Styleforum Gift Guide 2020: The WFH Warrior

I read somewhere that in womenswear the cardi-coat -already a casual staple- has replaced the blazer as the WFH unofficial uniform in 2020.
Men, at least from what I’ve witnessed on Zoom meetings, have adapted less well, and run the gamut from “I’ll going to wear a college tee shirt just like I did in college” to “Jacket and tie, pants optional”. Note that I’m just guessing on the pants part, but we’ve all seen enough pantless Zoom bloopers by now to know that this happens with alarming frequency.

Consequently, it might be wise this holiday season to give gifts that nudge men towards clothes that suggest a third way to dress, neither inspired by a dorm room nor by the pre-pandemic boardroom minus the pants. I think I’ll name it after Ryan Gosling “Ryan Gosling’s off-camera clothing” just so more guys will adopt the look. However, remember that you are not Mr. Gosling, and that results may vary.

Taylor Stitch Merino Socks

Yeah, I know. Socks for Christmas are a joke. But that was when you were twelve, and a grown man knows better. A good pair of socks can make the difference between miserable, cold feet, and supreme coziness.

eHaberdasher Shawl Cardigan || Kent Wang Donegal Sweater || S.E.H Kelly Lambswool Crewneck

When someone says “present” and “sweater” together, the only thing I can think of is that scene in the classic Eighties movie “The Three Amigos”, when his loyal henchmen given the infamous El Guapo a sweater for his birthday, under the boiling hot sun. Of course, for many, if not most of us, it is definitely sweater weather by Christmas.
On zoom, a sweater says “Yes, I did take a shower and put on clothes today”, and also “but I’m also not desperately pretending that my living room is actually my office”. Plus, there are options: from chunky shawl cardigans to warm donegal woolens to fine knits.

Proper Cloth Merino Tee

I’m assuming that underneath that sweater, most guys are going to want a t-shirt. Since so many are working from home right now and for the foreseeable future, you may as well encourage your brother/father/son/best-friend to really lean into it with a merino wool tee, crafted from supreme Italian fabric in either a v-neck or crewneck version.

Overt Skincare holiday Set

There are exactly two ways to NOT look like a ghoul on a webcam, both of which you should avail yourself. First, use nice, warm, lighting. Second, take care of your darn skin. If you’re not familiar with hyaluronic acid, Vitamin C, and retinol, this Overt Skincare is the perfect gift for everyone out there who needs a place to start.

Sartoriale Thom Browne Tortoiseshell Sunglasses

Hope for the future. Sometime -I don’t know when- it will be as safe as it was in 2019 to get on a plane and get yourself down to somewhere nice and sunny for a relaxing vacation. Or maybe you are a big music mogul who is sitting out the pandemic in the Maldives on a 7 deck yacht. Give the man who needs hope for the future, or the guy sipping Mai Tais looking at the sunset “working” from “home” while the rest of us peasants are in actual houses, these Tom Browne tortoiseshell sunglasses.