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Holidays 2010: Cool Guy Gift Ideas

For some awful reason, gift-buying for le boyfriend is particularly difficult this year. I don’t know if it’s due to the lack of paying attention on my part, or due to his lack of wanting things. I’m guessing it’s the former.

If you’re unsure, uninspired, and completely don’t know what to get your special someone this Christmas, check out a few gifts I’ve given in the past, and would consider giving in the future. Once again, prices range from $29.95 to $450, to fit various budgets.

Oh, and if you don’t find what you’re looking for here, check out Holidays 2009, and Valentine’s Day gift guydes. Any other suggestions? Please feel free to let me know in the comments…I am still not done shopping!

1. Old Navy Fair Isle Cardigan $54.50 (Old Navy)

2. Marc Jacobs BANG $69 (The Bay)

3. Burton Snowboard from $450 (Burton)

4. Nokia N8 Cell Phone $79.99 with 3-year plan (Rogers)

5. Danier Weekender Bag $199 (Danier)

6. Philips SensoTouch 3D Shaver $139-$329 (The Bay)

7. Converse Jimi Hendrix Sneakers $120 (Converse)

8. Lanvin for H&M Bow Tie $29.95 (H&M)

9. Macallan 12 Year-Old Scotch $89.95 (LCBO)

10. Cookies (baked with love…works every year)

Philips SensoTouch 3D Shaver Preview

If your boyfriend/husband/father is difficult to shop for, then you might want to read on! A couple of weeks ago, the lovely Leslie of One Voice invited le boyfriend and I to the launch of the newest and most advanced Philips shaver – SensoTouch 3D. The first ever line of wet and dry 3D electric shavers, created to provide men with an expertly close shave and an advanced shaving experience that leaves the skin ultra smooth, with minimal irritation.

No stranger to Philips shavers (he’s currently using Philips Arcitec), le boyfriend already knew that a Philips shaver does the job better than any other he’s ever had, but we still couldn’t just take their word for it.

To demonstrate SensoTouch 3D’s abilities, a professional barber shop was set up, complete with a barber (flown in from Montreal), and a scruffy, but handsome model. We watched the barber shave each side of the model’s face with and without shaving gel, and the results were great – just look below at the “after” shot. Not bad, right? Afterwards, other attendees were invited to try SensoTouch for themselves. And though le boyfriend looooves his Philips Arcitec, he did admit that SensoTouch shave felt “closer” and faster.

Here are some of the features of the new Philips SensoTouch 3D:

  • GyroFlex3D: Minimizing pressure and irritation, the shaving cap pivots around, tilts inward, and flexes outward to adjust seamlessly to every curve of the face and neck
  • SkinGlide system: Also minimizing pressure and irritation, the smooth surface with rounded edges glides effortlessly over the skin for a flawless shave
  • UltraTrackheads: Catching every hair with fewer strokes, channels help to catch longer hairs, slots catch the normal length hairs, and holes catch even the shortest stubble
  • Aquatec sealing enabling the use of shaving gel for additional skin protection and water for skin rejuvenation 
  • Skin friendly precision trimmer, perfect for mustache and sideburn trimming
  • Battery powered for 60 minutes, or 20 days, of shaving time

The four models of Philips SensoTouch 3D shavers are available now and range in price from $229.99 to $329.99 CDN. SensoTouch shavers are also available in 2D (with slightly less features) ranging in price from $139.99 to $219.99. If your guy is still using disposable shavers, this is definitely one item to keep in mind for the upcoming Christmas season! And just to let you in on a little secret, Style Blog might be doing a little gift-giving in time for the holidays…so if you think your special guy would like one, make sure to check back. I’m sure with a shaver like this one, snuggling up by the fireplace might be a bit easier on your face as well!

Valentine’s Day: Gift Guide

Only one week left till Valentine’s Day! So excited! As I’ve mentioned before, Valentine’s is my favorite holiday EVER! All the red and pink everywhere, hearts, flowers, more hearts, lips, kisses, stuffed toys, balloons, chocolates, jewelry, fancy dinners and dressing up! What’s not to love? I do think that the holiday has become very commercialized, and the whole meaning of celebrating love gets lost somewhere between a trip to Godiva and all the money spent on expensive lingerie, but I still really, really love it. Sue me.

This year, just like last, le boyfriend and I are very lucky to be able to celebrate Valentine’s Day down South. Last year we were in Los Cabos, this year we chose beautiful Cuba! If only I wasn’t horrifyingly sick (complete with snot fountain, dry cough, fever, headaches – the works), I would be jumping up and down in excitement right about now. Unfortunately, since I am disgusting, I can only try to get some rest and drink endless cups of tea with lemon and honey, with only faint hope of getting better by tomorrow.

So enough about me, what about you? Have you gotten your boyfriend a gift this year? If not, you still have one week left to pick up something special for your loved one! Below is a little list I put together, to, hopefully, give you a few ideas, just in case you were in a panic mode! I ran these gift suggestions by le boyfriend, and he approved. But then again, different people have different tastes. Make sure your choice suits your man’s style! Happy shopping!

1. Sports Jersey – Does your boyfriend watch hockey or soccer religiously? If so, he might want a jersey of his favorite team! And if he already has one, some teams have different jerseys every year, so it might become something of a collectors’ item. Though, make sure you’re not getting him the exact same one he already has!

2. Espresso Machine – Who doesn’t like to wake up to a steamy kiss? We all do! But when you’re not around, a cup of hot and yummy home-made espresso might do the trick!

3. Call of Duty 2 – I know about this game, not because I’ve played, but from my male friends and le boyfriend, who are all obsessed with it. If you go with this one, please don’t blame me if quality time with your man goes way down. This is not just a game – it’s a lifestyle.

4. Magazine Subscription – Does your man care about style? Does he like to take care of himself? Does he like to read? If so, a men’s mag subscription might be a cool and an inexpensive gift that keeps on giving! Men’s Health, GQ, Esquire, Vanity Fair, Vibe, Toronto Life…the list goes on and on.

5. Graphic Tee – Most men are kids at heart. When I asked le boyfriend about He-Man vs. Hulk, his eyes lit up. If he’s into superheroes, a cool (maybe even vintage) tee might just be a perfect gift for him.

6. Cookies, cupcakes, meat – Well, pretty much any type of food that your man enjoys would make an awesome gift. Plus, cooking for him, will let you showcase your amazing kitchen prowess…and if said prowess is lacking, then The Cupcake Shoppe is the way to go.

7. iPad – Ok, this one is quite pricey, but every single man I asked said that he would definitely love to get one. Men like gadgets – simple as that.

8. Sunglasses – I am only putting this on this list, because that’s what I got le boyfriend this year. A pair of classic Ray Ban Wayfarers. I lent him mine a few times, and loved the way he looked in them, so since he needed a pair for our vacation, I went and got him a pair just like mine. Yes, we’ll be disgustingly matchy-matchy on our vacay. And I love it (and him)!

9. Lingerie – Well, this one isn’t exactly for him. But that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t enjoy it just the same. Maybe even more so.

10. Rock Band – I got this one for le boyfriend last year. Drums, guitar, microphone, and a list of super-awesome rock songs to rock out to. What man wouldn’t love to “slap some base” with an upgrade from his usual air guitar?

And if none of these gifts work…a simple “I Love You” note and a make-out session go a long way! Ok, I am done being disgustingly cringe-worthy about the Valentine’s hoopla (but I love, love, love it!).

Check out the Christmas 2009 gift guide for more gift ideas!

Holidays 2009: Manly Gift Ideas

manly gifts

Well, not manly as in macho, but manly as in for men. Still wondering what to give your guy-friend/boyfriend/father/brother (hopefully not all-in-one, because that would be just creepy)? Fret not, there’s still plenty of time left! Most men still believe that shopping on Christmas eve is a perfectly acceptable tactic, so you’re already ahead!

What do guys like? Other than sports, beer, and babes? Well, it really depends, but I think most guys would not be able to resist a cool comic book t-shirt, an awesome pair of shades or even snowboarding goggles, and of course some home-made freshly baked cookies (with love as the main ingredient…cheesy enough for ya?). Hopefully this post will give you some ideas as to what’s available out there, or at least will give you some ideas and steer you in a direction of a potential gift. And no, I didn’t include anything I already got for the guys in my life. They are way too nosy not to peek.

Item breakdown after the jump!

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Black and Brown

hugh dancy

I’ve been in love with brown dress shoes for men lately. I think they are a classic enough alternative to black shoes, and would go amazingly with grey and blue suits! But black? It’s one of those fashion rules, not to pair black accessories with brown clothes, and vice versa. Is that still true today? I think I don’t actually hate a black suit paired with a pair of dark brown oxfords (Hugh Dancy certainly pulls it off, minus the vest). What do you think?

Photo Credits: Glamour

Anything but running shoes!

My boyfriend’s style isn’t bad. Unlike many guys out there, he actually cares about his clothes and doesn’t just pick stuff off the floor in the morning and pile it on randomly. He likes to look good. He also doesn’t own any off the shoulder boatneck sweaters like some people I know (and thank goodness for that!). So when he told me that he is bringing a pair of running shoes for our trip to Europe, I was a bit taken aback.

After the initial reaction of “YOU ARE WHAAAAAAAAAAAT???”, I could kind of see where he was coming from. The pair of Converse high tops that he usually wears and that I love dearly are not very comfortable and won’t be an ideal choice for long (loooong) walks that we are bound to take (blisters aren’t fun in Canada, can’t imagine they’d be a blast in Europe)…So what now? Am I going to let him look like a typical North American tourist in a t-shirt that reads “I am CANADIAN!”, khaki shorts, thick white athletic socks, and…running shoes??? I might as well sign him up for the Da Vinci Code tour around Paris and be done with it!

Instead, I thought a little showcase of what else is out there in casual footwear might do the trick in preventing him from crossing over to the dark side. In my humble opinion, a simple black sneaker/casual shoe could be just as comfy as “the shoe that will not be named”, and look a thousand times better! Just ask Patrick Dempsey.

abrs

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