Last Minute Gift Guide for Men
For those of you who have yet to complete your holiday gift shopping, I’ve put together a last minute gift guide for my fellow procrastinators. The last thing you want to do is run out and waste your hard earned money on something your loved one doesn’t want or need, so based on many, many hours of editing closets and shopping this year, I’ve come up with a few things that I know will be both functional and appreciated.
A winter hat and scarf
This may seem like an obvious or boring gift but let me just tell you – I’ve seen way too many men this winter who have the handsome over coat, the custom suit, the Italian leather shoes, and then when the chill hits them they throw on a cheap, ill-fitting beanie that ruins the overall look. Also I notice that men wear winter hats that are too small for their head. It’s so strange. So get your man a cashmere knit hat that fits and a matching or complimentary scarf. Check out my choices HERE.
Custom Suit, Sportcoat, Shirts or Tuxedo
I always think the best gift is something that the person wouldn’t buy for themselves, so if they are already on the custom bandwagon then skip this, but if he has yet to delve into the world of custom this will be a treat. Surprise him with a gift certificate to a custom atelier and it will rock his world! There are so many to choose from in the city but I have a few favorites and the right one really depends on his style and budget. A few of my favs are Ian Rios New York, Sebastian Grey and Michael Andrews. But feel free to shoot me an email at [email protected] to ask me which one is right for you before you dive in.
An Amazing Winter Coat
You’ll be miserable in New York if you don’t have a good quality, good looking winter coat. If your man is walking around town in something old and ratty or something that he also wears to ski in then a winter coat will be a great gift. This is something that is so worth the investment. Here’s a LINK to my blog on winter coats. A few of my favs are Canada Goose, The Cornieliani ID jacket and Alps & Meters – you can see them all HERE.
Something to Look Forward To
If you’re coming up blank because theirs is literally nothing he needs, get him an experience you can both enjoy together. Tickets to a concert, tickets to a show, airfare for a surprise vacation (you can figure the details out later) cooking lessons, a mixology class -- sometimes the best gift is being able to put something on the calendar that you’re both really excited about.
Socks – Yes I’m serious!
Ok Socks sound like a bit of a joke as a Christmas gift or stocking stuffer, much like the infamous Christmas tie, but fun socks are still going strong in menswear and allow guys to add a bit of whimsy to their outfit, especially if they wear a suit and tie to work and don’t have much of a chance to show their personality in their daily wardrobe. Hot Sox are always fun and if you want to pimp out his sock drawer while saving the plant at the same time then check out Conscious Step.
A Major Confidence Boost
Ok this is shameless self-promotion but I honestly think this is an excellent gift for men or women (if I wasn’t a stylist I would love this gift!). Most men don’t love to shop, don’t think about what to wear to an important event until the night before then panic about it, and generally, while they want to look good and pulled together on a daily basis, they just aren’t quite sure how to achieve that desired look or how to find time to dedicate to it. That’s where I come in – first I edit their wardrobe and evaluate what they already have, then I shop for them in advance, they just meet me to try on and buy what they like, and finally we meet again to put all the looks together, take pics and I send them a digital lookbook so they know what to wear, how to wear it and when. I make it really easy and surprisingly fun. You can do a Sort, Shop & Style or a Year of Style. Gift cards available all this week. Just sayin’
Smitten Films
This gift is really for the whole family but, imagine someone coming in and taking charge of all you iPhone photos of your kids, photos in the Cloud and all those sports and school pictures that you’ve been meaning to corral into a photo album or turn into a photo book, not to mention all your random videos that are taking up storage space on your phone. Then imagine turning all that chaos into a beautiful film that you and your family can watch and keep forever. That is the genius behind Smitten Films. This is definitely a gift for both of you but it will be such a relief if you get your family a gift card for this amazing service this holiday season.