1 – BUFFALO CHECK FLANNEL SHIRT, J.Crew, $79.50. Show me a boy who doesn’t look good in a red buffalo check and – oh wait. There’s no such thing.
2 – HIGHWAY MATCHES, Jayson Home & Garden, $8.95. Not that the red Strike-on-box matchboxes aren’t cool, but this is mo betta to look at. It’s the little things.
3 – HAND-STAMPED TIE BAR, Lord & Lady Co, $40. I’ve been told that every man needs a good tie bar… we love this one for its simple, classic design. Personalize it with your favorite guy’s initials.
4 – “CONCERT 1982,” One Kings Lane, $225 – $295. I feel like I would see this ultra cool framed piece nonchalantly tilted against the wall on the top of the mantle in some handsome, mysterious bachelor’s loft. But if the guy you’re shopping for doesn’t curate so well for himself, well, now’s your chance to help him out.
5 – BLUETOOTH TRACKING TAG, Uncommon Goods, $40. We count on Uncommon Goods to deliver only the most genius gifts, and this one is no exception. The rosewood tag comes with a companion app for your phone, so when you lose your keys for the 987th time (you can also attach to your iPad or anything else you always seem to misplace), the app will find ’em for you lickety split. On the flip, if you lose your phone but have your tracking tag, touch the alert button and voilà.
6 – THE BIG BAD BOOK OF BILL MURRAY, Urban Outfitters, $22.95. Because never has a funnier man ever lived. Like, ever.
7 – CLARISONIC ALPHA FIT SONIC CLEANSER, Sephora, $189. We’ll let InStyle tell it to ya: “To get specific, men’s skin generally tends to be thicker than women’s, and has a lower pH, meaning they could be more prone to breakouts. Because of the repeated motions created by shaving, men’s complexions also have a weaker barrier function and are more likely to lose moisture. The Alpha Fit caters to these needs with two targeted settings for both clean-shaven skin as well as full-on Lumbersexual beards, which effectively remove any buildup hiding at the roots of his stubble.”
8 – BLUE CHAMBRAY SKINNY TIE, Lord & Lady Co via Domino, $64.99. He’ll be channeling his inner Don Draper with this little ditty. And we all know panties go flying when Don Draper enters a room. See how that works out?? #everybodywins
9 – STRIPED WOOL BLANKETS, Green Island, from $198. Note the classic detailing with the slim stripes and the whipstitch and what-not. This bad boy ups the cozy and the effortlessly cool factor, big time. It’s so mountain man! Rawr. PS: discovered in Mountain Living Mag. Thanks, Lumberjacks!
10 – CUSTOM TAILORED DRESS SHIRTS, Indochino, $55 and up. Before I launched into Interior Design, I worked at med device giant Stryker – a testosterone-filled wonderland where the most handsome, down-to-earth, brilliant and athletic dudes on the planet all work. And so after awhile, I came to know one universal struggle boys face: their dress shirts NEVER fit right. Indochino is the anecdote: guys pick a style, send in their measurements and get a custom shirt in the mail. BANG. Also, take a look at this testosterone booster perfect to improve your body building skills.
11 – TEAKWOOD & TOBACCO CANDLE, Pommes Frites Candle Co via Lulu & Georgia, $18. I love the understated packaging of this almost as much as the fact that it’ll keep a dude’s place smelling more like a woodsy wonderland and less like the inside of a jock strap.
12 – MAN CRATES, $19.99 and up. What’s your guy into – Hunting? Fishing? Retro video games? Grilling? Beer-making? Whatever tickles his pickle, they’ve got a crate for that. Thissun’s fer huntin‘.
13 – TED BAKER GROOMING KIT, Dot & Bo, $33. Hey. Their cuticles & such need tending to, too. And in this handsome little travel case? I mean – who wouldn’t wanna trim their nose hair?
14 – MEN’S LOGO SWEATPANTS, Aviator Nation, $114. I know. $114 is steep for sweatpants. I said that too until I tried a pair on, and I now realize they’re worth every. single. penny. Honest to God the best &^$# sweatpants on the planet. And actually – think of them as $57, because you know you’re gonna wear them half the time anyway. Problem solved! PS sweet LORD does Smith Jarrod’s younger teenage totally legal twin come with ’em?
15 – CIGAR CUTTER, El Casco via One Kings Lane, $149. Function meets beauty. I feel like this is the male counterpart to our acrylic staplers and giant brassy-handled scissors and such – serves a legit purpose but like a work of art in and of itself.
16 – MALACHITE TUMBLERS, Dwell Studio, $25. Not that red Solo cups and/or washed-out spaghetti jars don’t make good drinking glasses, but these up the ante. Love that the malachite almost looks like faux bois. Again – it’s like Dick Whitman’s in the house.
17 – HUNTINGTON GEAR DUFFEL, Buxton via One Kings Lane, $79. Found: the perfect carry on / perfect weekender bag, pour lui.
18 – iPHONE PROJECTOR, Jayson Home & Garden, $60. “Modern technology meets vintage aesthetics… Show friends photos, project music videos at a house party, or watch a movie in bed.”
19 – SHINOLA MEN’S WATCHES, from $550. This pick is brought to you by former boss – a dapper gent with a mild case of Affluenza – but Shinola watches ARE the bomb. We promise your favorite guy won’t be mad if you get him one this year.
20 – HOUSE OF CARDS SEASON 1 DVD, Amazon, $14.99. Be warned, he might watch the whole season in one sitting. One of the best-acted shows to hit the tube in years. Frank & Claire Underwood somehow artfully manage to seem graceful while being disgraceful.
21 – DNA GENETIC TESTING & ANALYSIS, 23andMe, $199. This find we can’t take credit for – our favorite pro athlete sent it our way, noting: “…there’s this thing where you swab your saliva and it tells you everything- like who your ancestors are, what you should and shouldn’t eat, if you’re more susceptible to a terminal illness. Everything!”
Then he followed-up with THIS screen shot from a buddy of his who had purchased it for his mom & grandmother… I mean. Single tear.
22 – SUPERMAN UNDERPANTS, H&M, $12.99 $5. Does this one really even need a description?
23 – HANDCRAFTED LEATHER PORTFOLIO CASE No 18, Colonel Littleton, $150. I purposefully asked my most highfalutin guy friend with the snootiest taste – you know, the one who has everything and is impossible to buy for – what the best gift he’d ever gotten was. This was his pick – it was a gift from his father that he uses at work every day. Love.
24 – DRIFTWOOD CHARGING STATION, Celadon Home, $79. I’m always on the fence about cufflinks in the shape of bullets and equally borderline cheesy gifts for guys, but this is actually pretty cool.
25 – MOUNTAIN HAUS CANDLE, Haus Interior, $34. “A blue spruce needle and lavender base enhanced by the notes of cedar wood, patchouli and sandalwood” …because again – anything trumps the aroma of sweaty socks wafting from the direction of the laundry basket.
26 – GOLDEN ROLLING HILLS ROAD ARTWORK, Kevin Russ for One Kings Lane, $189 – $369. It’s not that our favorite fellas can’t decorate on their own, but it’s kinda like picking the restaurant so they don’t have to do all the planning guesswork… a little help never hurts. We love this 50’s-feeling open road shot of some remote highway out west.
27 – NEW APPLE TV, Apple, from $149. Apparently, it’s now all about the apps. “With the new Apple TV and its powerful new tvOS, developers are creating experiences that will change what you expect from your big screen, making your TV feel as personal as your iPhone or iPad.” …what they said.
28 – TEXTURED COTTON SHAWL COLLAR CARDIGAN, J.Crew, $128. Show me a guy who doesn’t look perfectly rugged and handsome in this modern-day, cozy hipster-version of a Werther’s Original original. Oh, right. There’s no such thing. #dilfsweatersorbust
xoxoxo!!
