best holiday gifts | The Style Guide

Alright, we made it to Friday — raise a glass! Or crack open a cold one and kick back. It’s the welcome end to a long week here in NYC, one that caps off a busy five days of work following my latest Style Guide trip to celebrate a Florida Thanksgiving with my family! It was a long weekend complete with an amazing Thanksgiving meal, plus many helpings of leftovers in the days following. I even got some shopping done for Black Friday — you can check out my Instagram in the coming days for more in that regard. And why should you follow along on Instagram, exactly? Well, I’m heading back down to Florida this weekend to visit my sister for the 97x Next Big Thing music festival in lovely Tampa Bay! I’m excited to hit the road tonight to take in a great, great weekend of live music featuring some seriously fun, seriously powerful bands (many of whom I’ve had the chance to see in and around NYC as of late!).

That includes the festival’s two main headliners, The Lumineers and Paramore, along with other highly enjoyable groups like Canadian pop-rockers Arkells, New Jersey’s own Bleachers, the always-fun MisterWives out of NYC, groovy indie rockers Portugal. The Man and upbeat dance rockers Saint Motel! That’s just the tip of the iceberg, though. It promises to be a sunny, fun weekend in Florida — I couldn’t be more excited to once again break out some warm weather style essentials, just as in past road trips to Florida, and it’s certainly a treat to embark on another Style Guide road trip centered around stellar music. Now, I know we can’t all be so fortunate as to head to warm weather every weekend … if you’ll be battling chilly temperatures, I’d recommend a stylish pair of boots like the Nisolo Andres Boots,our most recent Style Pick of the Week here on the blog. And if holiday shopping is in the cards for you — as it should be — then you’d do well to check out this site’s picks as to the best gifts for men. But more on that very, very shortly. For now, you can join me on Instagram to follow along with all the fun this weekend, and you should stick around tomorrow to check out our next Style Pick of the Week. Alright, now it’s off to catch my flight!

OK, folks — have we got a heck of a deal for you. Launching today (that’s December 1st), the good folks at Nisolo — of Andres Boot fame — are offering a men’s holiday gift bundle and an equally stellar women’s holiday gift bundle that you’re not going to want to miss. Now through December 24th, customers (that’d be you!) can spend $35 to get $250 worth of shopping credit at “bundle” brands — in short, we’re talking five brands and five gift cards good for $50 at each brand. What’s in store at each brand? Well, we’ve got rugged outdoor gear from United By Blue, beautiful bags from ONA, high-quality tailoring from Ledbury and stylish men’s boots from Nisolo, among other highlight in the men’s gift bundle. Seriously, what’s not to love about that? Again, you can get the men’s holiday gift bundle and the women’s holiday gift bundle (for yourself or someone else!) through December 24th.
Wearing a casual T-shirt this holiday season doesn’t have to be sloppy. Over my Thanksgiving trip to Florida, I found myself reaching for a Barking Irons tee time and again, featuring soft fabric and a retro fit. If that sounds good to you, you might want to pick up the “War Is Over” Tee from Barking Irons, or one of the brand’s other sharp graphic tees. They’d make a great gift for the guy who appreciates standout casual style, too.
Let’s talk a bit of grooming today on the blog, and specifically, how to keep your teeth in prime shape during the holiday season. Between red wine, chocolate, craft beer and more, keeping your teeth white can be a tall order. So, I’ve been testing out LusterPremiumWhite and the brand’s PowerWhite Deep Stain Eraser Flouride Toothpaste (courtesy of the brand) these past few weeks, and I truly can’t recommend the brand enough! It even helped me soar through my last dentist appointment with flying colors (well, sort of). Grab a tube now.

And with that, I say goodbye until … tomorrow!

Enjoy the weekend!

-Beau

Editor’s note: Need more shopping help? Check out the Women’s Style Holiday Gift Guide.

OK, so it’s very quickly bearing down on us now — Christmas is coming, and if that’s something you desperately need to shop for at this point, The Style Guide has you covered. We’ve already talked about how to dress for your holiday party and what to buy her this Christmas, but what about … what to buy him? Him being your dad, brother, father-in-law, significant other — you get the picture. If you’re still shopping for that perfect gift, you’ve come to the right place. Again, a thoughtful gift personalized to the recipient trumps anything on this list — but if there’s some crossover between the two, that’s all the better. Yessir, the good folks at Huckberry have a bevy of picks for everyone from the #menswear fan to the spirits aficionado. For more gift guide action, check out what my friends at The Manual & GearMoose have to say. And weigh in on the below picks via the trusty comments section, or check out style shopping inspiration on Instagram. More importantly — shop on, and good luck!

#Menswear: Lanona Shoe Co. Academic Boot — $298

A hard-wearing boot for the menswear fan in your life.

Did you snag a pair of the durable, rugged and Huckberry-exclusive Academic Boot when it was featured in this site’s rugged fall style ensemble? Yes? No? Thought about it? If you know a guy on your list who loves tough boots for inclement weather, this sturdy, stylish pair from Lanona Shoe Co. is the pair to buy. Consider it a big gift from Santa to supplement smaller gifts, perhaps. They’re a pair of boots to be worn with a classic chambray shirt and slim denim, plus a shawl-collar cardigan … then again, you won’t know unless you buy a pair for yourself too, right? (Wink, wink).

Watches: Luminox P-38 Lightning Chronograph — $379.98

Equal parts rugged, durable and essential for any watch fan.

Why put this reliable-as-heck, handsome-as-all-get-out P-38 Lightning Chronograph in the “Watches” category as opposed to another menswear option? Well, plenty of us love collecting stylish watches, and if you know an aficionado, watches are a bit of a devotion. It’s a good thing that this Luminox timepiece as sold by everyone’s favorite retail site (that’s Huckberry, duh) is in a league of its own. It’s Swiss-made, with the precision to keep exact time and the durability to pass everything from special forces to diving tests.

Home Goods, Part #1: Southern Lights Electric Original Bell Jar Table Lamp — $89.98

I love lamp. Yes, this lamp.

So, fear not — that’s indeed a lamp listed on this here gift guide. But not just any lamp. If you’ve got a guy in your life — say, a bachelor who could use some home design help *raises hand* — the Original Bell Jar Table Lamp is an interesting option to consider. It features an exposed Edison-style bulb at its center, not to mention that handsome, old-time aesthetic plenty of us crave in our home layouts. The solid wood base is manufactured in Nashville, while the name plate itself is silk-screened by hand. And the end result? A stylish, handsome table lamp to add some class to the recipient’s home, apartment or office.

Home Goods, Part #2: Norden 3-Candle Box Gift Set — $84.98

A masculine, subtly stylish candle set for the guy with an eye for design.

We’ve got another unique gift offering in the home goods department for y’all here. Candles are a somewhat unlikely present but again, if you’ve got a guy with a space that could a bit of TLC, look no further. Norden makes its finely crafted candles with sustainability in mind — the ceramic vessel carrying said candle can be washed out and re-used. Plus, the ceramic containers are a subtly stylish way to add a bit of visual interest to the lucky gift … getter’s apartment or home. And of course, each candle makes use of a unique, outdoors-y scent.

Accessories: Woolrich Rough Rider Blanket in Multi — $79.98

A great-looking blanket from a company that knows a thing or three about making ’em.

We’ll stick with the theme of well-made, premium pieces to upgrade your living space for this great Woolrich blanket. Items like these can be thoughtful touches to spruce up a couch or chair, and this particular blanket does a nice job at sticking with classic colors reminiscent of fine menswear. So, it’s but another option to supplement other gifts you might give. Oh, and Woolrich has been making blankets since the Civil War, so you can’t top ’em.

Spirits & Libations: Whiskey Peaks Rocks Glasses (Set of 4) — $69.98 OR W&P Design Homemade Gin Kit — $44.98

Know someone who loves a well-made drink? Here are your gift picks, folks.

Let’s say you’re buying for your father-in-law? Often tricky, right? And let’s say said father-in-law loves a good drink — I’d say you can’t go wrong with the neat, entirely unique set of Whiskey Peaks Rocks Glasses, or the even cooler W&P Design Homemade Gin Kit. The gin kit allows you to turn one bottle of vodka into your own blend of gin, complete with all of the ingredients needed to do so — including a secret botanical blend from W&P Design. Oh, and the Whiskey Peaks glasses? Talk about a one-of-a-kind offering — each glass features a raised impression of a different, famed American, well, peak. It’s a neat home design piece and a welcome way to enjoy your whiskey, all in one.

If you’re looking for more gift ideas here, we’ve reached the end of this year’s gift guide. Hopefully, you got some inspiration? And knocked out a few choice picks? Subtly stylish gifts like a beautiful Woolrich blanket or a one-of-a-kind table lamp are truly unique items to give this holiday season — and hey, who doesn’t love a stylish watch or an investment-worthy pair of rugged leather boots? If you’ve got someone on your list appreciates the finer things in life, premium whiskey glasses are just the ticket — and it gives you a reason to enjoy a glass with them, right? Got questions on what to gift in the days to come? Just shoot me a note on Twitter and we’ll set you right.

What will you be buying and gifting this holiday season?

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Men’s Style Holiday Gift Guide