At some point you’ve probably struggled to think of a great gift for a particular man in your life. Whether it’s your significant other, a family member, or a friend, clothing gifts are a popular and potentially well-loved choice. Buying clothes for men, however, can prove difficult. We’ll review the best clothing gifts for men, so you can avoid basic mistakes and boring presents, and get him a gift he actually loves and will wear.
Before diving into any gift ideas, it’s important to consider how you will determine the best gift options. This involves asking the right questions.
Then, we’ll give you some ideas, but no gift idea is one-size-fits-all. Ultimately you’ll have to take this information and make a choice. The benefit from this article will come from asking yourself the right questions so you can get a better picture of the recipient. Then you can use the ideas from this article to get him something he will love.
Let’s review the key factors of the best clothing gifts for men to examine before making a purchase.
Style type
The person you’re thinking about may or may not have a defined style, but everyone does dress according to some kind of aesthetic.
Most men’s style falls into the following categories:
- Rugged, outdoorsy (flannels, fisherman sweaters, barn coats, jeans, etc…)
- Refined (slacks/chinos, polo shirts, button downs, sport coats, etc…)
- Preppy
- Casual (t-shirts and jeans)
- Street/trendy (usually looks different, always wearing the latest “cool” thing)
- Sporty (athleisure wear)
- None (see below)
Some men don’t give much thought to what they wear and prioritize comfort over style. While you may find it difficult to find a good clothing gift for this person, the right present can go a long way towards improving their style. It’s important to strike the right balance, as you don’t want the gift for this person to come across as an insult. Look at what they wear currently and find something that doesn’t look out of place, but moves them in the right direction.
So the first question you need to ask – what is this person’s style type?
Lifestyle
Giving their day to day life a quick overview will also help guide your gifting decision. Some key questions:
- What does he do for work? Someone who has to go into an office everyday wearing professional or business casual attire will have vastly different needs than someone who works from home or works outside.
- What are their main hobbies? Does he work out a lot, go fishing, watch a lot of sports, and/or travel?
- What’s the weather like where he lives and travels?
Once you get a picture of his style type and lifestyle, you probably have some good ideas starting to swirl around.
Gift Ideas by style level
Style level is the next consideration when thinking of best clothing gifts for men. Basically, does he care a lot about fashion, or does it seem like more of an afterthought?
Basic
This man probably probably doesn’t think too much about what he wears on a day to day basis. Maybe his clothes don’t fit great, or he sticks to some favorite pieces that may be outdated or don’t flatter his appearance (oversized cargo shorts, old t-shirts, hoodies, crocs, etc…). Or maybe he dresses ok but doesn’t like buying new clothes for himself.
Many men fall into the category of making these common fashion mistakes. Help him fix those.
For this person, stick to the basics. You’ll have success finding him a gift similar to what he already wears, but in an upgraded, more stylish, or a well-fitted version. For example:
- If he wears old (maybe dorky) graphic tees and baggy cargo shorts, consider some clean, well-fitted t-shirts in a color that suits his complexion. Or a pair of plain chino shorts that hit just above the knee.
- Did he just get into working out or a new hobby, but doesn’t have enough of the proper gear yet? This is an easy gifting decision. A shirt or pair of pants specific for that hobby, like a nice workout top, can help motivative the recipient to stick with their new interest.
- A common fashion mistake is wearing ill-fitting pants. A new pair or jeans or chinos, that actually fit, will work wonders for his entire wardrobe. Nice dark jeans are a wardrobe staple and look good on almost everyone.
You want to gift something basic in this situation without insulting him. The options above are all pretty safe. Don’t be afraid to spend a little extra on these items so it feels special.
Intermediate
This person likely has a defined style type and usually looks decent or good. When thinking of the best clothing gifts for men who fall in this category, you have a lot of options. You can help them elevate their overall style – maybe they have good casual clothes but don’t look as good dressed up, or vice versa. Or maybe you can gift a slightly nicer version of something they already like to wear or is in their style type (i.e. if he fits a rugged aesthetic, a really nice flannel shirt-jacket would be great).
You are less likely to offend a man in this category, as he already recognizes the value of looking good to some degree. Check out the ideas below for best clothing gifts for men in this category.
Jackets
A nice jacket makes a wonderful gift. Regardless of their aesthetic, a good jacket can bring an outfit together, slim and lengthen his frame, and provide a versatile layer for different types of weather. The list below outlines jacket types by style aesthetic.
- Rugged – flannel shirt jacket, canvas barn coat
- Refined – sport coat, chore coat, trench coat/mac jacket
- Casual – bomber jacket, shirt jacket, field jacket, trucker jacket
- Preppy – waxed cotton jacket (like a Barbour), traditional blazer, Harrington jacket
- Sporty – quarter zip performance pullover, lightweight down jacket
I’ve linked to some middle of the road pieces, but you can find some less expensive options with some google searching. Check out these examples to get some inspiration – hopefully they can give you a vision of how it will work for the wearer.
Other ideas
This person is less likely to need the basics, and he probably has a good handle on his shirts, pants, and shoes. Help him supplement the basics with the ideas below.
- Knitwear – A nice sweater is a great gift, especially for someone in a cooler climate. Either pick a solid neutral (grey, navy, black) or a color that matches the recipient’s skin tone (check out this article and this one for matching colors with skin tone). Check out these merino wool sweater options.
- Situational attire – If he lives somewhere warm, a nice pair of linen trousers can come in handy. The same goes for cooler weather and flannel or moleskin pants. Stylish rain boots can make a big difference for someone in a wet climate.
- Hobby attire – People who are seriously into a hobby, like golf, pickleball, soccer, biking, working out, etc…, can usually never have enough gear for said hobby. Again, this person probably has the basics nailed down, so you might be safe going with a specialized shirt, pair of shorts, gloves, or anything specific to their hobby that you know they could use will be a safe bet.
- Money clip wallet – Much slimmer than a traditional wallet. It looks sleeker under clothes, which will keep him from ruining the clean lines in an outfit. Go for a leather option in brown or black.
Advanced
It’s easy to know when someone dresses well, but figuring out the best clothing gifts for this man can be a challenge. On a positive note, since they are very fashion conscious, they will love the right gift. The options below will help get you on the right side of this uncertainty.
This person will have their basics covered, as well as most of the secondary items listed in the section above. You’ll have to get a little more creative with your selection here.
- Gift card – Seriously. If you know their favorite store, they will appreciate the option to pick something on their own.
- Watch strap – If he wears a watch, an alternative strap will give them an option that’s like owning a new watch. Check out this site. If he favors a steel band watch, a refined leather band can help him mix up his dressier looks. If he tends to sport leather bands, try a nylon band in a bolder color to match more fun, casual attire. Make sure you know the model of his watch as well as the band width.
- Socks – Seriously. This person will appreciate a good pair of socks. But they must be high quality. If he dresses up a lot, try a pair of cashmere socks. For someone who lives somewhere colder, a couple pairs of thicker wool socks with an interesting design (like Fair Isle print) will go a long way.
- Gloves – If this person likes to dress up and lives in a cold weather location, a pair of leather gloves is an underrated gift. More of a rugged or outdoorsy aesthetic? A nice pair of workwear-inspired gloves could do the trick.
- Espadrilles – For the man who lives somewhere warmer or likes to vacation at the beach. These shoes are a step up from sandals and are super versatile for warm weather. Check out this post for the best options.
- “Afterthought” accessory – Items that not many men wear, which can help the well-dressed man stand out even more. Think of a unique pair of cufflinks, or a lapel pin, a tie clip, an antiqued ring, a leather bracelet – make sure it fits his style aesthetic and isn’t too much of a risk.
Conclusion
Thinking of the best clothing gifts for men can easily overwhelm even the most thoughtful gift-giver. The first key is to think of who this person is versus what you should buy them. It starts with examining their style type, lifestyle, and level of interest in dressing well. Asking the right questions will make your decision easier and give you more confidence that your gift will be well-received.
