Cupcakes and Cashmere

Holiday Gift Guide – For Men

December 9th, 2012

When Emily asked me to create a gift guide for men, I thought it would take about 5 minutes, since that’s pretty much how long it takes me to shop. However, the process was a little more challenging than I expected. I decided to focus on three main categories: home, style, and tech; while also providing an array of items at different price points. I personally own or have used most of these items and feel any guy would be lucky to receive them. Happy Holidays!

1. Handsome Coffee: $17-$22 – L.A. based coffee roasters, providing a great selection of delicious varietals.
2. Whistle Pig Rye: $65 – 10-year-old, 100% Rye from Vermont. You’ll want to drink this straight.
3. Global 3-Piece Knife Set: $235 – A favorite among professional chefs, this set provides you with the essential blades.
4. The Art of Fixing Things: $11 – Over 150 tips on everything from home repair to car maintenance.
5. Monogrammed Linen Cocktail Napkins: $29 – Adds a personal and stylish touch to ordinary cocktail napkins.
6. Woodsnap Photo Prints: $40 (plus) – Create a unique canvas for your photos. Also works with Instagram.
7. Tovolo Ice Sphere (set of 2): $12 –  Melts slowly and evenly, so your drinks don’t get watered down. Plus it simply looks cool.
8. AeroPress Coffee Maker (w/filters): $29 – Hand pressed coffee maker, creates a less acidic and more concentrated flavor.

1. Malin+Goetz Essentials Kit: $30 – This is the perfect travel set and is far superior to most hotel supplied toiletries.
2. Edwin Jagger Best Badger Shaving Brush: $48 – A traditional brush brings a level of comfort and sophistication to an everyday shave.
3. Charcoal Cardigan from Pendleton: $108 – Warm, Shetland wool from a classic American mill.
4. Warby Parker “Griffin”  sunglasses (in blonde tortoise): $95 – Sleek but simple design, and they will create a prescription pair for $150.
5. Raleigh Denim Original Raw Thin Fit: $285 – These are expensive, but based on how they age and fit, your guy will get more use out these than most premium denim.
6. Timex 1600: $195 – Handsome and affordable, this piece can be worn casually or dressed up.
7. Billykirk No. 166 Large Carryall: $350 – Great weekend bag, with classic canvas and leather details.
8. MacAlister Brickman Leather Boot: $168 – Every guy needs a great pair of boots and these are versatile enough to be worn with jeans or a suit.
9. Geo F. Trumper Shaving Creams: $30 – A huge upgrade from Edge Gel, these creams last longer and provide a smoother shaving experience.

1. OlloClip Lens: $70 – A 3-in-1 accessory, giving your iPhone camera the ability to shoot wide and macro images.
2. Sonos Play 3: $299 – One of the best sounding and streamlined wireless music systems on the market.
3. Yurbuds: $50 – I’ve tried quite a few running headphones and nothing has worked as well as these attachements. They will fit on any standard ear buds.
4. Apple TV : $99 – A great option for people who don’t want a cable subscription, plus you can stream all media (photos, music, etc.) from your computer through your TV and home stereo.
5. Evernote Moleskin Smart Notebook: $25 – Digitize handwritten notes and index them in Evernote, making all of your ideas and thoughts searchable.
6. Lytro Camera: $399 – A different kind of camera, that captures the entire light field and lets you focus and refocus the finished photo as often as you like, creating “living pictures.”

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  • http://www.winksmilestyle.com Josie

    These are such great ideas — practical but still cool and stylish and definitely original.
    xo Josie
    http://www.winksmilestyle.com

  • http://lapetitegigi.blogspot.com La Petite Gigi

    Thanks for the input, Geoffrey! Now I know exactly what to look for when I go shopping for the special men in my life.

    Come follow me at La Petite Gigi!

  • Cris

    Thanks for this, have been racking my brain for something for my hubby. Saw this and have just bought the Evernote moleskine, perfect!

  • http://www.hannamarielei.com Hanna

    I’ve been looking for a good guide for gifts My Blog

  • http://www.dressupwithlola.com Lola

    This is awesome, I love all these nerdy techy gifts, number 6 is on my wishlist!

  • http://www.confessionsoftheglitterati.com Ally

    These are some great things! Men are always so hard to shop for… even though they always think we are

    http://www.confessionsoftheglitterati.com

  • Emily

    Very helpful! Thank you!

  • http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com EVa

    Ah, great post! Still don’t know what to give the husband for christmas ;) xx

    http://www.creativityandchocolate.blogspot.com

  • http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com Jennifer

    Great guide! There are definitely some things that caught my eye on this list!

    xo Jennifer

    http://seekingstyleblog.wordpress.com

  • http://que-sarah-sarah.com/ Que Sarah Sarah

    So perfect! I love each of your choices. I just released the 2012 {QSS} Holiday Gift Guide on my blog! It’s geared toward students with neither time nor money – so everything costs around $20 and can be purchased online!
    Please check it out, and be sure to subscribe if you like what you see: http://que-sarah-sarah.com/2012/12/08/qss-holiday-gift-guide-2012/

  • http://mydesignethos.blogspot.com Anna (My Design Ethos)

    I find men so hard to buy for sometimes but this is a great roundup! xx

  • http://petitesideofstyle.com joanne

    The art of fixing things. This is great.

    petitesideofstyle.com

  • http://www.vintagedanielle.blogspot.com Vintage Danielle

    The art of fixing things book and all things tech def. fit my guy. Love this post, you did a fabulous job finding the gifts.

    I’ll be hosting a month long Gift Guide feature on my blog. I hope you’ll check it out :)

  • A

    Art of Fixing things is perfecto!

  • http://floatingthrufields.blogspot.com/ floating thru fields

    wow such a fun indepth gift giving guide
    that’s so fun breaking it up into categories :)

    http://floatingthrufields.blogspot.com/

  • http://5daystolive.com Lianne

    I love this! I just ordered 3 of the whiskey spheres. I’ve been looking for those and never knew where to look. They’re going to be great gifts. Thanks for this and happy holidays to you both! – Lianne
    5daystolive.com

  • http://keepcalmandcarrylipstick.blogspot.com Sarah

    Great ideas, there’s something there for every guy!
    Keep calm and carry lipstick.

  • http://www.designers-artists.com DNA (designers-artists)

    Whiskey is always the best choice (granted he’s without a drinking problem).

    http://www.designers-artists.com

  • http://www.soyouagree.com Donna
  • http://pinklemonincrystal.blogspot.com Michelle Lee
  • http://www.bellechantelle.com Chantelle

    Wow this is a great guide! Wish I had seen in a few weeks ago ^-^

  • http://www.thepantrydrawer.com Christine @ The Pantry Drawer

    what great picks! I actually heard that the AeroPress makes great coffee, lauded even by coffee snobs alike!

    http://www.ThePantryDrawer.com

  • Ashlee

    wow! You were born to be a blogger!
    Such a great post. I’m so impressed.
    Thank you for sharing :)

  • http://www.coffeetoastandlondon.com Laura

    that is an amazing post! Geoffrey , who knew you’d be writing cupcakes and cashmere?! A lovely surprise sunday post. Keep up the good work geoffrey!

    Laura x

    http://www.coffeetoastandlondon.com

  • http://blueskydaze.wordpress.com sinead

    Great idea, i never know what to get my fella!
    Blueskydaze.wordpress.com

  • mod

    Wow- what a fantastic gift guide! Definitely one of the best for him gift guides I’ve ever read- thanks!

  • http://eatswimshop.wordpress.com Jen @Eat.Swim.Shop.

    Thank you for this! I have the hardest time finding things to buy for my husband (and things for my mom and his mom to buy for him). Also, his friend’s brother is one of the owners of Handsome Coffee!

  • http://www.CaveGirlintheCity.com Kenzie Lee

    Wow this is a great one stop shot for guys gifts that I now have favorited!

    xo, Kenzie

    http://www.CaveGirlintheCity.com

  • http://aniemandesign.blogspot.com Alison

    Great ideas! I can always use the help!
    -Alison
    aniemandesign.blogspot.com

  • http://www.not-going-out-like-that.com julie

    love to give a good bottle of scotch or bourbon as a gift. in fact – check out my post on bourbon cocktails and how to tell the difference between scotch, whiskey and bourbon

    Not Going Out Like That

  • Shila

    Excellent gift guide! My bf loves the aero press and it has totally upped his home coffee game-highly recommend it! Thanks for the thoughtful gift guide.

  • http://thehartungs.blogspot.ca Sheree Hartung

    I love the idea of the camera thing that hooks onto the iPhone! Brilliant. My hubby has the Apple TV and to say he loves it is an understatement!
    thehartungs.blogspot.ca

  • Elizabeth

    Love these ideas – thanks!

  • Luisa

    Very helpful! Thank you!

  • Jasmine

    Thank you so much for compiling such a well thought out guide! I was stumped on what to get my hubby and this guide provided a solution…Woodsnap! Love it…Happy Holidays!

  • Anna

    I was almost complaining about how hard it is to find a present for my brother. Thanks to you, the perfect gift (the OlloClip Lens) has been ordered this morning. I’ll have my present for him 2 weeks before Christmas, yay! Thanks, thanks, thanks!

  • Micaela

    Great Ideas! The hardest part is choosing the right and perfect present. Great choices! The tech guide is definitely my favorite.
    Bjs
    http://cuddledays.blogspot.pt

  • Olivia

    I have been in a frenzy deciding what to get my boyfriends and most gift guides for are just not useful, honestly almost everything on here i would get him in a second! obsessed with the Billykirk bag (now he is too) and he looked and agreed that he would love almost everything. THANK YOU!

  • Emily K

    Just asked my fiance for the Evernote Moleskin … thanks for the inspiration.

  • http://amoristofficiel.com Ashley

    I looove the giant ice cubes, those are always a huge hit at the bars in San Francisco!

    Checkout my gift guide for men below too!
    http://amoristofficiel.com/2012/11/best-holiday-gifts-for-men/

    Merry Christmas

  • Mel K

    Every kind of man would appreciate receiving at least one item from each list. This helps so much!

  • Kelly

    Thanks! Just purchased the whiskey ice spheres for my Dad. Now a good bottle of whiskey and I’m all set! easy peasy x

  • jen

    just had to comment: thank you for the amazing, practical and thoughtful gift guide! already purchased one item for my mister and am considering a few others.

  • http://Www.yellowwellie.blogspot.com Kelly

    Thanks for the men’s gift guide guide- these are great ideas! There are a few things I think my boyfriend will like!

  • http://vittoriafiveinthemorning.blogspot.com/ Vittoria

    I’m going to buy a Hermès tie for my man, but thanks for the advices! :)

    Vittoria from 5 IN THE MORNING
    http://vittoriafiveinthemorning.blogspot.it/

  • Sara

    I just ordered to Tovolo ice sphere for my guy! We put in a new bar a few months ago, and I’ve been STUMPED on what to get him. Great idea!

  • http://aestheticintrigue.blogspot.com Samii

    My husband would LOVE so much of this. Thanks!

    Samii

    http://aestheticintrigue.blogspot.com/

  • http://sailmakersdaughter.blogspot.ie/ Edana

    You just happy-bombed my day. Bought my fancy man that Olloclip and I know he’ll love it. Why is it so difficult to find a good gift guide for non-goofy men? Thanks so much