• Cocktail and wine accessories are great gifts for a girl's 21st.Inti St. Clair/Photodisc/Getty Images
  
  For Americans, the 21st birthday is the first "big" one as it opens the door to bars, clubs, lounges and other adult-only scenes. As such, alcohol is the usual gift for men and women as they reach their 21st, but before handing over a fifth of vodka, there are many 21st gift ideas suited for women to welcome her to the drinking age.
  
  

Cocktail Dress

• Alcohol and drink accessories are the number one gifts for a gal's 21st birthday. However, clothing is also a "cocktail" accessory, though generally a forgotten one in terms of presents. Cocktail dresses are ideal gifts for a 21st birthday as the recipient is now finally allowed into clubs, cocktail bars and parties and therefore must start assembling her collection of cocktail dresses for such occasions. Cocktail dresses are knee length or above with solid dark colors at the most a very subtle print.
  
  

Shoes

• Along with cocktail dresses, fancy party shoes can be given to enhance the theme of a "night out." Only gift shoes if you know the shoe size and personal style of the recipient. Choose shoes based on whether she prefers heals or flats as not all women like to wear stilettos. Fancy ballet flats can be found that rival any stiletto in classiness.
  
  

Martini Glasses

• Fun flirty martini glasses are common gifts for a 21st as they will go into history as the recipient's "first." Specialty decorated or crafted glasses can be found for sale individually at many department or specialty gift stores. Glasses with decorated stems, painted, glittery, bejeweled or simple and sophisticated are all options.
  
  

Wine and Glasses

• Cocktails are the usual theme for a woman's 21st, however, a wine theme works just as well for women. Bottles of demi-sec, or semi-sweet, wine or classic wine glasses in a set of four are welcomed gifts for those just entering the wine world.
  
  

Wine Kit

• If others are giving gifts of wine, consider a wine kit complete with wine opener, stopper, thermometer and even a wine decanter. Wine racks or individual bottle holders are also possible gift ideas. Small items include delicate wine charms to claps around the stems of wine glasses or decorative coasters.
  
  

Cocktail Recipe Book

• Recipe books for cocktails or other mixed drinks are also possible gifts, as are wine manuals, beer guides, or history or travel books concerning the evolution of alcohol or different types of spirits and recipes around the world.
  
  

Martini Mixes

• Bottles of martini mixes never go unused and they can be a welcome addition to a home party wet bar. Margarita mix, cosmopolitan, lemon drop, sweet n' sour, hurricane and rum runner mixes can all be found at specialty grocery stores and liqueur stores. Gift large bottles or small bottles together in a gift basket with flavored margarita salts or cocktail toothpicks and umbrellas.