Men's Fashion Gift Guide: Dos And Don'ts
Gift giving is a serious business during the holidays
, and it's an even graver matter when you're planning a present for a man. Guys, whether it's your boss or little brother, tend to look at gifts a little differently, so any gift giver has to be able to anticipate those factors. And if you're giving the gift of fashion this year - that is, any kind of garment or jewelry - it's an even bigger battle for you to face (and conquer) at the department store shelves.
Don't fear the generic gift. At least, not in the context of generic fashion. The generic gifts to avoid are the ones that you pick without thinking about whether or not the guy getting them will appreciate it. Votive candles, cheesy Christmas cards and last year's fruitcake are still as bad gifts as they ever were.
'Good' generic gifts from the style point of view are those items that you're sure your gift recipient can use and appreciate, without the specificity of a shirt size or a waistline. The generic (and fashion-conscious) gift giver is the one who buys a necktie instead of a belt, a handsome leather bag instead of a suit or an impressive leather desk blotter for a shirt.
By eliminating the factor of size, it's true that you make the gift somewhat more generic. In the same breath, however, you eliminate the chance that it gets stored indefinitely in a closet or - worse - re-gifted to someone else who wears the correct size. It's the ultimate win-win situation: you impress the recipient with your taste in fashion, but avoid the style faux pas of the wrong size or an ill-fitting garment.
Do invest in quality, especially if you're buying for someone important like a boss or an immediate family member. Chances are good that you can get away with a $10 bargain bin gift for, say, a co-worker or an employee under you. A superior or a family member, however, is a much more delicate - and investment-worthy - situation.
If you're going to follow that previous tip about buying generic gifts, you have even more reason to pay a little extra for quality. Gift items like toiletry pouches and neckties often seem cheap because they're cheap to begin with. Those gifts are relatively less costly than what you would otherwise have gotten, so put that extra budget to good use.
Going on the same vein, don't settle for so-so. Buy a silk necktie instead of those cheap polyester ones. Get a leather daily planner and not some random one you found at the corner stationery store. A branded scarf makes a better impression than the ones they sell en masse at Target. Yes, it costs more, but it'll be worth all those extra dollars if you're after the positive PR and goodwill that a useful gift creates with the recipient.
Do buy in advance, particularly if you're trying to save money on your presents. Since you're going to get some of the more generic gifts anyway, chances are good that the guys who receive them won't care - or even know - that they're not the latest in style or fresh from the men's fashion shows of Milan. Getting high quality at a good price takes higher priority than getting something that's in-season or a new arrival on the store racks.
Take advantage of the many sales, particularly the ones that happen around Christmas and Thanksgiving. Bags, neckties, pocket squares and leather-bound planners are the same all year round, so there's no difference between saving money in November and buying them last minute in December - except for the cost, of course.
Giving the gift of style for Christmas (or any occasion, for that matter) doesn't have to be confusing, nor do you have to spend a lot for branded goods. A bit of planning and a well-grounded fashion sense is all you need to make the right impression on the recipient.
by: Hendrik Pohl
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