Father’s Day Gift Guide – What To Get Dads and Grandads

(photo credit: Vafa Coffman Photography)

Hey!  Father’s Day is coming!!  Did you forget?  (Me too.)

Our poor guys.  Father’s Day never seems to garner the same….ceremony as Mother’s Day, you know?  It’s slightly overshadowed by the end-of-school hoopla, and most guys seem content to celebrate with mind-numbingly boring presents like a bag of golf balls or something.  Gack.

But we can do better!  And it doesn’t need to be hard – in fact, we’re dying over Nordstrom’s selection of Father’s Day gifts, and that free shipping / free return shipping can’t be beat.  (I mean seriously – the return sticker comes in the packaging all ready to go.  Pop it on the box and the mailman will take it away….)

So here’s a few gift ideas for the men in your life.  Whether he’s the superhero of swaddle, skateboard, or the old-men’s horseshoe tournament….we’ve got his gift.

Gifts For the Young Dad

For this gift guide, I turned to Scotti and her husband Zack.  (The Robin reference, however, is all me mwah ha ha ha…)

TOP

1. Safety Razor, $65 and Shave Brush, $19 –  Zack loves (LOVES) his old-school shaving kit.  The safety razor gives him a close shave without irritating his skin (they really don’t need to make 4 or 5 blade razors) plus it looks awesome on the bathroom counter.  A gift like this is beautiful but super practical at the same time.

2. La Nuit De L’Homme, $49 –  Literally means “The Night of the Man.”  As in, a really really good-smelling man.  This is one cologne that Zack & I both agree smells awesome . . . it’s not feminine or fruity in any way.  (Plus how cool is that name?  Say it out loud and try not to laugh.)

3. Sandalwood Shaving Soap & Bowl, $50 –  This soap goes perfectly with the shaving brush.  It works itself into a nice lather when used with the brush and smells really good.  (Like a man.) LOL

MIDDLE

4. Anchor Medallion Necklace, $95 – I love the idea of the anchor symbolizing hope and stability in marriage . . . taking you through troubled times, anchoring you to one another.  I’ve been on the lookout for a sweet necklace like Ryan Gosling’s every since I saw Crazy Stupid Love (YOW-za . . . you’re gonna want to open that link) and the fact that this one has an anchor on it is perfect.

5. Bose In-Ear Headphones, $90 – Sometimes you just need to plug yourself in . . . watch a movie on your iPad, listen to some music . . . and just tune out the rest of the world’s sounds.  Dads need some relaxing too . . . although now I’m convincing myself that maybe I need these . . .

6. TommyJohn V-Neck T, $40 – There is nothing sexier than a white v-neck t-shirt that fits well.  Because it can be worn with anything from pants to shorts to sweats, it really is worth it to invest in a good one . . . pair with the necklace and . . . yum.

7. ‘Hey Handsome’ Travel Kit, $68 –  I thought this would make the perfect gift . . . it’s adorable, something they’d actually use and isn’t something they’d ever buy themselves (I hope).  It’s also a sweet way to let your man know you’re thinking of him when he’s traveling.

8. ‘Novel’ Duffle Bag, $80 – This is just a really clean, masculine bag that can be used as either a diaper bag, giving you some freedom to use those cute clutches again, or an over-nighter.  (This would have come in handy when Zack and I were flying and his bag was too small . . . the contents were just spilling out all over the place.  But I digress . . . )

BOTTOM

9. ‘Beck’ Belt, $49.50 – This belt is unique and stylish without being too over-the-top.

10. Brass Key Chain, $55 – Zack only has a couple of keys and he doesn’t want some huge chain to hang them on (like I do) but he doesn’t want to lose them either.  This one is sleek and small enough to attach to his belt loops and still looks masculine and cool.

11. Whiskey Spheres, $17 –  Oh how I wish these were called whiskey balls.  Drop these in whiskey or scotch and they’ll keep your drink cold without watering it down.

12. John Varvatos Slim Fit Linen Cardigan, $148.98 – Cardigans are infinitely more stylish than throwing a button up over a t-shirt (a la Ray Romano) and this one is the perfect lightweight linen for cooler summer evenings.

Gifts For Dads Whose Age Rhymes with ORTY

All of these gifts are Mike-approved.

FIRST ROW

1. Recover Skateboard Wood iPhone6 Case, $50 – Love this cool iPhone 6 case made from recycled skateboards.  It’s a unique twist on those wood phone cases.

2. Bose Quiet Comfort Noise Canceling Acoustic Headphones, $249 – Men get really, really excited about expensive earbuds.  I don’t understand it, but when I asked a few guy friends to name their favorite gift ever…fancy earbuds came up more than once.  I actually like that this pair is also noise canceling, so you can use them on a plane.  AND…there’s a switch to turn off the noise canceling mode.  (Especially great for guys that skateboard to work in traffic and have a tendency to spend waaay too much time lost in thought, like some absentminded professor.  MIKE.)

3. InCase Portable Phone Charger, $50 – The kind of thing that’s annoying to buy, yet sooooo helpful to have.  Especially for a techie nerd.

4. Sporty-ish Sunglasses, $130 – Love how these sport sunglasses look cool enough for everyday use.  A huge step up from those old-school wraparound Oakleys Mike used for running.  (And so great for travel.)

SECOND ROW

5. Bruce Graphic Tee, $34 – All men love Bruce Lee.  That’s a fact.

6. Patagonia Torrentshell Packable Rain Jacket, $129 – This uber-practical Dad jacket looks really, really cool.  Yay, Patagonia.

7. Bonobos Gingham Short-Sleeve Shirt, $75 – Mike is constantly on the hunt for non-dorky, short-sleeve, button-down shirts.  He wears them under his suits to work, on date night, and….pretty much any time he needs something more than a tshirt.  Bonobos, the kings of the sleek man-fit, does them really well.

THIRD ROW

8. Brooks Vanguard Sneaker, $85 – Cool, retro sneaks.  ALWAYS a win.

9. Rainbow Flipflops, $50 – If you’re going to do flip-flops (and everyone does at some point…), make ’em Rainbows.

10.  Sportswear That Actually Looks Cool – Nordstrom has blown me away with their huge selection of cool sportswear.  I mean yeah – they do have some silky jerseys (which I’m not a huge fan of), but they also have a ton of soft, retro tees and cool ballcaps.  For example, this Phillies Hat, $24 is perfect for Mike (who can’t pull off the flatbrim hats).

Specifically, try these brands:

Mitchel & Ness – love their hoodies especially

Red Jacket – the best vintage sports tees around

Wright & Ditson – a little bit of everything – tees, hoodies, tanks…including women’s and kids

American Needle – the best ballcaps around

Here’s a few quick examples:

LAST ROW

11. Jack Black Set, $52 – Mike keeps asking for a good face wash and moisturizer…and after reading the glowing reviews, THIS ONE.

12. Swim trunks, $50 – If his swim trunks flap like the wings of giant birds below his knees….time to upgrade.   These are Mike-approved.

13. Funky Socks, $6-$12 – This is an easy way to let the kids pick out a gift.  For some reason, my boys really get into this.  (Topman socks, $6)

Gifts For YOUR Dad

FIRST ROW

1. Hoodie, $35 – If there’s one thing that helps an old guy look more hip, it’s a really good hoodie.  This slim-fit one is the best.  (You might need to size up for Grandpa.)

2. Bonobos Golf Polo Shirt, $78 – Golf clothes are always so….tragic.  But this striped polo is actually pretty cool.  (And also made from a wicking fabric, blah blah blah.)

3. Leather Belt, $60 – I once got my Dad a leather belt – in desperation, mind you – and….he loved it.   Dad gets mad if you spend too much money on stuff like belts, so finding a good one for under $100 is key.

4. Ugg Australia Slippers, $109 – Unlike belts, good slippers have no price.  And these are THE BEST.

SECOND ROW

5. Nike Golf Shorts, $80 – OOOO exciting!! More golf clothes!  (These are pretty good, though.)

6. Cotton Lounge Pants, $33 – Sweatpants that are a step up from those plaid flannel pajama pants…yet a few steps down from hipster.  In Dad’s words, “nothing too dude-y”.

7.Ipad Keyboard and Cover, $100 – For the Grandpa who would still rather hunt-n-peck than use a touch screen.  (YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE.)

LAST ROW

8.Personalized Beer Mug, $32 – For the Grandpa who already has “his” chair, his newspaper (the old-fashioned paper kind), his remote…and now?  His very own beer mug.

9. Valet Tray, $55 – “A place for everything and everythi–”  YES DAD.  I KNOW.  Here’s a little something for his watches and lotto tickets.

10.Suitcase, $250 – I don’t know the last time your Dad bought new luggage, but if he was wearing bell-bottoms at the time, he’ll likely be shocked by how light (yet sturdy) luggage has become.  This, for example?  6 lbs!

xo!

S

A big, HUGE thank-you to Nordstrom for sponsoring this post – putting this much thought into Father’s Day Gifts was good for me.  🙂  As always, all product choices, thoughts, and opinions are my own.  (Or as Pax would say, “MINE OWN”.)  And readers, thank you for supporting the retailers who help support The Mom Edit  – it doesn’t go unnoticed, and is so very much appreciated.