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The top 5 last-minute gifts under $500 you can get today

Last-minute gift ideas: Don't let procrastination keep you from being the best gift giver

Shot of a handsome young man getting ready for Christmas.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Let's face it, if you're anything like us, then 48 hours before Christmas morning means that you still have 36 hours to get off the couch and go shipping. Most people like to do their Christmas shopping in June and have all of it out of the way before the Labor Day Sales are even announced. But you? No. You're like us. Nothing beats the pressure of the last-minute buy.

The moment of creative inspiration that 363 days of preparation couldn't produce but flashes like lightning the day before you're due to pass over the expertly wrapped gift. You may have to brave the weather, the parking lots, the crowds, and the heavy-sitting grease of the food court pizza, but here are five great gift ideas for the man who likes to wait for the last minute but look like he thought about it all year.

Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0

We know what you're thinking; this is only available online. Nope, Manscaped was the best online trimmer for men over the past few years, and they made it easier for us procrastinators to still gift it in the waning moments of the Christmas season. You can now get the complete line-up of Manscaped products, including the Lawn Mower 4.0, at Target.

Give the guy in your life the gift of grooming with the easiest, fastest, non-nickiest trimmer on the market. It is ergonomic, waterproof, and won't cut anything that isn't supposed to be cut. When you're trimming your body below the neck, that seems important to us.

Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0
Manscaped Lawn Mower 4.0
last minute gifts under 500 cole haan
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cole Haan ZeroGrand

Blending the worlds of formal and casual is now slamming into the fashion world with full force thanks to the pandemic. While you could already see the trends moving away from suits and ties and towards the business casual dress codes, COVID-19 forcing us all to work from home got us used to sweats and t-shirts.

Of course, now that we've beaten the pandemic and measures have been put into place to make it safe for the office, we have to be adults and get dressed again. That doesn't mean we can't be comfortable when we begrudgingly return to the cubicle. These Cole Haan ZeroGrand dress sneakers blend the casual and dress world better than most. And they are on the shelf at your local Nordstrom.

Zerogrand Stitchlite Wing Oxford
Cole Haan ZeroGrand

Citizen Watch and Bracelet Set

Guys, we need to normalize getting more jewelry for Christmas, Birthdays, and Father's Day (let's start by retiring the novelty ties, shall we?). Watches are some of the best gifts a man can get. They are classy and fashionable and look amazing with any outfit. Of course, there are too many brands to choose from, and it's easy to give up.

Lucky for you that the local Kay Jewelers has done the work for you by putting together this watch combination set with a complimenting bracelet. Combining style, fashion, and the luxury of Citizen will make you the new favorite relative/partner. You might even be allowed to go first in the eggnog line as a thank you.

Citizen Watch and Bracelet Set
Citizen Watch and Bracelet Set

Suede Moto Jacket

For most of you, it is probably cold outside right now. Nothing is better than getting a gift on Christmas morning that you can use right now. Outerwear is something a lot of men don't shop for themselves very often. As a matter of fact, most of us put it off until we don't have a choice.

This suede moto jacket from Express looks excellent right off the rack and will complement almost any ensemble your guy pairs it with. Not only that, but if you pick up a jacket that looks great, you can ensure they don't have to shop for a coat for years.

Faux Suede Moto Jacket
Suede Moto Jacket
last minute gifts under 500 tom ford
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Tom Ford Oud Wood Cologne

Just like outerwear, most men don't shop for cologne. Many of them wear whatever they are gifted. I mean, the people gifting it are the people that have to smell it, right? While we can go into a whole field of weeds talking about colognes and getting the right scent for you, Tom Ford has already done much of that work for us. This is one of his signature scents and is popular with men, women, and bosses. It might even get you out of a ticket while you speed home after Christmas with the in-laws.

Tom Ford Oud Wood Cologne
Tom Ford Oud Wood Cologne
Mark D McKee

Mark is a full-time freelance writer and men's coach. He spent time as a style consultant and bespoke suit salesman before transitioning to private style consulting, coaching, and writing. He enjoys helping men find their image to project their best selves. In his free time, he loves to spend as much time in the cinemas as possible and work on his novels.

 

Exclusive J.Crew x Vans Authentic joins the skate shoe revival
Vans and J.Crew provide the ultimate elevated skate shoe
J.crew vans sneaker

With skate shoes and brands flourishing with recent trends, it seems natural that Vans becomes the go-to for the revival. While Vans has slowly begun reestablishing its skate presence with recent launches and collaborations, its newest release pays homage to its very first design. The Authentic, formally known as the #44 Deck Shoe, is a vital part of Vans’ history as the brand’s first sneaker and most recognizable design in its collection. With updates and makeovers in recent years, the Authentic has seen plenty of new designs, including those that elevate it to a premium sneaker. In a new, upgraded look, Vans Authentic partnered with J.Crew for an exclusive sneaker that’s not only hard to get, but it’s an elevated design of a classic sneaker. 

J.Crew and Vans’ new collaboration brings luxury to skatewear

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I tested Oakley’s Sphaera sunglasses in 90-degree heat—here’s what surprised me
These Oakley sunglasses made my brutal summer runs actually enjoyable
Oakley Sphaera

I stepped out into the 90+ degree heat for a training run, the world appearing in 4K-like clarity. As I pressed start on my watch and settled into an easy pace, I was also testing Oakley's latest performance eyewear: the Oakley Sphaera sunglasses.
They're a design that blends sport performance with sculptural forms. I evaluated the Sphaera for function and style through summer hill repeats, country drives, and casual settings. While I expected good things from an Oakley design, the Sphaera left me surprised in a few ways. 
Oakley Sphaera: Behind the design

Before I tried the sunglasses, I spoke with Nick Garfias, VP of Design at Oakley, to learn more about the thinking behind the Sphaera. 
(Note: Interview edited for content and clarity)
The Manual: What was the goal when you started out? What were you trying to create?
Nick Garfias: Obviously, this is a sports frame, and I think in this case, this is an interesting one. We don't just attack a program and say we're going to make a frame for cycling, we're going to make a frame for running. 
A lot of what we do is lean into a program or one aspect of a sport, going back and forth between athletes and understanding what their needs are, and taking all that information and putting it into boxes that we find are priorities for this frame.
We asked everyday athletes, and a lot of them had a lot to do with...frames that gave them this feeling of being serious, but not over the top. So we've got a very strong DNA and very sculptural quality to it. But what they were asking for was something that gave them more confidence and not necessarily that aggressive kind of look that we traditionally have.
TM: Oh, a little more subtle.
NG: A little more subtle, yeah. And so when you look at Sphaera, it has a very simplistic continuity across the top. From one end of the stem through the brow to the other side is just one continuous look. The lens itself provides a lot of field of view.
So it's kind of maximizing the left and right field of view and then the lower field of view, which would be as you put the frame on, it's what you're looking through, right? 
And the objective for that is that you can put something on, and there's so much aperture or so much lens space that you can't read the edges of the lens. So it feels seamless, and it feels lightweight.
TM: What athletes, from what sports, did you use for the design?
NG: We looked at a lot of runners. We looked at a lot of cyclists. We didn't specifically hone in onto one sport. We even looked at soccer players. A lot of the function was about the aesthetic — and not the aesthetic just to look cool, but the aesthetic of giving that athlete confidence to wear something and feel that they were being taken seriously.
TM: What sets the Sphaera apart from designs from other brands? What makes this better? 
NG: We're an optics company, so our lenses are superior. This is a piece of eyewear made to protect you from debris, the sun, all kinds of things. But also, fit and retention are very important. And so, when you put these on, you'll notice it's very weightless. Because the distribution of the tension in it feels like distributed around your head evenly.
Oakley Sphaera specs:
Price: $297
Frame: Lightweight O-Matter
Lens: Prizm Black (11% light transmission)
Size: L (134mm)
According to Oakley, the Sphaera is designed for versatile performance across sports, with features like Prizm™ lens tech, helmet compatibility, front venting, and grippy Unobtainium® components.
Pros and Cons of the Oakley Sphaera

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Exaequo’s melting rose gold watch redefines luxury horology
The Exaequo Melting Watch: Where horology becomes sculpture
EXAEQUO - MELTING WATCH

Exaequo Watches has recently released its Limited Edition Rose Gold Melting Watch, a gorgeous timepiece challenging conventional standards of design while maintaining the Swiss precision collectors have come to expect. With only 101 pieces available worldwide, this avant-garde creation features a 316L stainless steel case enveloped in a stunning rose gold plating, meticulously crafted to appear as though it is melting in mid-air — a visual representing the fluidity of time itself. The skeletonized dial offers a captivating glimpse into the intricate mechanical heart of the watch, where every gear and spring operates with seamless synchronization.

Where luxury craftsmanship and technical prowess converge

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