Preface (and it’s a very important preface 😉 ):
Ryan Awerkamp, the source behind the sweet stuff below, is a researcher. I didn’t know this before we were married, but when it comes to making purchases, Ryan takes his time to figure out 1) what the best product is in whatever category he’s shopping in, like phone cases or dress shirts (see below!), and 2 ) how to match the best product with the best price. I call it “the research thing,” and it blew my mind for a while there. I am so the opposite. If I need something, I find an option that looks/works decently with a decent price and we go! I definitely don’t spend a lot of time reading customer reviews and product articles and such. Ryan, though, noooo way, haha. I’ve come to realize that it’s just his thing, “the research thing,” and I actually really appreciate it now. He does find really quality stuff and he finds them at great prices, saving us lots of money. So keep that in mind as you check out his gift recs below. And Ryan, the researcher? You win. 🙂
1. ACTIVE SHORTS // These are the Mary Poppins of men’s shorts — they can do it all while looking supercalifrazdulisticexpialidocious (I had to say it). But really, they maintain style while getting all the man jobs done — working out, hiking, yard work. Ryan primarily uses them for hiking/outdoor stuff (he bought them before our tour de Utah last summer). He loves that they’re comfortable on top of looking good and being super versatile. He has them in “shark gray.”
2. COLLAR STAYS // These collar stays were the first product Ryan thought of as something he could excitedly recommend. They’re metallic, magnetic inserts for collared shirts, and according to Ryan, they resurrected his shirt wardrobe. So many of his dress shirts were hard to wear without a tie because the collar flared out over time, and sprucing the collar up via ironing took too much time, so the magnetic collar stays have been clutch. Proof that big things come in little packages!
3. BASIC TEES // Ryan did some mega research to find the most bomb tee, he nailed down the Next-Level tee via Amazon, and they really are stellar. They’re super soft and stretchy without being too tight and the sleeves are the right length. They come in about 100 colors (Ryan has the dark purple, bondi blue, and white) and the price is on point.
4. JERSEY-PLUSH BLANKET // I gifted Ryan this queen-sized, jersey-plush blanket for Father’s Day in 2018 and he loves it. It is so, soo comfy and HUGE, which helps when you’re a big, tall dude. He whips it out whenever he can squeeze in a movie with the girls — everyone can fit underneath it (its jersey-ness gives it a perfect stretch!), and seeing all of the girls cuddle up to their Daddy is just about the sweetest thing ever.
5. SLEEK PHONE CASE // Ryan recently upgraded his phone case, and true to form, he ordered 8 different “best” phone cases (according to Amazon reviews) and tried them all on for size. This sleek, matte phone case took first place because of the super slim profile, the matte finish doesn’t leave fingerprints, and it has just the right amount of grip. I can add my “amen” that it’s a really cool case. I don’t know how it has such a smooth, almost silky feel without being slippery, but it is super soft and sturdy. And it’s a whopping $15.00. Sweet deal.
6. HAIR POMADE // This hair pomade is super tried-and-true. Ryan found it three years ago (after a little research 😉 ) and he has ordered it ever since. He has crazy thick hair, so he appreciates that this stuff can hold his hairstyle, and keep it there all day long. It’s water-based, so it washes out easily, but it isn’t sticky to the touch. And it smells good.
7. ELECTIRC TOOTHBRUSH // My parents gifted both Ryan and me a Sonicare toothbrush a few Christmases ago, and it has served us well. I didn’t think to put it in my Womens Gift Guide, but Ryan thought of this tried-and-true number right away. He loves that it has lasted forever, and he says that since it cleans his teeth so well, he doesn’t feel like he has to go to the dentist, haha. 🙂 He also told me to throw in this rec — the Listerine flossing tool — since he rarely flossed his teeth before finding that gem and now he happily flosses nightly (true story).
8. AN INTERESTING BOOK // Ryan just started reading “Open,” by Andre Agassi, and “so far, so good,” he says. He bought it because he read/heard/saw that it gives an uncharacteristically honest and open look into the life of being a professional athlete. The story is truthful about what it’s like to be a pro, which is intriguing, since it’s so easy for us to mentally default that pro athletes are simply super fit humans that make a ton of money playing their favorite game. Get it for your sports lover!
9. SLIM-FIT SHIRT // Alright, this may be my favorite item on Ryan’s guide — the slim-fit, shirt from Uniqlo. It just looks sooooooo daaaaang goooood. 😀 😀 In calmer words, haha, it fits really well. Ryan likes it because while dress shirts tend to be thin and almost silky sometimes, this shirt is an awesome blend of sturdy-soft cotton, so it’s really comfortable and it holds its shape. And it’s an awesome price ($30!). A slim-fit dress shirt was another one of those products that Ryan researched up and down before finding the “best” one. This rec is tried and true.
10. COMFY JOGGERS // Mens joggers are a lounging staple! Ryan puts these black joggers on every.single.day after work. He says they’re super comfy, they fit well, and they’re inexpensive (the price was why he pulled the trigger on this particular pair). But, his guess is that if you want to go find an even more quality pair of joggers for your guy, you probably can. I just bought him these jersey-knit joggers from Old Navy since he literally wears the black joggers daily. The Old Navy pair looks like they’ll fit well, too, and you can’t go wrong with jersey-knit (it’s soo comfy).
Alright, ladies, there ya go! 10 tried-and-true products that you’re safe to give your man. I think they’re all under $50, too. Cherry on top!
Stay tuned for my final guide of 2019 – THE TODDLER GUIDE – last the best of all the game!
