Father’s Day is just around the corner and I hope you’ve gotten your dad that special something. For those of us who are uber procrastinators, I have a couple of ideas. The first rule of gift giving is to give something from the heart; however, you have to remember that just because you like the present doesn’t mean your dad will. I asked my dad what he wanted for Father’s Day and he quickly replied, “Anything else but a tie.” Alright so I take the easy way out and usually get him a Vineyard Vines tie or some kind of tie. I know I know, laziness to the umpteenth degree. I usually get him a tie because he wears them to work everyday so I would rather him have cute novelty ties. I’ve been pondering what to get the old man: a dinner cruise? shoes? tie? candy? grooming kit – probably not. This year I decided to solicit the help of my 19 year-old brother since he is a guy and will probably have a better idea of what daddy likes.
After hours at Bloomingdale’s, J. Crew, Sherman Pickey, Nordstrom, Vineyard Vines, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren and a slew of other stores and boutiques up and down Wisconsin Avenue and Chevy Chase, I came up with my list of a few gift ideas for dear old dad.
My dad is not a golfer but someone’s is. If you can’t afford to buy good ole dad a new set of clubs don’t fret, just settle for the next best thing. Check out this posh Jan Leslie Sterling silver golf ball and tee cufflinks, available at Gilt.com or Neiman Marcus. A set of cufflinks from Jan Leslie’s collection will make your dad proud. Jan Leslie’s collection boasts a wide array of cufflinks to fit any dad’s lifestyle and personality. Get him an elephant, wildcat, shark tooth or octopus cufflinks, all sterling silver and hand painted to remind him of that wild African Safari or the trip you took to the aquarium in Hawaii. Dad not really into animals? How about get him some links to remind him of his love for flying or that one time at the Kentucky Derby? The Jan Leslie cufflinks collection can be a bit pricey; however, there is a cufflink for every price range, from $65-$700.
Dad can never have enough shirts so how about splurging a bit more on a Vineyard Vines Norris Check Whale Shirt for the old man? These shirts are great for the summer or to layer during the cooler months. Your money will be well spent with a gift from this popular prep store. You are probably asking why I didn’t choose a tie from Vineyard Vines since there are known for their ties. Well, my dad has enough Vineyard Vines ties as it is so I would rather pick out a nice shirt for him to wear on that imaginary cruise I might be taking him on. With three colors, blue, green or pink, you can’t go wrong. If your dad isn’t a trendy guy, do not and I repeat, do not choose a pink shirt for him. He will probably wear it just once and let it hang in the closet for years to come (maybe I am just exaggerating just a bit.)
Summer is lurking around the corner, meaning dad must look sharp in the hot summer months. He certainly will look chic in this Polo Ralph Lauren “MacDuff” Sportcoat. This sports coat will see many uses: from Sunday brunches, cigars & scotch with the guys, dates with mom, summer concerts and even sporting events. What I love about the sportcoat is its versatility. Dad can dress it up with trousers and dress shoes or shorts, a polo and loafers. Yup! You get more bang for your buck. Your dad will definitely be the stylish one out of the bunch in this hot number. You can just gloat about having the sharpest looking dad on the block.
Dad not a big fan of fashion? How about some music. I used to spend so much time at Tower Records with my dad as a kid. He would take me to Nordstrom and would stop by Tower to check out new releases. I usually bought new orchestra arrangements because I was such a violin nerd. My dad loves the classics so I know getting him a CD to add to his enormous CD collection will be nice. If you don’t know what your dad will like, simply buy him a gift certificate to Tower Records or iTunes so that he can take his time in picking out his own present. Here are a couple of records that classy dads will love to have in their collection: I’m A Man: The Chess Masters, 1955-1958 by Bo Diddy, Nina Simone: Anthology, Live at Royal Albert Hall 1971 (CD) by The Byrds, Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well And Living In Paris (CD) .
If you have the money to spend, buy your dad a vacation he’s been dreaming of. If he’s been dreaming of climbing Kilimanjaro, buy him a book about it along with a trip itinerary. If your dad loves books, ask him about his reading list and get him two or three of the books he’s been meaning to read. You don’t have to spend money on Father’s Day to make you dad feel special. You can make dad breakfast, take him to a baseball game, go fishing, go out and throw the ball around or just sit relax with a bottle of wine and listen to some of his favorite records. Father’s Day comes once a year so make sure you make it special and unique just like your one of a kind dad.
