Christmas Gift Guide 2017 // For Him

Hello again guys! It’s now day 18 of Blogmas and I feel like I’m getting back onto some kind of level of organisation... It’s so cold and wet outside at at the minute that it’s hard to force yourself into some kind of routine as literally all I want to do is stay comfy and cosy in bed. Today’s post was actually a really difficult one to plan for, as I do kind that buying presents for men is much more difficult for me, even when I know someone really well. That being said, it was really satisfying to be able to come up with a few different ideas of things to buy for the male in someone’s life. Some of the items are affordable, some pretty expensive but I did want to try and cover different budget ranges as obviously we have different amounts that we’re able to spend. I do enjoy writing these kinds of posts, so please feel free to let me know in the comments if these kinds of posts are enjoyable for you, too.

iPhone 7 (Product) Red 128gb

This item is definitely the most expensive and ‘extravagant’ item on this list, but it’s arguably worth the money. The cheapest iPhone available on the market is around £400 and the most expensive is around £1000+ so this isn’t something you would buy for just anyone, but whoever you decide to gift an iPhone would be a very happy bunny for sure. I like that there’s a range of colours, sizes and styles to choose from, so whatever you choose for your loved one is something fairly personalised as it’d be chosen for them. If buying a phone is too much money, you could always buy a case or an accessory such as headphones as an alternative way of showing your love. There are so many nice phone cases from so many different brands available from various places such as Amazon and for all different prices and cater for all types of phones.

Ted Baker Leather Wallet Gift Set

This is a fairly average present idea, but everyone and anyone needs a place to keep their money and cards safe and this set is really good value for money I think as it’s good quality and comes with two options. Priced at £69, it is one of the pricier items on the list, but I’m sure there must be some more affordable alternatives available online or on the high street. The reason that this gift set looks like it could well for any man is that there is a traditional style of wallet alongside a card holder, so if you’re going for a night out, the card holder is great and for everyday, the wallet is perfect. Also, for a gift the set arrives in beautiful packaging in the form of a gift box so will look good if there’s somebody that you want to impress, or simply spoil over the festive season.

Fossil Grant Chronograph Men’s Watch

Again, I feel like a watch is a pretty standard gift idea, but as there are so many styles and designs to choose from, it is fairly easy to customise your decision based on the person who you have in mind to buy for. Fossil are a good, well known and reviewed brand and often have watches on sale at this time of year. The one pictured is currently on sale online for £90 which isn’t too unreasonable, but obviously if that is out of your budget (which it is for me) there are other styles and brands to choose from for as little as £15, a watch is something that the majority of people wear every day and it’s hard to choose that that someone won’t like. For men, I’d say that a darker colour, black or navy is a safe bet as most men wear a lot of darker colours and if they wear brights then a darker shade of watch will work better with their chosen outfit anyway.

iPad

Another slightly more expensive choice, for any gadget fan a tablet is a bit of a must. There are so many sizes, colours, and even brands to choose from. iPads start from about £300 at the cheapest model and roughly £900 for the most expensive, although that’s for the latest models, so the older models would probably be less than that. One thing I would say is that if a tablet is out of your price range for a gift, again you can always buy a case or accessory for your loved ones tablet instead. There are websites that personalise tablet cases with photographs or text, or you can buy a standard leather or Apple branded case for various prices, just make sure you’ve purchased one that fits the model that they have.

FiloFax Organiser

If any male in your life is in need of a little organisation, a Filofax is a slightly more traditional option to having an electronic organiser but more classic alternative to a diary. Priced at £30, it’s reasonably within a mid range budget but there are cheaper versions available from places like Amazon or Paperchase (amongst many others). What I personally love about the Filofax range is that you can also purchase optional inserts for the organiser, for events, etc. They’re super useful to have and it’s also nice to be able to keep everything all in one place. I love the look of the leather ones for men or women as they look really elegant and sophisticated.

Converse One Star Leather Mens

I feel like shoes are a really obvious option, but a good one as everyone needs a good pair of shoes. The Converse One Star range are a great alternative to regularly converse as they’re not as commonly seen and they’re also available in leather and suede, not only canvas. You can also choose from a variety of different colours so you can find a pair to suit anyone’s tastes, too. For £65 they are a fairly expensive gift, but that’s also likely to be because men’s shoes are usually more expensive than women’s as they’re usually larger. The only thing you need to find out before buying shoes is what size they need, which I did by looking at his other pairs of shoes, haha. 

Camper Van Mug

This is the cheapest item on this list of present ideas, but that doesn’t mean it’s of lesser quality in any way. Everyone loves a good mug and for £8.50 via Amazon, this is a really affordable, novelty but useful gift. There are so many mugs that are great to give as a gift, such as personalised ones with text or photographs, different colours and sizes or even a travel mug if the person you’re buying for is often travelling to work or elsewhere. You can never have too many mugs, they’re practical and a nice gift to give and receive.

Ted Baker Skinwear Limited Edition 

Not gonna lie, I’m one of those people who definitely judges how people smell; I love a good smell. Aftershave or perfume is always a good gift, although it’s probably good to find out what kind of smells your giftee likes before purchasing, just in case. I love the Ted Baker Skinwear aftershaves, I think that the bottle is super classy and stunning, the smell is always gorgeous, every year and every edition. It’s also incredibly reasonably priced at £20, it fits well into smaller budgets but looks very expensive. You can pick a more expensive version if you have the money, but honestly the smell is lovely and good value as it’s 100ml so will last a good few months, too.

Harry Potter Bathrobe

My boyfriend loves to be comfy and cosy, which I’m sure that we all do, to be honest. Therefore, something like a bathrobe/dressing gown is a great gift as it fits into both of those categories, particularly during the cold winter months. This Harry Potter themed version is an absolute steal from Primark at £16 as it’s so affordable and a lovely design, burgundy with gold stitched detailing and black piping, it’s definitely one for the Gryffindors, but it would work well for any Potterhead to be honest. As an alternative, Primark do have regular bathrobes for men, as well as other fandoms such as the Simpsons or Star Wars to choose from, so it’s easy to find something for everyone.

April Favourites

Hello again, another month has passed us all by which means it's time for another favourites post. April is also my birthday month, so some of these favourites were naturally birthday presents; I got the Britney and Vera Wang perfumes from my nana and my boyfriend, but I've been loving these books this month too; they're honestly the best books that I've read in a really long time, I recommend them to everyone, even if you're not a reader! The cover artworks are so beautiful too, definitely the nicest part of the images below. As you all know that I love perfumes, you won't be surprised to see several perfumes in my favourites, alongside my boyfriends aftershave which is literally heaven, it has the loveliest smell; I can always tell when he's been in a room by the smell of his aftershave and I love it! I've completely used up by Shower Glaze from the Zoella Beauty range, which I'm gutted about as it was a part of the Christmas collection so I doubt I'll be able to repurchase it... I love the gingerbread smell and how soft and creamy it feels on my skin, it was a surprise love as my skin is so sensitive I wasn't expecting it to react well to a non-sensitive shower gel, but it was actually really nourishing. I've also being relying on lip balm constantly since having an infected lip, as well as dry shampoo for those days when you need to give your hair a little bit of a boost. What have you guys been loving this month?

 

The Muse by Jessie Burton - Daisy Dream Blush by Marc Jacobs - Gingerbread Shower Glaze by Zoella Beauty - Baby Lip Valentines Fresh Pink by Maybelline

 

Midas Touch Highlighting Palette by Sleek - Blush Dry Shampoo by Batiste - Fortune Favours The Brave Eyeshadow Palette by MakeUp Revolution - Amor Amor In a Flash by Cacharel - Skinwear Limited Edition Aftershave by Ted Baker

 

iPod Nano 2nd Generation (Product) Red 8GB - Skullcandy in ear Headphones - A Year of Marvellous Ways by Sarah Winman - Princess of Hearts by Vera Wang - Maui Fantasy by Britney Spears - Baby Lip Valentines Fresh Pink by Maybelline

 

Princess of Hearts by Vera Wang - Maui Fantasy by Britney Spears - Soft Matte Lip Cream in London by NYX - Pink Lip Balm by Ted Baker - The Age Rewind Eraser Eye Concealer in Light by Maybelline - The Rocket Volum' Express Mascara in Very Black by Maybelline

 

Ted Baker Gift Set

Hello again; I've been on the hunt for a make up bag that small enough to fit into my work bag but big enough to fit in all of the essentials. A the minute I'm loving the Ted Baker selection as they're also available as a gift set which is fantastic as the price point of £14 for the set is affordable as well as being good quality. The pattern of my make up bag is rather unusual; it's several shades of pink, lilac and aqua (which is very pretty) with a printed design of crystals all over alongside rose gold zip and edged detailing. There is an embossed Ted Baker label in rose gold and the zip has a pink crystal to match the pattern. It's not a pattern that I would've thought I'd like but in person it's much nicer than it sounds. The bag itself is really structured and doesn't crush into weird shapes, it stays taut which is a feature that I really love. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it as I've never thought of Ted Baker being a brand that I love, however I'm not thinking to try out other products from the brand.

 

 

Inside the make up bag there is three items that are perfect for everyday essential use. A lip balm, hand cream and a body mist, all of which are in the loveliest pale shade of pink that matches the lining of the make up bag. When I go to work or out somewhere I don't like to carry around masses of products in a make up bag, as I prefer to keep my make up simple. These three items are an excellent way to care for yourself itself on the go and the hand cream is absolutely lovely, it's so moisturising and fresh smelling. I've mixed the three items with some make up products that I love to use for minimal make up like mascara, lip stick, brow gel and bb cream. I never was a fan of Ted Baker as a brand but since buying this gift set I'll definitely be indulging in more items from the brand as it's all great quality.

 

Christmas Wishlist

As I've got older, my Christmas lists seem to get shorter and shorter... In all honesty, I actually dread getting lots of presents because it means having to find somewhere to store my new stuff which is a nightmare as I have a tiny room that I share with my boyfriend now. That said, my Perfume Collection takes up a huge part of the room and I'm still lusting after more, oops. I'm realising that my wishlist for Christmas this year is mostly practical; I've spent a lot of this winter feeling less than my best so I want some comfy hoodies and strong shoes, as well as some fluffy slippers to keep me warm inside the house. It's almost a tradition in my family to give me either some Pandora charms, Cath Kidston items or some make up, such as a mascara. My mama always says if she doesn't know what to buy me, she will always buy something from one of those categories. I'm desperate to find a new bag or purse that I like and will last for a while; I have a habit of using literally the same bag all the time so I need something strong. I love Radly purses, so I'm hoping to snap one up in the Boxing Day sales, and hopefully a bag too but they're so pricey I'm not sure if my budget will allow me.

 

If I'm completely honest, I'm not a massive brat for presents and never really have been as I was brought up not to expect too much and be grateful for what I did get; but the whole point of this post was to dream a little so I've picked quite a large array of different things that in another life I've love to receive but will mostly save up for and buy for my myself, haha. The ballet shoes are probably the most surprising choice, but I actually took ballet lessons for 15 years and it's something I would've definitely persued if it wasn't for an injury when I was 7 years old. Ballet was my first love and I was completely obsessed with it. I'm intending to get back into ballet or at least some form of dance as I absolutely loved it and I do miss it a lot. I stopped because of A-Levels and as an adult I want to find that happiness again, for me ballet was a great way to relax. It didn't feel like exercise and it helped clear my mind, so it seems like a good idea to relearn ballet positions and get into pointe shoes again.

 

There's quite a few different kinds of make up that I've been lusting after for a while; I'd like some more lipsticks from MAC as I have Ruby Woo and I love it, I want some pink and nude shades too, as well as a highlighter as I have a basic one that has been used to death, so an upgrade is definitely required... I'm not sure what one I'd like but I guarantee I'll fall in love with a ridiculously expensive one and have to save up for ages. I've been resisting buying a Naked palette for so long, but I think I'll give in soon... I'm quite a nude and pinks person so the Naked 3 is more or less heaven to me, but the price isn't, sadly. I have some make up brushes already, but the zoeva brushes, however expensive they are look so nice and reviews state that they're really soft... I don't need them, but the whole point of a wishlist is to hope, right? I also am desperate to have all 3 of the Marc Jacobs Lush limited edition perfumes as they look and smell divine, hopefully I'll manage to buy all three before the end of January; as well as a new DSLR camera. In an ideal world, I'd love the canon 80D, but in reality the 700D is more in line with my budget.

Christmas Present Ideas For Him

- Herschel - Canon - Superdry - Beats - Converse - Hollister - Ted Baker - Jean Paul Gaultier - iPad - 

 

Personally, I find guys quite a challenge to buy for. But, that said I do like the pieces that I find, even if it takes a while. I tend to steer toward classic pieces, like bags or shoes as you can't go wrong with those, especially if you know the person well. You can tell a lot about a person from their shoes or their clothes as it's like a reflection of their personality. Herschel backpacks are so durable and able to hold a lot of stuff so seem to be a favourite with men. A bonus is that the backpacks come in neutral colours too so they go with any outfits, they're visually stylish and they hold anything so all in all makes for a good present and everyday bag. Another safe gift option is a wallet, as any man needs a decent wallet to store change, ID, bank cards and more. Like the backpack, neutral colours are a good bet so this Superdry tan leather wallet is perfect as it's visually pleasing with a lot of compartments, smooth leather which feels nice on the hand and is well made so will last being shoved in a bag or pocket.

Perfume is a little more tricky to buy as a surprise gift as it's not always easy to know which scent a guy will like, although most masculine scents tend to me quite musky and citrus smelling. Ted Baker do some really lovely smelling scents for men that not only look pleasant visually; the bottles are so nicely designed and elegant. They also are easy to use as the shape means that it's unlikely to smash being carried around as the bottle is hard wearing. Jean Paul Gaultier is more of a sexy, quite daring scent to buy for a man as even the bottle itself is very masculine with the muscly torso being it's feature. It's eye-catching and very seductive scent, which is good to buy if you're feeling brave or know the person really well. Either way, perfumes and aftershaves are a good bet as all men use them.

Electrical items are always popular too, as everyone is on social media or likes to keep memories now. A camera is a nice option if you money to spend, especially if the guy is into travelling or wants to start a new hobby. Canon make good quality cameras and the prices are getting more reasonable, especially with the Christmas cash back offers. An iPad is another good choice as it's something that can be used more or less all the time and has some customisable options, such as storage space, colour or adding an engraving. Although if that is out of your budget, a case is just as thoughtful and still very useful, especially if you're a naturally clumsy person. Headphones are another decent alternative as everyone likes to listen to music or watch films and the in ear headphones are usually the most comfortable for everyone as they fit any head or ear shape.

Lastly, another good option is some form of clothes or accessories like shoes, a scarf, a coat... There are so many different options, as long as you know the right size and taste. Trainers are a good bet as they're comfortable and fashionable, and coat or scarf keeps you warm which is an obvious bonus during the colder temperatures. If clothes aren't a good idea, then there are always easy options like chocolates, alcohol, a gift set or the traditional man gifts like socks (but again you need to know the correct sizing) and if they have a hobby you can always invest in something similar, for example if they want to start a new hobby, buy them something encouraging. If they want to learn a language, buy a phrase book. In all honesty, I'm not awful at buying presents for people of any age or gender but I do struggle more with my male relatives than female. If you have any other suggestions please let me know in the comments. See you soon! :)