Gift Inspiration

Chris' birthday is coming up at the end of the month (the big 2-2), so I thought I'd do a post of gift ideas for the man in your life. Shopping for boys can be difficult. And, as a poor college student, I'm usually on a tight budget. Also, I generally like to give practical gifts. I want to give people something that they'll like and that they can use. Keeping these things in mind, here are a few gift ideas for the man in your life:

1. An awesome tee-shirt from Threadless. This has been my go-to gift for Chris for a few years now. There's a huge selection and a wide variety of designs, so you're sure to find something for everyone. The best part is that most are only $20, so they're easy on the wallet. {pictured}

2. For the sophisticated man - a very handsome and classy bow tie from Forage. They currently have two collections for sale: the vintage plaid collection and the mid-century collection. Both feature some amazing vintage-inspired designs. Unfortunately, the price tag is a bit high at $65 each. I've also seen these featured on a few wedding blogs recently, so if you're planning an upcoming wedding, especially one with a vintage theme (à la Ruffled), this may be the perfect accessory for your groom (and an excuse to drop the $65!). {pictured}

3. Nintendo controller prints from Renegade Handmade. I loovveee these! Perhaps the perfect addition to bring a touch of class to his bachelor pad. You can find them here, here, and here. I think they would be lovely as a collection, but if you're on a tight budget, they are only $20 each. {pictured}

4. Next is a green charging station from ModCloth. I love this design - the contrast between nature and technology and the sleek modern base (it comes in both white and black). It's a practical way for him to hide the wires from his iPod/phone charger (and to keep track of them) and it looks awesome! Find it here for $24.99.

5. Some fun, kitchsy homewares for his apartment/dorm/house! They're practical, funny, and make great conversation starters! I'm partial to the Pi ice cube tray ($8.99) from ThinkGeek because Chris is a Math and Economics major and I'm a Physics major, so we're all about the irrational mathematical constants (it's lame, I know), but there are a lot of other exotic ice cube shapes out there, too (such as dinosaur fossils, space invaders, and the Titanic). I also really enjoy this mustache coffee mug ($23.99) from ModCloth (here's a similar one for $12 at Urban Outfitters). And, last but not least, are these club sandwich coasters ($9.99) from ModCloth!