I appreciate that sending (and, let’s be honest writing) this piece the morning before Valentine’s may not be the most helpful for you organised partners and wives looking for a treat for the well meaning idiot in your lives.
To compound matters my lovely editor may struggle to get it live before the (not so) big day. Don’t worry. These are just a few pointers to niceness which are applicable at any time. Meantime, more than gifts I’d suggest being thoughtful and kind to each other whatever the day. That and avoiding a meal out on Valentine’s night as it will suck the love and joy from the marrow of your soul.
The humble scarf. That protector of necks and potentially the difference between a bland outfit and a hint of joie de vivre in your day. Paul Smith has been a boss for longer than any of us, and his iconic signature stripe is a guaranteed winner. Liven up those curious gents who solely wear a suit with no coat regardless of the weather as if it has hidden thermogenic properties, or just give another stylish option to your lesser half. We recently paid homage to the magnificence of Bowers and Wilkins, but are compelled to do so again. So much more stylish than certain other headphones we could name, and producing an unrivaled aural experience, these come in a range of colors and are packed with engineering that boggles the mind. If he’s going to have selective hearing and pretend not to hear you, at least he can do the music justice. Matured in second fill bourbon casks until 2013 when bottled, this single malt from Balblair won’t break the bank, but it will warm the cockles of the heart. Around since 1790, one of the reasons Balblair is notable is that they release their malts by vintage rather than age signature, meaning they won’t be around for long. Citrus and honey loveliness on its own or with a splash of water, and it even looks amazing. St. Valentine. Four books from four thinkers wrestling with the mercurial nature of love. This boxed set looks as stunning as the contents will be engaging, thought-provoking and insightful. The School of Life website is a treasure trove of the wonderful, and their products are crafted with the same thought and dedication. I owned one of these for about 3 days a few years back until I left it in my friend’s bar in London. To be honest I’m not really an umbrella guy, but I can rock any number of jackets most days. Golf brollies should be kept for the course, whatever the brand or finance house emblazoned on the side unless you want to incur the wrath of decent people pavements the world over. For the busy gent this fits in a bag or is unobtrusive, looks great and does the job admirably. One of the issues around the forthcoming election should be why politicians never see fit to wear pocket squares. I assume a think-tank felt it made them look too dandyish, or louche. It makes them look lazy, and like they can’t dress themselves. To ensure your partner doesn’t look like this, buy him a lovely pocket square so he at least looks discerning, even if he is a dolt 60% of the time. Drake’s has a stunning array of colours and styles beyond this, so go nuts; they don’t come better.
Paul Smith Signature Scarf
BOWERS AND WILKINS P3 HEADPHONES
BALBLAIR 2003 SINGLE MALT
LIBRARY FOR LIFE; LOVE
BARBOUR TARTAN TELESCOPIC UMBRELLA
DRAKE’S POCKET SQUARE
