Heart Skirt (Also available here on sale! And how cute is this heart-printed nightgown?) / Topcoat (Also available here. Looking for a great camel coat? Try this one, this one or this one. Also really love this unique one!) / Chanel Bag c/o StockX (Read about it here! Similar bags here, here, here and here. And here, haha.) / Black Turtleneck / Hunter Boots and Boot Socks / Black Tights

Mitch here!

Brace yourself! That little gift-giving break you’ve enjoyed over the last few weeks is quickly coming to a close. There’s a big red heart appearing on the horizon, and if you aren’t prepared, you could end up like my boy Saint Valentine who, as we all know, wrote the first Valentine card to the daughter of his jailer before being executed.

You know: the famous Valentine’s Day origin story? The reason for the season?

This gift guide is for the lovers out there–those who like crossing things off their to-do lists and being freaking heroes at the “unwrap.” I will, of course, ignore my own advice here and opt to forget about Valentine’s Day until February 13th. But you don’t have to be like me!

Below you’ll find immaculately researched and vetted gifts for him and her. Are there any guys reading this blog? Anyone? Bueller? If so, leave a comment below. [Crickets.]

You might notice you can click on the images! You also might notice that my gift guide is filled with delightful little descriptions while Kelly’s is barren. This is because I’m awake and she is asleep. Here we go!

Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Her

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Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for Him

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  1. Gucci Jordaan Loafers: Life as a blog husband is a bizarre experience. A year ago, I was trudging off to teach middle school math, and today, I’m publicly advocating for people to buy $730 shoes. What a world! But Kelly loves hers and now I’m loving these. What is happening to me?
  2. Apple Watch Series 3: It’s borderline ridiculous how good the Apple Watch is now. This thing is basically a mini iPhone that can also give you a push notification when you’re having a heart attack. Additionally, with one of these on his wrist, your guy has absolutely no excuse to miss a text! Win win?
  3. Barbour Tartan Dopp Kit: You know what you should do? Buy your guy this dope dopp and fill it with his favorite toiletries (cologne, razor etc.). Then book a getaway for a weekend in February, print out the confirmation, and shove it in the dopp.
  4. Ugg Hanz Slip-On: These are the kind of slippers that start out as insiders and slowly turn into outsiders and then, the next thing you know, you’re wearing them to work.
  5. Cuddle Up Faux Fur Blanket: I remember those days well. So maybe you have a bit of a cold. Or you went out hard the night before. Maybe you had a rough day at work or it’s raining outside. Maybe there’s a new show on Netflix and you just want to cuddle up on the couch with a comfy blanket. I remember those days well…
  6. Breville Smoking Gun: I don’t need a kitchen gadget to infuse my food with delicious smokey flavor because much of what I cook catches on fire, but maybe your guy does?
  7. Sonos One Voice Controlled Speaker: Sonos and Amazon coming together to design a speaker is a big deal for me. It’s like if The Beatles and Rolling Stones did an album together. It’s like the if Millennium Falcon hit a wormhole and wound up in the Marvel Universe. Or it’s like if the 2016 Chicago Cubs threw a party for the 1996 Chicago Bulls and I was invited. Like any true Sonos fanboy I bought a Sonos One on day 1 and put it in my bathroom. I bet your guy would, too.
  8. Canada Goose Parka: Walking around Chicago these days is like walking through a Canada Goose fashion show. In the hours since I started this post, the jacket shown above even sold out. I’m one of the chilly “un-goosed” suckers out there and if I’m lucky enough to survive this winter, I hope to figure out what makes these jackets so special.
  9. Belmont Gold Plated Flask: Give the gift that will separate your guy from the riff-raff when he illegally sneaks discrete pulls of cheap hooch around town this winter. This is a FASHION BLOG, after all!
  10. Kate Spade Decanter: Does your guy display his bottles out in the open to avoid the inconvenience of a cabinet door? Does he have a “bar” set up in your living room with half empty bottles of nauseating liquors? If so, get him a fancy container to pour his sauce into and play it off as a gift!
  11. Shinola ‘Runwell’ Leather Watch: Somehow this watch is nearly $200 MORE expensive than the Apple Watch mentioned above. That thing is a Dick Tracy communication device and this thing looks pretty. I don’t get it. Maybe you do?
  12. Herschel Settlement Backpack: I’ve worn a backpack every working day of my life and I’m fully aware of how goofy it looks, especially with a parka on. And let’s be honest: your guy’s backpack kind of grosses you out. Ugh.
  13. Hestra ‘Tony’ Deerskin Leather Gloves: I’ve lost three gloves this season and I’m currently managing with a left from pair #1 and a right from pair #3. I feel like if I had fancy deerskin gloves, I’d care enough to do the pocket pat glove reassurance when I got up, but realistically I’d probably just lose these too.
  14. Patagonia Better Sweater Pullover: Did you know Patagonia will give you a 50 percent discount in exchange for an old Patagonia? Your mission (if you choose to accept it) is to sneak into his closet, grab and exchange an old Patagonia. But NOT the one he wears every day. The other one. This is supposed to be a gift, remember.
  15. Hunter Rain Boots: We had one of those “nice” winter days in Chicago yesterday. It was like 45 degrees and the sun came out in the afternoon. It was so nice that after dinner ,we thought it’d be nice to take a little walk to enjoy the weather. When we finally made it to the door, it was hailing so hardcore that Kelly screamed. Hunter. Boots.
  16. Selvedge Classic Denim Jacket: I feel like it’s time for a Luke Perry renaissance. As far as I’m concerned, Jason Priestly never existed. No one … NO ONE … denims like Luke Perry. Except for your guy, of course.
  17. Herschel Sepp Beanie: I feel weird without a beanie on now. Like I’m naked or something. I wore shorts around the house the other day because all of my pants were dirty and it felt like I was walking on the moon. I need a vacation. Is anybody reading this? #swimmingscallops
  18. Barbour Waxed Briefcase: Now we’re talkin’! This Barbour briefcase is right at home in the boardroom or in the barn. It’s got handles, straps, pockets, and an inside. It is WAXED. You can carry things around. It’s really the whole package.
  19. Barbour ‘Sapper’ Waxed Jacket: So I actually have this jacket and can report that it is a fave. I make excuses to wear it in the winter. “We’re only going a couple blocks? Barbour!” or “We’re cabbing it to the restaurant? Barbour it is!” or “Everyone’s asleep and I have the house to myself? Barbour and Star Wars time!”
  20. Kohl’s Columbia Ice Fiber Pillow: Mitch Larkin pushin’ pillow purchases might be the biggest plot twist in history. My wife has filled our house with so many pillows that my bedroom looks like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man’s closet. But these Columbia pillows put them all to shame! First of all, down pillows are disgusting. Have you ever visited a feather farm? It’s fowl. These pillows are made from an “Ice Fiber” down alternative (IMO they should have called it “Up”) and they’re so incredibly comfortable and somehow cool to the touch. Even in the Chicago winter it’s nice to sleep on a cool pillow. Here’s a thought: Throw away five of your decorative pillows and replace them with one of these Columbia pillows from Kohl’s. He’ll be soooo happy.

Mitch out!

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