For men: 5 gift ideas for under $50
Your $ back if you’ve seen these ideas in other “gift guides for men”
Nobody:
Me: Here are three gift guides!
And now, another one. Because why not? Also, I’ve read many a gift guide and discovered tons of things (for myself), but not many ideas that stuck for mascs/men, which is what I’m always looking for. Maybe it’s just my circle, but all the males I know are like, extremely particular about their watches, coffee stations, even socks.
A gentleman of a certain age already has a suitcase, blender, and shaving kit. Perhaps even multiple Swiss Army knives and two pairs of Patagonia Baggies, since those are supposedly #BuyItForLife.
So here are my silly ideas for under $50! Hopefully it’s at least entertaining, even if you would never buy your brother a bath mat.
Oh, and if you:
comment on an idea you like;
link to another “gift guide for men” that has the same gift idea; or
share what you’re gifting a masc/man this year!
You’ll be comp’ed with a month’s paid subscription to Silky Crunch. Happy holidays!
A vintage 90’s seersucker holiday Polo ($10-35)
A timeless gift for any jolly man in your life. Here’s an eBay round-up, all 100% cotton and under $50.
I bought Nour this shirt from a thrift store in 2019 and it’s proved to be a tried-and-true holiday staple! Festive without veering corny, very breathable for the crowded holiday parties, and never looks wrinkly! Cute peeking out over a plain sweater!
The seersucker is almost campy, like a summer tartan. Seersucker is KEY to not looking like you’re a buttoned-up intern in IT.
Some, like this red plaid one, is going for $78, so get them while they’re under $50. I also found some blue/white and multicolor gems to include other holiday palettes.
Short sleeves:
Blue/green plaid in XL ($28)
Red plaid in XL ($20) , plaid in XL ($25), same one as Nour!
Red candy striped in XL ($20), red candy striped in XL ($23) new with tags!
Red striped in L ($21)
Multicolor plaid in L ($28)
Blue/white plaid in L ($21), plaid in M ($20), plaid in M ($35) new with tags!
Black/yellow plaid in M ($16)
Red/green/white plaid in S ($10) I might get this one
Long sleeves:
Red plaid plaid L ($21)
Green/purple plaid in L ($21)
Blue/red plaid in L ($25)
Blue/green/white plaid in L ($34)
I don’t know why some of these eBay pics look so rumpled, but I promise once you wash and air dry on a hanger they look brand new. Happy thrifting!
Confidence in color ($14-39)
I’ve noticed that American men don’t seem confident about colors, shying away from names of non-primary colors and unsure if something’s blue or purple. I’m not alone because multiple women have asked why on the r/AskMen Reddit. Apparently it might be true: men in tests do have a harder time distinguishing between shades, as detailed in Smithsonian mag by neuroscientists!
But for those lucky enough to experience colors, it’s not too late to learn. Like our senses of hearing or taste, we can sharpen our perception of color. This Color Theory 101 Course ($39) is digital play that is, apparently, life-changing for some dudes out there.
For someone trying to reduce screen time, The Secret Lives of Color (Bookshop, Amazon) imbues each page with elegant historical information, and men love history right? lol. A book I’ve cherished for years.
Nour confided, “I’m a designer, but I’m insecure when it comes to colors.” So this year, I’ll be getting him the Palette Scout ($68), which comes with physical cards to play with and fun little activities.
Silk long underwear to wear under jeans or snowboarding pants ($50)
Sure, they have UNIQLO heattech, but have they tried real silk? These light blue, 100% silk Terramar ones ($50) were in Nour’s stocking last year. The year before, he received the REI version, which he prefers for the covered-elastic waistband, but REI stopped selling them :( This year, the L.L. Bean ones ($50) also have a covered waistband for men.
I’ve read rave reviews for the Land’s End long underwear ($95), which come in Big & Tall sizes! Though it’s expensive, they’re currently offering some $47 off promo… (but I don’t know what that means or how long it’ll last).
Make sure to wash them in a laundry bag so they don’t snag on zippers!
Metal cocktail picks
These metal cocktail picks ($14 for 50) are available in silver or gold.
There’s also these that come in a cup.
In the long run, these reusable picks are gonna save you $ on buying disposable skewers! Also chic for making fruit skewers or putting out with a cheese/veggie plate. These cocktail picks coupled with a jar of feta-stuffed olives or Amarena cherries would make me very happy.
This gift is probably best for those who have a bar cart. This man already has a channel knife or citrus peeler, and prides himself on dropping the perfect orange peel into your Negroni.
Bathmat (~$40)
A daring gift. How well do you know this man?! I hesitated to include this, but I’ve noticed many bachelors out there wilding without bath mats, and LADY FRIENDS SEEM TO AGREE. These same men probably have 3 non-kitchen knives and multiple shaving brushes though.
Are they practicing toe grip on the cold, hard floor? Shoving moist toes directly into some fluffy bath slippers? Either way, introduce the luxury of floating out of the shower onto an inviting bath mat.
The 100% cotton, machine-washable Parachute Tub Mat is currently on sale for $41 and comes in four colors.
This Hinoki Wood Mat feels too good to be true at $40, and alas, the site requires $200 for shipping from Colorado. It might be easy to get there though with goodies like these “Japanese Alps” onsen salts ($25). Otherwise, you can probably shop around and find a comparable one online!
Silky Crunch may earn some money if you make a purchase through one of the links above.
That’s it, short and sweet! Thank you for indulging me in yet another gift guide.
Oh and if you subscribe and:
comment on an idea you like;
link to another “gift guide for men” that has the same gift idea; or
share what you’re gifting a masc/man this year!
I’ll comp you one month’s paid subscription. You’ll get to read Silky Crunch posts for paid subscribers, like an upcoming letter with suggestions on reducing microplastic fibers in your home.
Related:
My other half buys his own bath mats, so my gift this year is framing his favorite art. I did the research (here's where to go, what it will cost, and an online framing mockup we can use to decide what we like before we take it in) and am giving him final say on the frame/mat combo. Since we're both extremely opinionated oldest/only children, that's the real gift.
Solid recommendations! The book “Through the Color Lens” is a fascinating if the guy is interested in language and color and might also help them reconcile some of their own color struggles (they might not have the literal language for nuance). You could also look at 100% merino for a long underwear option. They are a little more expensive, but if you don’t need a “name brand” you can find some options under $50.