With the festive season merely weeks away our thoughts are once again turning to that perennial question, what on earth to buy for the main man in your life!
Men are such difficult creatures to buy for. The usual suspects of slippers, hankies, and boxer shorts are just not particularly exciting and lack any degree of creativity. So we have put together some of our favorite potential presents as a helpful guide.
Turn those tables back to vinyl again
As technology has developed the usual DVDs and CDs just don’t pass muster anymore. Everyone can download or stream whatever films and music they want whenever they want, so building up a collection of CDs no longer has the same appeal.
However, there is no reason why you shouldn’t go back to basics and look at re-awakening a possibly long-buried joy for vinyl. It could be the start of a real love affair. For those of us old enough to remember, the hours spent flicking through the vinyl albums in stores like HMV are where memorable Saturday morning lie.
Vinyl LPs are tangible. And they have also proven to be a great investment. While some have probably maintained a value of around £10 to £20, it is not unusual for some to be worth in their hundreds, if not in their thousands of pounds, depending on the rarity of the LP and the band.
So do a bit of research and seek out what could be a sound future investment – it might be the start of a true passion in the coming years (and solve all your future-present idea headaches!).
Enhance his outfits with a piece of jewelry
Continuing with the ‘investment’ theme, sinking your present money into a good piece of jewelry for your man is once again putting your cash into a tangible item that can increase in value in line with inflation over time.
In an unpredictable economic situation, gold and silver are good receptacles for longer-term investments. They will always be in high demand, they have global universal value, and they have a high liquidity rate.
So suss out some of the more premium suppliers of men’s jewelry. If you’re going to show how much you love them, doing so with a beautiful but tangible piece of investment is the best way.
Go for quality legacy items
It is too easy in our throw-away consumer-driven society to forget the legacy that one good, quality luxury item can offer. Anyone who has had, and lost, a grandfather will remember the rough surface of his coat, the smell of his aftershave, and the well-worn leather of his wallet.
These are the items that can evoke a legacy, a feeling of solidity and continuity. Old wallets can hold tokens of love, little notes folded up and tucked away containing words that are private and meaningful. Wooden handled tools contain the shape and sweat of hands that might have once held your own as a child. The soft bristles of a shaving brush will contain the memories and musk of the bristly chin that it will have lathered up the morning after morning, prior to a close shave.
Start those legacy items for the man in your life. Our throwaway culture of disposable razors and cash-free payment methods might not favor an old-fashioned approach to lifestyle accessories, but that shouldn’t stop anyone from indulging in their luxury and taking pride once again in a product that is well made from luxury materials and gives the owner an emotional lift every time they run their fingers over its quality finish.