If we had it our way this holiday season, we’d all be walking out to our driveways blindfolded to unwrap our very own Aston Martin DB9 with a giant red bow on top and Kate Upton sitting on the hood ready to show us how to do the Dougie. Unfortunately, gifts don’t always pan out so gloriously, hence the proverbial ugly holiday sweaters hanging in our wardrobe as vestigial reminders of uninspired gift giving.
So to save you from those awkwardly fake “Ohhhh…wow, I… love it” moments with friends and family these holidays, we’ve put together a list of stylish Black Lapel approved gift ideas that we know will win some real smiles from your college frat boy little bro or your old man. And remember, the best gift givers send a personal message with their gifts: Help your little brother man up for the real world with a straight edge razor; Nudge a sloppy friend sick with a serious case of Bad Fit Disease to dress better with a gift card to a certain awesome custom clothing company. You get the idea!
Without further ado, our 2012 Guide to Gift Giving:
This show just oozes with style. Gift this set to your girlfriend and don’t be surprised if she surprises you with a Black Lapel gift card by the end of Season 1. Everybody wins here. www.amazon.com
Ladies, if your man got you the Mad Men Season 1-4 DVD set, do him a solid and return the favor with equal parts style and equal parts selfish desire to turn him into a Roger Sterling clone. These can be sent in a nice shiny box (as pictured / coming soon) or as an […]
For the buddy whose apartment always has that slight unwelcoming cocktail of scents including one part mold, one part old pizza and two parts dirty socks. His future guests will thank you for it even if he won’t. www.ciretrudon.com
Women love beauty care. Women love samples. Birchbox sends a monthly box that combines the best of both worlds: beauty care samples. Finding a gift for your girlfriend, girl friends or girlfriend(s) used to be challenging until Birchbox came along. www.birchbox.com
A colorful accent piece for that dapper friend who is always one-upping everyone else with his colorful socks, snazzy bow ties and double monks. www.hookandalbert.com
Hate warm champagne and wine? Love cool, paradigm-shifting gifts? Get this for your friend who always serves you lukewarm white wine at her parties and then revel in everyone’s astonishment as you sip on the fruit of your genius gift. www.corkcicle.com
Get this as a sleek “man up” gift for that recently graduated little bro to prep him for the jaws of the real world. Include a copy of Sweeney Todd and replace the cover with “How To Manual”. www.baxterofcalifornia.com
For your stylish old man who prefers minimalistic elegance and that understated sprezz. Uniform wares makes simple yet stunningly beautiful watches that are bound to become a wardrobe staple and an heirloom… that’ll come right back to you. www.uniformwares.com
Everyone’s favorite irreverent celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain, comments on modern foodie culture in kickass comic book form. Your foodie friend will love it and you’ll love it when she treats you to sushi in return. www.amazon.com
Get this for your nephew who can’t seem to focus on his books for more than 10 minutes before turning on CoD. This “smart drug” packed with Alpha GPC as well as other natural brain-boosting nutrients is supposed to create razor sharp focus, boost creativity and increase mental drive. Whatever it takes to help him […]
For that friend whose always got ideas but never has the actions to back it up. For that family member whose always making excuses for not trying new things. For yourself, as a daily reminder that you will achieve your goals. www.holstee.com
Fuck Yeah Menswear: Bespoke Knowledge for the Crispy Gentleman ($13)
For that friend who takes menswear a little too seriously or not seriously enough. It also happens to be one of the wittiest and most entertaining menswear book we’ve read in a long time. www.barnesandnoble.com
The Black Lapel Light Charcoal Blue & Charcoal Blue Suits
what could be a perfect gift for my fiancee from black lapel collection
If you’re looking for a “can’t-go-wrong” gift for your fiance, we’d recommend our Solid Navy Suit as a great starting place!