Tis the season to be bombarded by gift guides. But instead of doing a highly generalized, throw-everything-against-the-digital-wall mega post, we’ll be breaking it up by category and dropping multiple guides in the coming days. Gifts for the guy who likes watches. Or the guy who’s really into shoes. Or the Dad who makes time for style. We’ll cover all those, and hopefully a few more over the next week or so.
A crisp white pocket square is always gonna look good. But since he’s probably set on those basics, go for something different. Try something saturated, or in a wool fabric, or maybe a micro print.
Storing suits sans garment bags is asking for moth-trouble. Storing them in suffocating, cheap plastic bags is asking for rank saturation. Bags like these are the answer. Breathable but still dust and water resistant, with a plastic window that allows you to see just which suit you’re grabbing off the rack. Perfect.
If you’re a regular dress-shoes & socks wearer, try to avoid cotton socks. Feet sweat since most of us walk around on them with some regularity, and cotton doesn’t wick and regulate temperature like wool does. These new Bombas wool dress socks are slightly more cushioned than what you’d find at most department stores, who sling paper thin dress socks. Not so here. They’re not a super thick athletic sock. No sir. But they aren’t see-through thin either. And don’t be fooled by the pictures. They’re a true knee high with a cuff that locks in and keeps the sock from slouching. Shorter guys may even find them to be a touch too long. They fit my 5’10” frame and corresponding relatively proportional/maybe slightly shorter than average legs fine. Maybe a touch long, but nothing crazy. They feel great. Note that first time Bombas customers can use code COMFORT20 to take 20% off their first order.
Is it the sexiest gift? No. But wide shouldered hangers are gold, GOLD Jerry!… to a guy who loves to wear suits, sportcoats, and blazers.
Because often when in a suit, some of us will leave the billfold at home and switch to a slim card case and money clip. Cash is king. Cash is classy, quiet, and great for gratuity.
If the person you’re looking to give a gift to wears suits often, then they’re almost certainly in dress shoes often. And that means using a shoe horn. Made in Denmark from real horn sourced from Nigeria. And sheesh, for such a utilitarian piece, it sure looks great.
Sticky rollers are great for quick jobs or more casual clothes, but if he really likes his suits and sportcoats he might think twice before taking an adhesive roller to it. That’s where a clothes brushes come in. They’re specifically designed to lift dirt and hair out and up from a suit’s fabric without damaging the weave. Kent makes really nice clothes brushes. Shown above is an older model of the two sided (soft/stiff) bristle brush. Spendy? Yes. But he’ll have it for the rest of his life.
Something to wear with the topcoat that’ll be worn over his suits. Spier cares about their fabrics, and that’s really evident in their collection of reasonably priced scarves. Either 100% merino or wool/cashmere blends. No acrylic here.
Skip giving him cheap ties. If the guy on your list wears suits a lot… he knows where to get cheap ties. Instead, if he’s been extra nice this year, opt for a splurge tie. Like this classic, silk grenadine tie from Kent Wang. Solid in color but with that unmistakable texture. Made in Italy. And unlike cheap ties, the construction and quality/weight of fabric makes it tie easier, and drape better.
These are the duffel bags that are designed to unzip and unroll into a traditional garment bag. Perfect for transporting suits and sportcoats (and the accompanying shirts and shoes and what not) while reducing wrinkle risk. Available at many brands and at MANY price points, you can find a review of the (cheap!) Bespoke Post option over here.
There’s always something that can be tweaked just a bit better. A jacket to let out. A new coat to bring in a little. Shirt sleeves to adjust. And a lot of us are coming out of the pandemic with clothes that need to be let out or taken in.
Fingers crossed for a sale. Spendy if purchased solo, especially considering the extra shipping charge. But wearing a polo under a suit or sportcoat is kinda like wearing a turtleneck with a suit or sportcoat. Only you are totally not wearing a turtleneck with your suit or sportcoat. The turtleneck thing is an advanced style move that requires a lot of confidence of which not all of us possess. Polos are so much easier, and Tenet showed they look terrific worn this way. The CT long sleeve “smart” jersey polo is dressed up with it’s smooth cotton fabric, and the hidden button down collars are perfect for keeping that collar in line and away from drifting over the lapels. A size medium fits my 5’10″/185 lb frame almost perfectly. Just make sure to avoid the dryer with them. They can shrink up a little.
Quite an impressive handheld steamer. Some handheld steamers just flat out don’t do the job well. They spit water or hard water deposits, they’re awkward to hold, and/or the water reservoir runs out quickly. That’s not the case on any level with this super well made, easy to wield, plenty of water in the tank steamer. The dry cleaner can be terrible on suits, sportcoats, and blazers. The less trips there the better. So unless it’s soiled or it’s starting to stink, release the wrinkles with this and be on your way.
Why a gift card instead of just outright buying the shirt? Because of all the customization options the recipient will get to chose. Now available in three fits, sleeve lengths in half inch increments, and six different collar styles. The non iron fabrics are of particular note, with their silky finish. They’re just excellent. Production takes 4-5 weeks after ordering since they’re made-to-order.
Suits mean dress shirts. And dress shirts (usually) mean ironing. And nothing, NOTHING is more of a ridiculous *womp womp* then getting a favorite dress shirt out of the laundry, firing up your iron, and then spitting yellowish-stained hard water gunk all over the damned place. This Batmobile looking son-of-a-gun is the iron which attempts to solve that trouble. “Removable lime-scale collector and self-cleaning and Anti-Calc systems for easily maintaining high level of steam performance over time; works with tap water.” Good. GOOD! YES. PLEASE.
For the days when he wants to dress up but doesn’t want to go full suit. Perfect for winter and early spring. Total classics, and the side tabs make them super comfortable and he can skip the belt.
For when he gets home and wants to relax. Made in the USA from Horween Chromexcel leather. Genuine Handsewn Moccasin Construction. Italian Wool Plaid Lining. The opposite of cheap, gross feeling, department store slippers.
The Pick: Proman Products Excalibur Wardrobe Wood Valet Stand – $199
Great for the person who wants to get organized/set things out the night before. These things are increasingly rare but sure are handy. Amazon has some, but just make sure you get it fulfilled by them in case it shows up damaged, busted up, etc. That way you can easily send it back (don’t trash the box before inspecting/assembling). If you can find a cool vintage one, that might be the real bee’s knees.
A watch given as a gift can hold high significance. How can you not think of the person when you wear it and glance down to look at the time? Your giftee almost certainly already has a go-to, simple dress watch. So something slightly different could be a fun way to mix it up. Think: a simple dressy chronograph, or a watch with a different case shape. More suggestions for simple, suit worthy dress watches can be found here, as well as some more are mentioned over here.
A nice dinner out isn’t just about the food. It’s the good lighting, the good furniture, and the talent on display by those making the drinks and food for us. And it’s a great reason to dress up.
Want more gift guides? Head here for the soon to be growing archive of our 2022 gift guides.
Still looking great (and staying cool), without full formality.
BR Factory goes extra "extra..." and sound the new Nike Killshot Colorway Klaxon.
New additions to Nike's sale section. Christopher Ward runs a buy 2 get 1 free…
A lesser known Swiss brand is getting a sneaky 15% off. Divers, dress chronos, etc.
Because no one ever said: "Cool place. It's gross."
Wool Ludlow and Crosby suits down to $349. Haven't seen that in years.