Holiday Gift Guide: Where To Buy

Last week I contributed to a Business Insider article on winter essentials/holiday gift guide.  For a recap the items listed were: made to measure suit, custom dress shirts, Drake’s tie. Charvet tie, madder silk tie (or scarf or pocket square), cashmere socks, Gammarelli socks (aka The Pope’s socks), polo coat, wool/cashmere overcoat, leather gloves (peccary if at all possible), cashmere scarf, a fine pair of shoes (dark brown suede if they are to be for the winter), a white pocket square/handkerchief and monogrammed cufflinks.  Well, to be honest, the list was not complete.  I have a plethora of other gift ideas.  But what I think is more important is where to get the gifts.  For not any old department store or brand will do.

To get you started on things I shall keep it simple and concise.  For gloves I have found success with Dents, and they do have gloves of peccary which many would say is the most exclusive and luxurious leather for gloves.  For shoes you should plan to spend at least $300.  Look to Allen Edmunds and Alden for American shoes and Crockett & Jones, Shipton & Heneage, Church’s, Alfred Sargent or really anything made in Northhampton for English shoes.  For a little difference take look to Carmina (Spanish) or Septieme Largeur (French).  For made to measure suiting I recommend MySuit or Mr. Neds.  You may also want to take a look at Indochino, but I cannot speak about their products directly, but hopefully this will change in the near future.  There are a slew of online custom shirt makers, I have used Alexander West, Cotton Work, Proper Cloth and Modern Tailor.  I recommend them in that order.  But if you are really looking for something nice stop and see Rob Guillotte at the top floor of Turnbull & Asser in midtown Manhattan (or Jermyn st).  If none of these fit your bill, fear not, I’ll keep the suggestions coming over the next few days.