Gifts for Every Man, From the Himbos to Softboys

Well-considered recommendations from our menswear editor, John Jannuzzi.

This letter is brought to you in part by John Hardy and Alex Mill.

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Meet John Jannuzzi!

Hello, everybody! As you might have read in Feed Me, I’m joining Jess as the newly-anointed menswear editor for The Love List. My credentials here are varied but include freelance writing for major publications, editorial jobs as a senior editor at GQ and Lucky, and a host of creative positions at different brands.

As a Sagittarius, I am naturally drawn to richness, which is probably how I ended up where I am today. I live in Fort Greene on the third floor of Brownstone with my wife, our dog, and very soon…our daughter. While here, I will continue writing my newsletter, Browser History, and elsewhere.

With that out of the way, let’s get to business. It’s the men’s gift guide.

When you start shopping through a man's lens, things get simultaneously simpler yet more complicated. It’s like a smooth brain effect: there is less going on in the market, but it’s harder to parse the options. This isn’t to say that men are stupid (anybody can be stupid), but the options are more limited and far less exciting. But I’ve been at this game long enough to know a few crowd-pleasers …and spend an inordinate amount of time looking at stuff I’d like to get.

For His Home

Garbage Can / Cigarette Mug / Black Kettle / Matte Black Mixer / Maison D’Etto Candle / Shinola Tape Dispenser / Lego Stacking Drawer / Teig Lamp / Green Valet Tray / Playing Card Box / Birchwood Chef’s Knife / Cube Tetris Puzzle

Permit me an observation! As men (myself and peers as a sample) grow older, their home becomes more of a refuge than a place to sleep. This is where that hat is hung and where you should be most relaxed. It should be filled with as many lovely things as possible. These are the bedrock of gifting in my book.

Simple upgrades like a trash can that isn’t trash, a host of trays, valets, mugs, vessels, and small upgrades to your lighting scheme (I love the Tulip model of hiding your boob lights with drapery) can have a significant impact on your home and wellbeing. (Not to mention the mood setting and olfactory effects of a sexy candle.)

You don’t want to spend your money on these things because they seem frivolous—and they are! But frivolity and usefulness are not mutually exclusive. I have recently started collecting things that could best be described as toys for adults: nostalgic trinkets with a sophisticated bent. The luxury playing card box, giant wooden Lego drawer, and stoneware tetris cube above remind anybody that they may be an adult, but they were once a kid.

And, of course, if The Bear has infiltrated a man’s mind…he needs a knife worthy of a white jacket. Bonus if he learns to sharpen it. Also, no stove is complete without a good griddle, essential to the time-honored dad tradition of pancakes and grilled cheeses. Fill out the kitchen with sleek and classic black accessories like this very rich-looking kettle and this matte black mixer. (The only superior color is the reflective chrome, but it’s nearly impossible to find.)

For His Wardrobe + Grooming

Wonder Valley Shampoo Set / John Hardy Surf Ring / Sea Air Glycerine Soap / Crown Affair Hair Oil / NN07 Sweater / Todd Snyder Sweater / Maximum Henry Belt / Mack Weldon Sweater Polo / Acne Studios Wallet / Stan Smith Sneakers LL Bean Bean Boots / The Carlyle Hotel Keychain

Giving clothing is never easy. It’s a leap to gauge somebody’s taste and size. I generally avoid anything with numbered sizing to make it simpler, which has helped a ton. Let’s start with the medicine cabinet. Every human on earth should own a tube squeezer. It is cheap and powerful and will help you quickly get those final bits of toothpaste or cleanser out.

Speaking of cleanliness, now is a good time to upgrade hair care. Three bottles of Wonder Valley may be the gift of softer, fuller, better hair. To keep things breezy, I always love to give the Wary Meyers Sea Air glycerine soap, which looks beautiful and smells incredible. (Top it off with a soap dish.) I use the Crown Affair hair oil daily for styling and shine. Yes, it’s technically made for women, but it is essentially made for anybody with hair. If the man you’re giving this oil to is not confident in his masculinity, I might suggest the self-help section at your local bookstore.

To the clothes! NN07, which has a newly opened store in NYC, is all about fabric and quality. This lightweight sweater is no exception. Other standouts include a supersoft Todd Snyder brushed mohair number and a toasty Alex Mill cashmere crewneck. There’s also this handsome Merino sweater polo from Mack Weldon for somebody wanting something a little dressier. And on the more casual end, you couldn’t go wrong with this color-blocked and quilted Marine Layer half-zip.

You can top your gift list off with some great accessories. Trick his pockets out with a slim and sleek Acne Studios wallet for his cards or a souvenir fob from the Carlyle Hotel for his keys. Before we get below the belt, make sure he has a great one like the handmade ones from the crew at Maximum Henry — an heirloom in the making! Then, you can update his shoe game with classic tennis shoes, smart loafers, or a pair of LL Bean’s legendary Bean Boots for winter (size down on the boots). Lastly, there’s the surf ring from John Hardy for a bit of shine. It’s minimal, wavy, and makes a great compliment to a wedding band. (It stands equally well on its own.) I’m partial to pinky rings, but that’s all up to you.

Big Ticket

Diptyque Candle / Todd Snyder Camel Coat / Grenson Leather Boots / Loewe Braided Suede Belt / Panthella Lamp / Loewe Wallet / Lotuff Weekender Bag / James Bond Coffee Table Book / John Hardy Chain / Montblanc Fountain Pen

Whenever I make a gift guide, I try to keep it price-conscious—we’ve all got bills and lots of people to shop for. However, if you want to spend a bit more, plenty of options exist. My absolute favorite here is the enormous Diptyque candles. They run about $400 but are great home accents and make fantastic planters or vases after they’re done. The second runner-up would be this weekender bag from the genius leatherworks at Lotuff.

Lighting always goes a long way — this Panthella lamp or globe desk lamp from Roll and Hill will look good forever. Then there’s this vast and limited-edition James Bond book to complete a coffee table.

Outerwear is my weakness. I’m a sucker for a perfectly tailored coat (and peak lapels). But there are always duffle coats if you’re looking for something on the comfy/cozy end of the spectrum. These allow for more layers underneath and are like a giant (expensive) hug. Of course, there are the Ralph Lauren Purple Label sweaters, which are just in a class of their own.

Then there are the small and shiny gifts—an underrated John Hardy chain, a regal Montblanc Fountain Pen, or a beautifully textured Loewe wallet or belt.

Before we wrap things up, so to speak, don’t forget to make sure you wrap it up nicely. (This is a shameless plug for Holiday & Crown, a wrapping paper shop my wife and I run on Etsy.)

Part two tomorrow!