Every December somebody asks me what I want for Christmas, and every December I say "nothing, honestly," which is a lie. I want things. I just don't want what turns up on most gift lists written for men like me. The rainbow mug. The candle that smells of somebody else's idea of a good time.
I should be upfront about something. I design clothes for a living, and everything on this list is something I make. A wish list written by the person who sells the wishes isn't a neutral document, and you should read it knowing that. But I'd rather tell you what I'd genuinely be pleased to unwrap than pretend to be impartial about a scented candle.
If you're buying for a gay man in your life - a partner, a brother, the friend who always dresses better than you - this is also the list for you. He's unlikely to have bought any of it himself. That's the point of a present.
1. A matching set
There's a particular pleasure in a tank top and a pair of boxer briefs that match. Nobody else needs to know. That's rather the point.
The Memphis Harajuku Rainbow set. Black-outlined blocks of orange, lime, turquoise and violet, straight out of 80s Memphis design - I've written before about where my Memphis obsession comes from. The tank goes out with jeans. The boxers stay home, or don't.
The Rainbow Checked set. Pastel pixel checks in lavender, pink, magenta and sunshine yellow. Softer, and the one I'd buy for someone who says he doesn't really wear colour. He does. He's waiting for permission.
Memphis Harajuku Rainbow set - the tank goes out, the boxers stay home.
Rainbow Checked set - pastel pixel checks for the man who says he doesn't wear colour.
The Purple Checked set. Magenta and violet pixel checks, and the loudest of the three. It is the one on the left of the box at the top of this page.
All three are in Pride outfits for men, alongside the Rainbow Diagonals tank and joggers for the man who'd rather spend Boxing Day on the sofa.
2. Underwear that didn't come in a three-pack
Underwear is the most intimate gift that's still acceptable at a family Christmas, which makes it either brave or a joke, depending on the print. A five-pack of grey trunks from the supermarket is neither. It's admin.
The pink checked boxer briefs are a best seller in Pride underwear for men, and I think I know why. They're bold without being a slogan. If you want to know how to wear them, or how to talk someone else into it, the patterned boxer briefs guide covers it.
Pink checked boxer briefs - bold without being a slogan.
Purple checked boxer briefs - the same check, turned up to violet.
3. Leggings for the party
Christmas is the one time of year when a man in loud leggings at a party isn't the most ridiculous thing in the room. The tree is. So is the jumper with the reindeer on it. Use the cover.
Christmas Fairisle leggings. The obvious one, and I'm not embarrassed about it. Fair Isle knitting takes its name from a tiny island in Shetland. It was always going to end up on a pair of meggings eventually.
Watermelon leggings. Out of season, deliberately. Summer in the middle of December, with a matching tank if he's brave.
Vaporwave Menhera leggings. Pastel, a little bit melancholy, very Tokyo. For the man whose idea of a Christmas party is a karaoke booth at two in the morning.
Christmas Fairisle leggings - the obvious one, worn without apology.
Vaporwave Menhera leggings - for the karaoke booth at two in the morning.
The rest are in fashion meggings.
4. Something for the head
Not everything has to be a commitment. A cap is the gift for the man who says he could never wear leggings, which in my experience usually means he could and is frightened of what happens next.
The Yassify Me trucker cap says exactly what it means. The Crowd Fave dad hat is quieter - a wrestling joke for people who get it, and an ordinary cap for people who don't.
Yassify Me trucker cap - says exactly what it means.
Crowd Fave dad hat - the quieter option, if he gets the joke.
5. If you don't know his size
Buy the gift card. Until this autumn I thought gift cards were pointless, giving up dressed as a present. I've changed my mind. Choosing the print is half the fun, and some men should be allowed to do it themselves.
What not to buy
Anything rainbow from a brand that only remembers we exist in June. You know the ones. The flag goes up on the logo for a month, the collection sits on a table by the door, and by July it's in the sale bin and the logo is back to navy.
I'm not saying buy from me instead. Well, I am, obviously. But buy from somebody who's still around in February.
The one rule
Everything here is made to order, which takes time. Order by 8 December for Christmas delivery to the UK, US and Europe: each piece arrives 6-10 business days after you order, 3-5 days to make it, then 3-5 days tracked delivery. Don't leave it until the week before Christmas and then blame the elves.
Related reading
- Pride outfit ideas for men - for when the sets come out again in June
- The patterned boxer briefs guide - how to wear bold underwear
- What does yassified mean? - the ballroom and drag roots behind the cap
- My 80s Memphis design inspirations - where the prints come from
- Wrestling gift guide - if he's a wrestling fan too
FAQ
What is a good Christmas gift for a gay man?
Something he wouldn't buy himself but would secretly like to own. Bold clothing tends to land well, because most men talk themselves out of it in the shop. A matching tank and boxer set is easier to receive than to buy. So is a pair of statement leggings.
Is underwear an acceptable Christmas present?
From a partner, yes. From a close friend, if the print is funny rather than suggestive. From your mother, probably not - but a gift card solves that.
What if I don't know his size?
Check the size guide on each product page - on the matching sets, the top and bottom are sized separately. If you're guessing, the gift card is the safe choice.
I still say "nothing, honestly" every December. Maybe this year I'll just send the link.