Left to right: Ted Baker Pieters Knitted Cuff Gift Boxed Gloves in Black: £55 mainlinemenswear.co.uk; Monarch Cufflink: £85   AllSaints; Duck and Cover Nordic Knit Scarf: £11 stand-out.net

When it comes to buying gifts, presentation is everything. This is not, you understand, because the average man is so highly critical of any gift you might give him that he will be marking you out of ten for the wrapping alone. No, it is because extravagantly packaged apparel is not often something which one will often consider purchasing for oneself – yet come Christmas, it’s everywhere. From gloves, to watches, to cufflinks; nothing says Christmas quite like an attractive giftbox – compared to a plastic toggle and magnetic security tag, at least.

If you’re liable to be slightly less superficial in your gift-buying rationale, then you’ll be relieved to know that a number of this season’s key trends serve a more practical purpose than that of pretty packaging. Scarves are again a key accessory this year, and offer the perfect way to add a touch of Nordic knitwear to almost any outfit. Accessorising with items such as the umbrella has proved essential in achieving the much-coveted ‘modern gent’ look – with telescopic designs being conveniently stocking-sized. If you are buying such items as gifts, then stick to classic colours like grey, navy or black to ensure that they will co-ordinate with the recipient’s existing outerwear.

Left to right: Burberry Brit Black Check Strand Telescopic Umbrella: £95 my-wardrobe.co.uk; 55DSL Divine Grey Brief & Sock Set: £28 Urban Outfitters; Lyle and Scott Vintage Skinny Square-Cut Tie: £35 Lyle and Scott

Of course, it wouldn’t be Christmas without one or two predictable fashion gifts – namely socks, pants and ties. Bizarrely, underwear is often the gift of choice from family members. You might think that you’ll never wear the musical briefs given to you last year by Aunt Jeanie, but when you suddenly discover that every pair of pants you own is in the wash, I beg to differ. With this in mind, is can be worth making subtle suggestions towards some slightly more preferable options.

Whilst the tie might traditionally be something of a ‘Dad-gift’, this is another one which can easily work in the favour of any style-conscious gent’ come Christmas. Ties are a classic accessory, and as such, it takes quite a lot of effort to get it wrong. A good quality tie should be kept plain and simple, in order to bring an air of elegance to a formal or tailored look, whilst skinny ties offer a more causal alternative. Choose ties in darker shades if you feel there is any risk of the man in question spilling cranberry sauce on the aforementioned garment at any point over the Christmas period.

Well, this season there is one rule when it comes to shirts, and one rule only: button up. That’s right, the shirt is set to make a return over the summer months – and not just for office-wear and Sunday best. Slim-fit options are still very much on trend but, no matter how hot it gets this summer, the fashion-forward amongst us will be seen sweating it out in shirts buttoned up, yes, right up, to the collar.

If this is starting to sound like another unbearable summer trend (see super-skinny-fit jeans), don’t panic. For one, it’s unlikely to get THAT hot anyway – the cloud-to-shine ratio tends to leave us with far fewer days of unbearable heat than many of us like to plan for. But, if you’re planning to rock the buttoned-up look on that much-anticipated ‘hottest day of the year’, there are a few things which are worth considering.

Denim might have dominated your Autumn/Winter apparel, but avoid such heavy materials if you need to stay cool this season. Instead, roll up your shirt sleeves, and team with shorts or chinos for an understated style, which is right on trend. Last year’s wardrobe staple, the check shirt, isn’t going anywhere fast, so simply button yours up to collar to instantly create a fresh look which is in-keeping with this season’s style. Darker check designs are great for concealing those dreaded sweat patches, too – never, ever, a good look.

Clockwise from top left: Pretty Green Black Oxford Gingham Button Down Shirt: £54 my-wardrobe.com; Guide London Purple Check Shirt: £15 stand-out.net; Stussy X Dickies Striped Work Shirt: £59 Urban Outfitters; Levis Sawtooth Shirt Red: £68 mainlinemenswear.co.uk.

We have recently added another ten brands and feel it’s a great place for you to visit to discover new styles. Some of the brands we have added recently are: Fred Perry, Farah Vintage, Full Circle, Firetrap, Junk de Luxe and Gabicci.

Firetrap describe their new range as

“Taking inspiration from the glamorous lives and raw culture of London’s youth the campaign is shot on the sinister backstreets of London at dawn depicting the crawl home from a wild night out.”

To learn more about Firetrap please visit our Firetrap brand page.