and enjoy the warm ambiance that this cool piece of room decor will add to her world.


Teen Girls Survival Guide

  • Survival In The Sweet 16

  • $$$$$
  • Books, Funny, Creative

Send some survival tips to your favorite sweet 16 birthday girl with this teen girls guide to making it to the other side (adulthood). She will be both entertained and assisted by the helpful guide to creating and keeping friendships, making other connections, and being an authentic person. She will keep this survival companion until it’s time to ship off to college (and perhaps beyond).


LED Photo String Lights

  • Memories On A String

  • $$$$$
  • Home, Creative, Set

The teenage girl in your life will love remembering her sweet 16 party with this set of LED photo string lights for her bedroom. The whimsical lights also act as clips that hold 40 different photos over a 20-foot string. She can arrange the photos and lights on her wall in any pattern or design and switch out the photos as new memories are created. The end result is a beautiful wall of glittering memories.


Sweet 16 V-Neck

  • Sweet 16 Logo

  • $$$$$
  • Accessories, Birthday, Keepsake

This fun, classic v-neck t-shirt will fit the 16-year-old you know perfectly and keep her comfortable with its 100% lightweight cotton feel. The shirt has a sporty logo that simply reads “Sweet 16.” There’s no mystery message here…she made it proudly to her 16th birthday, enjoyed herself, and will love wearing this 16th birthday gift as a reminder of her coming-of-age birthday event.

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Sweet 16 FAQs

Are Sweet 16s Still Popular?

Even though attitudes towards sweet 16 birthdays are different than they originally were (as an indication that the girl was ready for marriage), this coming-of-age birthday celebration is still super-important to girls and their families. At this crossroads, she may be starting to solidify her dreams, build meaningful relationships, find her real place in the world, and overcome some challenges of her younger self. Why not celebrate how far she’s come with the best party possible (1)?

Why is It Called Sweet Sixteen?

The sweet sixteen celebration originated in the Victorian era when the focus was on that sweetest of years (16) when a young woman changed from being a girl to a woman who was eligible to be married. Times have changed, and so have traditions, but the 16th year of a girl’s life being thought of as a sweet and important milestone persists.

What is the Tradition for a Sweet 16?

Traditionally, a sweet 16 birthday party is part Quinceanera (15th birthday celebration in Latin culture), part Americana coming out party. She is presented to the world (or her friends) and is for the first time the host, along with her family, of her first formal party. Traditions depend on the girl herself—if she is a social butterfly, she may love all the pageantry and rituals, but if she is a quiet person, you may want to consider a small gathering of her closest friends in a home setting (2).

What is the Difference Between a Sweet 16 and Quinceanera?

A Quinceanera is a similarly-themed celebration that celebrates the Spanish and Latin traditions of a girl’s 15th birthday, which is typically when she is thought to go from a girl to a woman. The Quinceanera differs from a sweet 16 party the most because the Quinceanera centers around the tradition of a church mass. Also, the “court” of the queen’s friends and representatives are more formal than the gathering of friends at a sweet 16 party. The formality overall of the party themes, color, and festivities are more pronounced for a Quinceanera as well (3).

How Much Money Do You Give for a 16th Birthday?

There is no hard and fast rule for the amount of money you wish to give as a cash gift for a sweet 16 birthday. It could depend on your closeness to the birthday girl or how many other children are in your family, but a typical range is usually between $50 – $100, with some people giving upwards of $200 or more if the event calls for a more generous gift.

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About the Author

Maryana Vestic

Maryana Vestic is a Brooklyn-based writer, editor, and food photographer with a background in entertainment Business Affairs. She studied film at NYU, Irish Theatre Studies at Trinity College Dublin, and has an MFA in Creative Writing Nonfiction from The New School. She loves cooking, baking, hiking, and horror films, as well as running a local baking business in Brooklyn with her boyfriend.