The 2025 Rath-Approved Holiday Gift Guide

Welcome to my 2025 Holiday Gift Guide!

I’ve gathered 12 gift ideas for the man in your life: a mix of hard-working essentials and some splurgy non-essentials intended to delight the aesthete and the aficionado. Choose from three categories: Stocking, In-Between, Splurge. And if all else fails, and you'd like more tailored help, contact me.

Stocking

(clockwise from top left)

1. Compact digital tape measure with fast, accurate readings, easy unit switching, and built-in memory. Simple, precise, and handy for everyday projects. ($37)

2. A clean, masculine candle with a sculptural black vessel and a deep, woody blend of smoke, evergreen, and cedar. Refined, atmospheric, and an easy upgrade to any room. ($40)

3. A classic 2-pack of Polo Ralph Lauren socks with subtle foulard pattern. Cotton-blend, everyday comfortable, and a simple way to add thoughtful, low-key style to his wardrobe. ($24)

4. Compact 9-in-1 multi-tool pen built for everyday use — writes like a smooth pen and packs nine practical functions (LED light, ruler, level, bottle opener, screwdrivers, stylus). Durable aluminum construction makes it a solid stocking stuffer for guys who appreciate functional, well-designed gear. ($13)

Splurge

(clockwise from top left)

1. Ralph Lauren Home Mixologist Bar Set in handsome leather, wool, and brass that combines classic materials with practical mixology tools. It’s a refined addition to his home bar or entertaining space — elevated without being showy. ($4995)

2. A high-performance down Moncler jacket with an unexpected twist — a distinctive corduroy exterior that adds texture and depth. This piece is technically built for the mountain, but refined enough for everyday winter wear. ($3610)

3. This Baume & Mercier Classima Automatic Chronograph Watch is a Swiss-made automatic chronograph that pairs refined mechanics with a clean, classic profile. The stainless case and suede strap give it a grounded, masculine feel, while the neutral palette adds a modern and understated element. This watch is an heirloom-quality piece that works for both everyday wear and elevated occasions. ($3200)

4. A beautifully crafted leather Brunello Cucinelli duffel that blends rugged utility with refined Italian design. The rich grain leather and thoughtful proportions make it equally at home on a weekend getaway or as a carry-on, while understated detailing keeps the look clean and masculine. ($5700)

Somewhere in Between

(clockwise from top left)

1. Billy Reid Coleman Oxford, a rich dark brown suede Oxford shoe that blends timeless dress-shoe roots with a modern, lived-in feel. Made in Italy with subtle burnishing and waxed laces, this is a refined shoe that works as easily with jeans as with tailored trousers, adding quiet style and versatility to his wardrobe. ($498)

2. UGG Robe, a plush, hooded fleece robe that feels like a serious upgrade to loungewear. Warm, relaxed, and effortlessly comfortable — perfect for slow mornings or cozy evenings at home. ($148)

3. This Paul Smith Corduroy Hat has a corduroy baseball cap with a tactile, classic feel and adjustable fit. Its rich texture and subtle detailing add a refined casual edge to everyday outfits. ($150)

4. This Shinola Black Leather Belt is a finely crafted Napa leather belt with a matte buckle and signature lightning-bolt detail on the keeper. This belt has been a fan-favorite for my clients needing a classic black workhorse belt. ($175)

The 2024 Rath & Co. Father's Day Gift Guide

This year for Father’s Day, I decided to organize my guide by activity for easy gifting. See below, or click the images above and below, for my sartorial selections organized by Dad’s favorite sport or hobby.

[clockwise from top left]

1) He's guaranteed to feel sharp and stay cool on the course in this breathable blue striped polo. $120

2) Sleekness meets comfort and functionality in these MG4+ golf shoes by G/Fore. $225

3) These sunglasses are a must-have for the serious golfer: the lens technology embellishes contours on the green, and each purchase supports the C.T. Pan Foundation. $659

[clockwise from top left]

1) The pattern on bottom (versus all over) and neutral colors give these tropical-themed swim trunks personality without being aggressive. $100

2) Conservative colors in a playful pattern -- this is the perfect hybrid swimsuit for the guy who wants to have fun but not call too much attention to himself. $180

3) A classic swimsuit with a flatteringly clean trouser-style waist band. You can't miss with this one. $275

[clockwise from top left]

1) Inject some fun into his tennis wardrobe with this peppy Nike court t-shirt. $40

2) Smart tennis shorts from Nike will have him moving in comfort -- and in keeping with court dress codes. $65

3) Perfect for tennis on his summer travels, this Tumi racquet case has a sleeve to fit on top of his luggage for easy carrying. $520

[clockwise from top left]

1) A wallet is a great place to play with a pop of color, and this green one from Ferragamo is particularly fresh for Spring. $515

2) Nothing says cool quite like black-on-black accessories, and this Tom Ford belt doesn't disappoint. $553

3) Show him how highly you think of him with this stunning handcrafted fountain pen from famed pen designer Onoto $727

How to Combat Your Pattern Matching Fears

One of my male clients’ biggest fashion fears is combining patterns. So much so, that I often hear from new clients that they resort to only ever wearing solids because they’re unsure of how to mix and match patterns. In my opinion, that’s completely unnecessary (and unacceptable!). If you’re similarly stuck, try my inverse pattern matching rule. It’s easier than you think.

Above is the before — a white shirt with a burgundy stripe and a solid jacket. Easy and safe. But if you want to take it to the next level, you combine that pattern with a pattern that’s the inverse. So in this case, that would be burgundy with a white stripe. See below for the after.

White shirt with burgundy stripe combined with a burgundy jacket with a white stripe. It’s chef’s kiss and really that easy! Give it a try, and let me know how you do. And if you’re still confused, contact me for a complimentary consultation.

Yours in style,

Julie

Grooming in the Time of Pandemic

I can’t believe I just wrote that title, but here we are. While plenty of people have a lot scarier things to worry about than overzealous ear hair, grooming maintenance is a true concern for those of us who are working from home, doing Zoom calls regularly, and just trying to feel good about ourselves. There are no magic fixes, but I do have some tips on how to keep things as tight as tight can be during a pandemic:

• Follow the map: use a trimmer, trimming around your ears and zapping stray nose and eyebrow hairs. Try to stay within the framework of what your barber/hair stylist did during your last cut. You should be able to keep it up fairly well if you do this once or twice a week. Try to avoid over-scaping around your eyebrows, as over-tweezed eyebrows can look like a pair of caterpillars sitting on your head, which I assume is not the look you’re going for.

• Whiten up: if you’re home working all day, my guess is you’re consuming your fair share of coffee. With no routine dentist visits in sight, why not do some at-home whitening? I like Snow, as it’s super-convenient. The LED light plugs into your phone, so you can do it while watching tv, folding laundry, etc. While their customer service/communication is lackluster, the product is very effective.

• Avoid protein powder: I love my morning smoothie too, but many ingredients in protein powder make your hair grow faster. According to James Joyce, my go-to for all things nerdy and hair, “your hair is the waste receptacle for vitamins and minerals in your body. So the more nutrients you pump in quickly that your body can’t use, the quicker it pushes them out via your hair follicles.” Ingredients to watch for are collagen powder, biotin, gelatin, niacin, folic acid, B12, pantothenic acid and chlorophyll, if you don’t want your hair to grow too quickly.

• Wear a hat: Not on your calls, but post-shower. Comb your hair smooth in the direction you want it to dry in, then put on a baseball hat and let it dry that way. That will compact your hair and make it less fluffy looking.

• Use the right product: Opt for a light styling cream, not a pommade or gel. James recommends Baxter Styling Cream. Put it on dry hair to help contain the hair and make it look less voluminous.

• DIY Cut? I don’t think there’s a cut and dry answer (I know, lame double entendre) on whether or not to tackle the at-home haircut. It depends on who’s doing the cutting and her/his attention to detail and previous experience, your hair type and hairline style, among other factors. That said, I have found some good resources online for how to do it if you want to give it a shot. Worst case is you botch it up, and it grows back in by the time we’re out and about again. This tutorial in particular breaks it down clearly and even makes it look easy.

• Get on the calendar: Obviously we don’t know when we’ll be back to life as we know it (and timing depends on your location), but if your salon or barber shop is scheduling or has a reopen date, try to get an appointment on the books. Many salons are already booking appointments following projected reopen dates, and appointments will be more spaced out than before and therefore trickier to get. You can always push it back if need be, but at least you’ll have something for when things do open up.

Until then, stay healthy!

Cheers,

Julie