Today in our gift guides, we’re talking gifts for the groom and & groomsmen! I don’t know about you, but I find the males in my life the hardest to buy for. They buy everything they need – I can’t buy them tools because I always get it wrong, they’re really picky about the clothes they wear (and the skincare they use!) so I am really excited about this gift guide!
I’ve hunted down a big range of products I love (that have Mr Polka’s seal of approval!) that will work as Christmas presents or thank you gifts for the men in your life. From the very serious presents, to fresh, fun takes on old classics. I hope this gives you a little inspiration for the hard to buy for’s in your life!
Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Bestsellers Gift Set ($71 Includes Body wash & Soap), Acqua di Parma ‘Colonia Leather’ Eau de Cologne ($240) , Lush Cosmetics “Melting Snowman” Bath Melt ($5.50), TOMS Navigator Shiny Gold & Panama Tortoises Sunglasses (US$139), Sunglasses TOMS Navigator Shiny Silver and Whiskey Tortoise Sunglasses (US$139), Four Pillars Gin Rare Dry Gin ($70), Izola Flask ($36 Available from The Woodsfolk)
Kicking off our gift guide for the groom and groomsmen, or the males in your life with this Molton Brown Black Peppercorn Bestsellers Gift Set ($71 includes Body wash & Soap), this luxurious set will have him feeling fresh and pampered.
How’s this for a signature wedding day scent? Acqua di Parma ‘Colonia Leather’ Eau de Cologne comes in a luxe brown leather box with silk lining, ticking all the boxes for chic scents. The brown bottle with metallic emblem is filled with an ever so masculine scent – think citrus, leather, Moroccan cedar wood and Paraguayan guaiac oil. If you’re looking a luxurious gift for the groom who has it all this brand new fragrance might be your ticket to present points.
Lush Cosmetics “Melting Snowman” Bath Melt ($5.50) is the perfect little stocking stuffer that is not only cheap and a fun little idea for someone who needs a bit of pampering, but hello it looks like a little melting snowman and if the person you gift this to doesn’t think it’s utterly hilarious and crack a grin – I think you can put that down as your test as to whether they are on your Christmas card list ever again.
If you’re looking for a gift that is both tangible and charitable then look no further than the sunglasses collection from TOMS. Much like their shoes, for each pair of sunglasses sold, TOMS helps to restore sight through sight-saving surgery, medical treatment and/or prescription glasses. I’m particularly loving the TOMS Navigator Shiny Gold & Panama Tortoise Sunglasses (AUS$190), Sunglasses and TOMS Navigator Shiny Silver and Whiskey Tortoise Sunglasses (AUS$190).
Last year I told you how much I loved the Kickstarter campaign for coffee liqueur Mr Black. Well meet my favourite Kickstarter of 2014 – Four Pillars Gin Rare Dry Gin ($70). Made in the Yarra Valley, this gin is packed full of flavour (the makers tell of notes of cinnamon, star anise, Tasmanian pepperberry leaf and lemon myrtle). This sophisticated looking bottle (how much am I loving the copper foil print?) would make a great gift for the groomsmen!
I love the idea of fresh new takes on something classic and this Izola Flask ($36 Available from The Woodsfolk) is exactly that. Far from the plain silver flasks of old, this fab little number comes engraved with a number of fun quotes and motifs (my favourite, featured in this shoot reads “A Hangover Is The Wrath of Grapes- Dorothy Parker”).
Marshall Major Headphones in Black ($179.95), Gameface moisturiser ($48.50 Available from The Woodsfolk) The Body Shop Modern Gents Bathroom Kit ($39.95 Includes shave cream, face wash and face shea shower cream), Huxby Haberdashery “Sail Away” Bow Tie ($68), Annabel Trends Man Food Box Of Socks ($26.95), Izola Collapsible Cup ($25 Available from The Woodsfolk) Izola Paddle Your Own Canoe Paddle Ball Set ($54.95 Available from From The Owl) Citizens Of The World Candle in “Dweller”($59.09), Daneson Flavoured Toothpicks in Single Malt & Salted Birch ($8 & $12 from Navy Crockett) Huxby Haberdashery “Sail Away” Pocket Square ($32)
Amazing headphones always make a great gift and you can’t go wrong with Marshall. These Marshall Major Headphones in Black ($179.95), with the signature Marshall texture and slightly retro styling and super soft ear cushions, the headphones are fully collapsible as well as having a microphone and remote allowing you to take calls without interrupting your listening session.
When it comes to male skincare, I am a big fan of Triumph & Disaster. So their Gameface moisturiser ($48.50 Available from The Woodsfolk) is definitely a good gift idea in my book. Essential oils with Jojoba extract, Horopito oil, Ponga fern (Cumungii) and Vitamin E create a light yet easily absorbed treatment for male skin.
The typography and design on this kit won me over, but so did the basic and useful products. Enter the The Body Shop Modern Gents Bathroom Kit ($39.95). Including shave cream, face wash and face shea shower cream, it’s not one of those kits filled with skincare your gent will never use (face masks for instance are not something Mr Polka has ever touched!). The compact design and wash bag makes it a great gift idea for the gents in your life too.
If your wedding is bow tie worthy, or the males on your list love a bit of dressing up, then might I recommend this Huxby Haberdashery “Sail Away” Bow Tie ($68)? I love the navy and white print and as the brand is founded by Sydney based Melbournians Emily & Paul – you know you’re supporting an awesome business who make quality products.
Now socks and jocks are always a given at Christmas for most guys – so if you’re going that route, why not go with a bit of a twist and buy the Annabel Trends Man Food Box Of Socks ($26.95), From socks printed with pretzels, chillies, beer and my personal favourite – bacon. These might make getting up for work a little easier (or could be a fun alternative for standard wedding day black numbers!).
For the groom or groomsmen who is always on the go, consider this Izola Collapsible Cup ($25 Available from The Woodsfolk). Fitting easily into your pocket, this collapsible cup is the perfect little present for camping or for an impromptu drink with friends (Scouts Motto: be Prepared).
Games like this always top my Christmas list because they make working off that food coma so much easier! The Izola Paddle Your Own Canoe Paddle Ball Set ($54.95 Available from From The Owl) is not only a fun gift but stylish too (oh Izola, how do you always get it so right?) . The set comes with two paddles and a ball all neatly packed into a net bag- great gift for your groom or the groomsmen!
My favourite candle makers Citizens Of The World Candle in “Dweller”($59.09) is top of my Christmas list this year. The Citizens have recently designed brand new packaging and just when you thought a candle couldn’t be masculine, they go and whip out black glass and their original “Dweller” scent which is moody, dark and one of my favourites – Frankincense, smoky Vetiver, clean Sandalwood, Cedar and Lavender.
Want something quirky and small? These Daneson Flavoured Toothpicks in Single Malt & Salted Birch ($8 & $12 from Navy Crockett). the finest quality Northern White Birch toothpicks come in a sleek brown glass tube and are infused with natural oils for a hint of flavour. Good for the guy who has it all.
Now if the guy on your list loves a bow tie, then he might fall for the Huxby Haberdashery “Sail Away” Pocket Square ($32). I love this gift idea for your groom or groomsmen as it’s something they can keep forever but also wear for the wedding. Plus each Huxby piece is hand sewn in Sydney and printed in Melbourne, Australian made through and through!
Mossman Australia Boxer Short in Reuben & Ryder ($29.95 & $32.95), Beer Days Beer Box (From $54.95 A Month), evo hair men’s essentials kit ($29.95), Once Was Lost Signature Bag ($129.95), Uniden camouflaged UHF radios ($59.95), Hugo Boss BOTTLED, Collector’s Edition ($97), San Churro Chocolate Mo ($5)
Now continuing with the traditional socks and jocks, I wanted to throw these fun trunks from Mossman Australia into the mix. The boxer shorts – Reuben ($29.95) is a navy cotton jersey number with white polka dots & Ryder ($32.95) is a relaxed fit cotton boxer with wave print. I love the prints from this brand and if you’re going to do socks and jocks, you might as well do it with fun and get a brand that is Australian through and through!
For the groom or groomsmen who love their beer – meet the Beer Days Beer Box (From $54.95 a month). Each month the Beer Days crew pick four craft beers (and you can select to receive 8, 12 or 16 bottles) to be delivered to your door. Not only is the taste sensation of new beers delivered monthly, but the boxes come complete with tasting notes and snacks (because you need popcorn and salty treats while tasting that brew!)
If your guy is always on the move then this evo men’s essentials kit ($29.95), containing a mini size of the evo shampoo and condition, body wash, shave cream and face balm is a must – the set is the perfect size for travel with sacrificing quality or style. Plus who can resist a body wash called Soap Dodger? Not I she says, not I.
I was smitten with this Once Was Lost Signature Bag ($129.95), from the moment I saw it and photos don’t do it justice. One can never have enough bags and this bag somehow matches practicality with chic styling. Though if you’re female you might be stealing this for yourself (I would!). Its heavy duty canvas with leather straps and is deceptively huge. If the guy on your list is forever lugging stuff around, then this may be the perfect gift for him.
I think we need to get rid of the idea that walkie talkies are only for kids, mainly because I think these Uniden camouflaged UHF radios ($59.95) are just as fun for adults as they are for the littlies (if not more so). Wedding day emergency mission? Solved! Never underestimate the love of a good walkie talkie (these have a sight range of 3km and 80 channels).
Hugo Boss BOTTLED, Collector’s Edition ($97) makes a great chic scent for a cologne lover who needs the latest and greatest – because this collectors (and limited) edition is seriously stylish in it’s frosted black bottle with de-bossed logo. The top notes feature apple and citrus leading to a base of Sandalwood, Vetiver, Cedarwood, and Olivewood with spice in between.
You know San Churro for their sneaky midnight chocolate treats, but did you know they also create chocolate packs to take home as well? This Chocolate Mo ($5) makes a fun stocking stuffer plus is the best way to way ‘to go a mo’ naturally.
Huxby Haberdashery has now closed.
Photos by Talia Cain for Polka Dot Bride
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