Finding a present for the most stylish guy you know can be challenging no matter what the gift-giving occasion, but it can get even tougher around Valentine’s Day. How do you express your love and admiration while staying on trend? How can you be sure the gift you’re getting isn’t a carbon copy of something that he’s already ordered from Mr Porter — or worse, something that he’d never consider wearing or using?
The key to avoiding all of these potential Valentine’s gift-giving pitfalls is to reach for updated versions of classics that he’d be sure to love in their platonic form. From luggage in striking colors to one-of-a-kind clothing that won’t break the bank, we’ve assembled 15 gifts that’ll do just that below.
AMI Oversized Logo-Intarsia Knitted Sweater
Swerve around the hackneyed red heart-printed boxers that have decorated the popular imagination’s vision of Valentine’s Day for what feels like an eternity, and reach for this sweater from AMI instead. Not only is it not rouge or pink, but it also puts the French brand’s eye-catching logo on clever display.
Away The Carry-On Suitcase
If you’d travel to the ends of the earth for this guy, it makes sense to get him a bag that’ll survive the trip. Away’s collaboration with Nordstrom brought a handful of new colors to its lineup of battle-proof rollers, and this crisply colorful variant will save a ton of confusion at baggage claim if you ever have to check it.
Nike Air Max 270
Last year we extolled the virtues of the Nike Air Max 270. And although Nike just released the 270’s heir apparent, the 720 (which already sold out on Nike’s website), the 270 holds a special versatility, an undeniable je ne sais quois that lands it squarely on our list of stylish, giftable items. These shoes are flashy, comfortable and they look great no matter what else you’re wearing — what’s not to love?
M. Cohen The Match Bangle
You can’t call a lot of bangles clever, but this one from M. Cohen definitely fits that description. It looks like a match got bent around your wrist — and what better totem for the person who, uh, lights your fire?
Bleu de Chauffe Charles Full-Grain Leather Briefcase
If you’re shopping for someone who’s stylish and hardworking, get him a professional-level bag that fits both bills. This briefcase from the French leather experts at Bleu de Chauffe references the style of classic doctor’s bags but doesn’t look or feel quite as serious.
Nice Laundry Annual Sock Drawer Subscription
It’s hard to find a guy who doesn’t have one or two pairs of threadbare socks in his active sock rotation — even one who cares about all the other elements of his personal style. Which is why Nice Laundry’s annual sock drawer subscription makes sense for a wide array of guys. It comes with a total of 19 pairs of socks (16 dress, two no-shows and one special edition), and gets delivered every year so he never has to worry about replacing them.
Grooming Lounge Build-a-Shave Set
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of a great shave, but so many of the razor sets on the market don’t allow for any customization of individual components. If you’re shopping for someone who shaves often, send him this link and hand him your credit card. He can use Grooming Lounge’s Build-a-Shave Set tool to get exactly what he needs — and nothing he doesn’t.
Caldera Lab The Good Serum
We can’t say enough good things about this serum. It’s made in Jackson Hole, Wyoming from painstakingly sourced natural ingredients like sage, meadowfoam seed oil, nettle and elderflower. Designed to be worn at night, the serum delivers on its promise of brightening and tightening the skin on your face. We’ve been recommending it to anyone who will listen since we started testing it earlier this year.
Lyle Lovett for Hamilton Striped Shirt
Lyle Lovett’s collaboration with Hamilton has yielded some of the most stylish Western-style shirts a guy can wear. This one blends traditional markers of the style with a pattern that’ll be easy for a stylish guy to fit into his wardrobe.
Gear Patrol x American Trench Cap
It’s still cold out there, and not to get too Stark about it but eventually, winter will be coming again. Which is why a beanie is a good gift now, but also no matter what time of year you’re shopping for a guy you care about.
Levi’s Premium 501 Slim Taper
Levi’s last great iteration of the traditional 501, the 501CT, has since been replaced by the new 501 Slim Taper. They’re the most classic pair of jeans a man can get, slimmed down and modernized for today.
Michael Kors Henry Suede Billfold Wallet
Stylish guys have gone from massive, overstuffed wallets to slim, no-cash card carriers and have arrived at the platonic ideal: a slim billfold. This one from Michael Kors features a rich, deep color, and an even richer, deeper suede material.
R.M. Williams Comfort Turnout Boots
Australian’s Chelsea boot king R.M. Williams makes some of the most stylish (and longest-lasting) boots a guy can wear. So you might want to tread carefully when giving these, lest the boots last longer than the relationship you’re in right now.
Rowing Blazer End-of-the-Day Rugby Shirt
Rowing Blazer’s true-to-the-originals rugby shirts and preppy staples are stellar in their own right, but their hyper-limited edition End-of-the-Day shirts, which use scraps of different leftover patterns to minimize waste, are truly unique — just like the guy you’re shopping for.
L:a Bruket Black Oak Candle
Sweden’s answer to Aesop doesn’t just make some of the best grooming and skincare supplies on the planet. It also makes candles that share the same spirit as those products: earthy, luxurious and derived from natural ingredients. The organic soy wax in this candle smells like cashmere wood and birch, which is calming and more than a little sensual at the same time.