Since Tara is our Men’s guru here on Shoebizness, she decided to share with you some fun ideas for gifts for the guys. Now most of you should have all your shopping done already, but if you are like me and had a crazy past couple of months….you haven’t even started! So thanks to Tara maybe our shopping will be a little easier! -Julia

Last Minute Gift Ideas for Men

The countdown begins and the Holidays are almost here. The malls are busy with people walking around aimlessly trying to figure out what to buy.  At the same time, we are occupied feeling completely over-whelmed with everything that needs to be done by the New Year. Personally, when it comes to shopping for the ladies in my life, the shopping is fun and easy. When it comes to the Men in my life, it becomes so frustrating, trying to figure out what they want. With that being said, I decided to dedicate this article to a few last minute gift ideas for the guys. In addition to some gift ideas, I included some great websites to help make life a little easier.

• GROOMING- There is the Art of Shaving which I’ve bought for several guys of all ages and they all seem to enjoy. My favorite scent is the Sandalwood, but it also comes in Un-scented.  You can buy gift sets, individual shaving creams, balms, shaving tools all ranging from $25-$150.  The Art of Shaving is available at Nordstrom (Nordstrom.com), Neiman Marcus (Neiman Marcus.com) and The Art of Shaving stores.

• GIFT CARDS- It sounds so simple and maybe even a little impersonal, but you just can’t go wrong with one.  Try to get a gift card to a store that he likes rather than a Visa or Amex gift card. A great site for a gift cards is one of the industries favorites, Zappos.com. They have everything from shoes, clothes, accessories, electronics, bags, eyewear and sporting goods. The site includes brands from Robert Wayne (my favorite), Hugo Boss, 7 for all mankind, Rock and Republic, To Boot, and so many more. The best part is that it ships within one day and your guy never has step foot in a store! Some other good gift cards include memberships to gyms, restaurants, sporting events, concerts, etc.

• APPAREL- One of the first items on the list this holiday season is Flannel Shirts! They are affordable and in style even for the guy that isn’t a trend setter. From what I see, this is a trend going forward into Spring ’10 and even Fall ’10. I’ve seen great flannels at J.Crew, Nordstrom, Banana Republic and Gap. A great thing about all the retailers mentioned above is that they are targeted to all age groups, which helps narrow the search. A convenient site to shop on this Holiday season is the Gap. They are connected to Banana Republic, Old Navy and Piperlime, so you can shop at four different locations and check out all at once. Gap has great t-shirts, which Men love! Banana Republic has some of the better socks, which for some strange reason most men ask for during the Holidays. You can also find great scarves, gloves, and knits.

• GADGETS- My favorite location for fun stocking stuffers is Restoration Hardware. If you go to the store, it is usually all in the front of the store, and if you go on their site, go under gifts. There are gifts catered to hobbies, toys, home, travel, office, gadgets, etc. Fun stuff that guys love. They have plush robes for $60, blankets for $40, New York Times Sudoku, Travel Chess, old cars and more.

• ENTERTAINMENT- For that guy who loves fashion, Details Magazine has a book called, “Details, Men’s Style Manual: The Ultimate Guide for Making Your Clothes Work for you.”  Books are thoughtful and a gift that they will have forever. I enjoy receiving them as well as giving them out.  Another nice gift idea is DVD sets. Who doesn’t love watching their favorite show without commercials at any time?  Some of the popular DVD sets are Seinfeld (yes, still Seinfeld),  The Office, Curb your Enthusiasm, The Wire,  Rescue Me, CSI, Mad Men, and one of my favorites Entourage.

Hope this helps and I hope that at some point everyone has time to enjoy the season. They come and go quick.

Happy holidays and a Happy New Year!

Tara xo