The Bull Bay

I’ve been pretty annoyed by some of the “gift guides” for men that I’ve seen in magazines and on the web lately. If you follow my personal twitter, you my have seen a tweet about a popular magazine’s recent guide and award list being a little absurd.

My goal is to one day open my own men’s store and I have a running log of items that that fit my criteria for purchases and would sell (in no order and yes, I know they tie back into each other):

1) It must be affordable - I’m not going to put myself in a bad financial situation for a fashion/lifestyle purchase. There are too many quality items at a good price if you take the time to look for them.

2) It must be quality - I have never been able to understand why people would buy a product that is made with lower grade fabric or poor stitching. We’re men, we should by buy timeless items that will last for many years.

3) Clothing and accessories must be timeless - If I think something is trendy, I will pass on it unless it is very inexpensive. It’s not worth losing closet space for an item that will only be worn once or twice before it heads to a donation box.

4) It must have a story - You won’t likely catch me shopping at a department store or a big-box. I’m sure there are some great products sold there but I don’t support that mentality. I grew up on a family farm and I understand the love that goes into small batch and locally sourced products.

5) It must be something that can be used frequently or treasured forever- Items must fit into one of these two categories. If the item doesn’t fit into one or the other, the recipient might as well sell it on ebay the day after Christmas.

So, there you go. This is my checklist for items that I would carry in my shop and for items that I’ll suggest you consider when buying gifts for men. I’m not sure how many items that I’ll post but if you want to explain your scenario and get a specific suggestion, feel free to ask.

Click here to see more Gift Guide posts.