STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Kelly · Hermes

What are you giving your brothers/boyfriends this year?

relrel · Marc Jacobs

If we exchanged gifts, I would get my boyfriend the watch he's had his eye on forever. I may even take a look at and see what video games are out there that I think he might like.

Do either of your brothers do any cooking? Are they wine drinkers because a cool wine opener might make a good gift. Beer drinkers? An mixed six-pack of beer might also work really well because you can go pretty high-end with beer.

Boots · Gucci

Brothers and dads are the hardest to shop for. Last year I had my dad go with me to Menards and help me pick out a power tool that one of my brothers wanted. For the other one I got him some Civil War relics froma trip to Savannah becasue I know how much he loves history (can't for the life of me remember what else I gave him.)

No clue what to get them his year. Here are some ideas that I'm knocking around though.

Whisky-Stones-by-Teroforma4(3).jpg Whiskey stones

clip on LED bike lights for the brother who bikes a lot during the summer

Lightsaber chopsticks

Han Solo ice cube tray

Leatherman tool. My dad got each of us one of these years ago for Christmas. I can't tell you how often I've actually found myself using it. If your brothers live on their own or like to fix things, this might be a great idea.

41ifN4%2Bt4LL._AA300_.jpg IMainGo portable IPod speaker. I bought myself this last Spring, but it could make a great gift for anyone. The sound quality is really very good and I like that it protects my IPod when outdoors or at a party or wherever.

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

I like to get ideas from gifts.com (I don't take all suggs literally -- just gets the brain stones dislodged).

Try exploring Hunch.com (even though you'll have to use the site from your bros' points of view).

BEST magazine gift guide during this time of year is in Wired. I don't know if they put one out/yet, but it is totally worth it to go buy a copy off the newsstand. Keep it hidden, and you can pull from that puppy all year!

There's always the fun, irreverent, cool, unique t-shirt route.

BTW: I have no flippin' idea what I'm getting DH for birthday (in 10 days) or the holidays.

-- Edited by pollyjean23 on Friday 18th of November 2011 06:44:25 PM

ranchera20 · Marc Jacobs

For my brother I found him a big basketball book at Marshall's. I actually had seen it at Border's when they were closing down but didn't buy it and I regretted it for awhile till yesterday :) I might get him something for his Ipod or some other type of a neat gadget and that might be it for him.

For the hubby, I should have known before I married him (jk) he's harder to shop for than my dad! He "doesn't want anything" but I already bought him two sweaters, one zip up and one buttoned, and I might get him some Puma shoes or gear as a surprise too.

Hermes

lumps of coal. seriously - not doing any gift exchange.

Suasoria · Chanel

I give my brother clothes (since he'll rarely shop for himself), macho food gifts like bottles of gourmet hot sauce or spicy pretzels, sometimes CDs since he goes on a few road trips a year, cool used books (he's got a BA in Anthropology and has varied academic interests), travel/camping toys like flasks and whatnot, one year I got him typewriter key cufflinks from Etsy with his initials, good booze...

annaatkins · Nine West

My brother just moved into this new place so I thought about gettin him something for the house. I'm thinking a bean bag chair or something of the kind :)

-- Edited by annaatkins on Wednesday 30th of November 2011 09:50:22 AM

Kelly · Hermes

Thanks for all of the ideas!! Over Thanksgiving I figured out what I'm going to get one brother. He likes to hunt but doesn't really like to cook, so I'm going to get him a crock pot and find or put together a recipe book for the specific animals he hunts, then also make him little a few recipe "packets" with all the ingredients (spices, bouillon cubes, cream of mushroom soup, etc.) so all he has to do is dump in the packet, dump in some water, and add the meat.

But the other brother, I'm still brainstorming for! He doesn't like sports, doesn't drink, doesn't care about clothes, buys all the electronics he wants, and all his hobbies are science/engineering related so I don't even understand the basics of them....sigh. He loves traveling but doesn't have any trips planned. I'm off to gifts.com and hunch.com to try to find some ideas!

Boots · Gucci

Kelly- since he likes traveling, get him a decent duffel bag with wheels. Most guys use duffels to travel but I have yet to see one actually buy a good one. TJ Max or Marshalls should have some.

Or a toiletry kit (LL Bean has a great one.) Then pack it with sample sizes of things he uses. That way it's all ready for him when he does go on his next trip.

Kelly · Hermes

Boots wrote:
Kelly- since he likes traveling, get him a decent duffel bag with wheels. Most guys use duffels to travel but I have yet to see one actually buy a good one. TJ Max or Marshalls should have some.

Or a toiletry kit (LL Bean has a great one.) Then pack it with sample sizes of things he uses. That way it's all ready for him when he does go on his next trip.

Ooo good idea! He tends to travel a lot even when he hits his destination country so he always just packs a backpack he can carry everywhere, BUT his backpack is this sad thing he's had since high school and he could absolutely use an upgrade on that one! Thanks!