Gentlemanly Means Pursued

With the holiday shopping season underway, the braintrust at Gentlemanly Means Pursued has been working hard to make it easier to buy for the man in your life. Your boyfriend, husband, lover, father, brother, son, uncle — most everybody’s got one or more of ‘em. And, yeah, they can be difficult creatures. Never fear. We’ve got you covered.

This is part three, wherein we offer gifts in the $150 and up range.

You can also read Part One, covering gifts $50 and under, and Part Two, covering gifts $50-$150.

Table Radio by Tivoli Audio
$150 and up, available from amazon.com

It sounds as good as it looks, looks as good as it sounds. The Model One (pictured) is a great, basic radio, and the company offers a slate of other products for applications like iPod integration and internet radio. If you’re buying for a music lover, this will stand out.

Shirt by Taylor Stitch
$120-$165, available from Taylor Stitch

Yet another company I’m unapologetically writing about for the second time. I can’t help it — while I don’t own one of these yet, I love the company’s story and approach (the fact that one of their founders participated in the comments last time I covered them should tell you all you need to know). Handmade in San Francisco and, frankly, fairly reasonably priced considering that nice shirts can easily go for much more.

A shirt, by itself, might not seem a terribly inspired gift. One of these would be.

Really Nice Denim
prices vary, look to denimdebate.com to learn more

Good jeans are something you make your own. By wearing them in, washing/rinsing them, breaking them down, and generally turning them into an evolving extension of your lifestyle. Less a pair of jeans than a wearable project. The sartorial equivalent of building a doghouse or renovating a room.

You have to start with denim that can live up to that weighty calling. I’m in the process of making this decision myself, and I’m eyeing up companies like Baldwin Denim, Raleigh Denim, and Imogene+Wille — all of which are made right here in the US.

Again, “jeans” wouldn’t be a great gift, but great jeans most definitely would be.

Wusthof Kitchen Knives
prices vary, available from amazon.com

Admittedly only relevant if the man in your life likes to cook. But if he does, he knows that the difference between a regular knife and a good knife is huge. Make him happy and splurge for a set of Wusthofs, then demand that he use them to make you something awesome.

Thus concludes the Holiday 2010 edition of the Gentlemanly Means Pursued gift guide. Here’s to plenty of love and your in your life this season — regardless of your particular holiday/faith — and, as always, feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments.

With the holiday shopping season underway, the braintrust at Gentlemanly Means Pursued has been working hard to make it easier to buy for the man in your life. Your boyfriend, husband, lover, father, brother, son, uncle — most everybody’s got one or more of ‘em. And, yeah, they can be difficult creatures. Never fear. We’ve got you covered.

This is part two, wherein we offer gifts in the $50-$150 range.

You can also read Part One, covering gifts $50 and under.

Handmade Football by Leather Head (pictured)
$110, available from the manufacturer

These things are so damn cool that I ought to keep them to myself (and whoever I might get one for). But, that wouldn’t be fair. So here you go.

If there’s such a thing as an “artisanal football,” this is it. That’s a ridiculous phrase, though, so let’s not use it. Instead let’s just say that the man who pulls this thing out at a tailgate or at halftime on a Sunday afternoon earns instant credibility. At least in the eyes of those who know.

Utility Bifold Wallet by Tanner Goods
$70, available from tannergoods.com

Yes, I’ve written about Tanner Goods before. What of it?

Fact is, I’ve had one of these wallets for about seven months now and I can’t say enough good things. Everything about it — the stitching, the cut, the size, the way it’s wearing in — meets or exceeds my expectations. Given that it’s handmade in the USA, all the better.

Put it this way: if you think your man might need or want a wallet, this is the way to go.

Necktie by Pierrepont Hicks or Graham Withers
$68-$140 (most closer to the low end of that range), available from Pierrepont Hicks and Graham Withers

I used to hate wearing ties. I hated the idea of wearing ties. Why? Because I was naive. I didn’t understand that a tie could be more than some lame silk job with all the personality of a Dilbert cartoon.

Then, I found Pierrepont Hicks and Graham Withers. Looking at their (made in the USA) work I thought, “damn, I’ve been missing out.”

These are ties for a guy who’s wearing one because he wants to, not because he has to.

A Better Shave
options vary, generally $50-$100 or so

Shaving sucks. It just does. That’s part of the reason I wear a beard in the winter.

I’m thinking, though, that part of the reason it sucks is because I’m not trying hard enough. Most men don’t. So when the time to shave again arrives, I plan to mix things up. I’m going to hit up a site like Baxter of California (about whom I’ve heard good things) and get some grown-up, high-quality shaving supplies.

The man in your life is probably thinking something similar, even if he doesn’t realize it yet.

As always, fire away with suggestions of your own if you have ‘em. Next installment ($150 and up) coming soon.