Here’s a grab bag of Father’s Day gift ideas geared towards looking good, from belts and sunglasses, to accessories for your favorite gadgets. And for more great suggestions, be sure to check out the other categories in our annual gift guide.

Mission Belt Co.

We’re always searching for the latest fashion accessories, and we love the way that Mission Belt Co. has completely revolutionized how a belt should be worn. Instead of the classic design – comprised of a belt buckle and hole-punched strap – Mission belts don’t have any holes at all. They use a ratchet system that makes putting the belt on and taking it off much faster and easier, all while providing a more perfect fit. And because you’re not constantly pulling the belt tongue in and out of holes, or rubbing the metal buckle against the band, you don’t have to worry about the wear and tear that occurs on a typical leather belt. Each Mission belt is also made of high-quality leather and can easily be trimmed down should you need to shorten it after losing some weight. In fact, they’re so durable that the only reason you’ll need to buy more than one is because you want a different look, and with over 50 belt and buckle color combinations available, every guy is going to want at least a few of these in their closet. Heck, Mission Belt Co. knows that better than anyone, which is why they’ve created variety three-packs specifically designed for Father’s Day gift giving.

Element Case Ducati Line

It’s really hard to find great accessories for mobile devices – ones that are practical, durable and stylish enough that you’re not embarrassed to carry it around in public – but Element Case has teamed up with the makers of Ducati motorcycles to create a line of cases and covers that any guy would love. In addition to the popular Rogue and ION 5 models, which feature backplates made of carbon fiber, iPhone 5/5s users can pick up the sleek and chic Solace, the slimmest in the Ducati line with CNC-machined, aircraft-grade aluminum end-caps and a shock-absorbing polycarbonate chassis with a soft-touch finish. It’s hands-down the best iPhone case we’ve ever used – solid without being bulky. And for those that need to protect their iPad on the go, look no further than the Soft-Tec Folio. The outer Tech-Grip material has a non-slip synthetic coating to ensure a firm grip and enhanced ergonomics, while the inside is lined with plush synthetic suede that protects the screen. Though it doesn’t look quite as high-end as the Solace, the Soft-Tec Folio features the same excellent craftsmanship and stylish design of the entire Element/Ducati line. It’s just a shame that more cross-brand partnerships aren’t this awesome.

Shwood Louisville Slugger Sunglasses

Wooden eyeglass frames have been slowly coming back into fashion over the last few years, but the guys at Shwood have taken the fad to the next level by teaming up with Louisville Slugger to produce sunglasses using the reclaimed ash wood from Slugger Ashwood baseball bats. Available in two different styles – the Canby and the Haystack – the frames are made in the United States (Portland, Oregon to be exact), with wood manipulation kept to a minimum in order to showcase the medium’s natural and unique splendor. These sunglasses positively ooze the spirit of America’s favorite pastime, from the two-tone, black and white tips reminiscent of Slugger’s iconic paint-dipped bats, to the leather carrying case that smells like your childhood baseball mitt. Both frames are offered as part of the Shwood Original and Select collections, with Original models packaged with a branded wool pouch and custom trading card, while the Select kit includes a matching, limited edition bat, leather travel case and more. Can you think of a better gift for the sport-loving father in your life than this?

Altitude Pro Boot from Hi-Tec

This waterproof boot is very comfortable and has a rugged yet modern style that most guys will like in a hiking boot. It features an abrasion resistant heel and toecap that protects against rough terrains, and it also has a Vibram rubber outsole that delivers great traction. We were impressed with the comfort and traction, so they make the perfect gift for the active person, or for someone looking for an excuse to become more active! Give the boots and also schedule a hiking trip with dad – now that’s a cool gift.

Alara Shirts and Ties

You’ll find tons of great gift ideas at AlaraShirt.com from their selection of shirts and ties. They offer a wide variety of shirt styles in slim fits and standard cuts as well. Keep that in mind when ordering for dad. We tried two slim-fit shirts that looked great on the website – the lavender grid slim fit shirt and the navy/white pencil stripe slim fit shirt and were very happy with both. The colors are very vibrant and the shirts were very well constructed and fit perfectly. The shirts are made with two-ply Egyptian cotton with meticulous craftsmanship, including 18 fine stitches per inch ensuring durability, adjustable mittered barrel cuffs, ultra flexible removable collar stays, side gussets for style and strength and Alara’s exclusive unbreakable mother of pearl blend buttons. The tie selection is also impressive, and the prices are very reasonable for the quality. With each item, you also get Alara’s 15-day, no hassle free return policy. So check them out and you’ll probably want some for yourself as well.

Duke Cannon Supply Co. Gift Sets

Looking for something that meets the high standards of hard working men who want to get clean without drowning their manhood in shower gels? Duke Cannon Supply Co. makes shopping for dad easy with the launch of four pre-packaged men’s grooming gift sets inspired by famous TV fathers like Walter White, Cliff Huxtable, Phillip Drummond and Ned Stark (yes, it includes “Big Ass” bricks of soap and a hatchet). Available at four different price tiers, each set contains a selection of Duke Cannon’s best-selling grooming products along with a free gift. And if you’re not interested in the famous TV dad sets, they have plenty more available, including a limited edition U.S. military field box set that includes Big Ass bricks of soap that smell like “Victory,” “Accomplishment,” “Productivity” and “Naval Supremacy.”

The Wallet Shoppe

If dad can use a new wallet, check out the wide selection at The Wallet Shoppe. The selection is huge and you can find everything from classic wallets for dad to trendy wallets for that brother who still wants to feel young even though he’s juggling three kids. Some may like the idea of a wallet that more like a money clip, and we tried out the 6-card wallet by Dosh pictured below. This wallet is is great for the person on the go and it’s unlike most traditional wallets. Dosh offers a unique designs that is moulded in TPU – a durable, water-resistant polymer material that feels rich and soft. The money clip is crafted from high grade stainless steel and is located on the spine to ensure easy access and organization.
 Browse the site and you’ll find more great options.

Guys are pretty easy to shop for. Most of the time you can just get stuff you’d buy for yourself. Yet sometimes, when you’re shopping for your dad, brother or any other guy on your shopping list, you have to cast a wider net as tastes obviously vary. But at least you can pick up some stuff for yourself as you’re browsing.

Click on the image next to each item to purchase it online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

A nice watch is the ultimate accessory for men, and the right watch can make any man look good.

Tendence Gulliver Round Urban Men’s Watch

Here’s a slick and trendy new watch featuring a black silicone band and a black, round face with stylized white numbers. It’s a trendy look that’s not too extreme and should appeal to a wide variety of consumers. It’s great for a night on the town but also for everyday use. It’s the kind of watch people will notice, and you can check out other round watches from Tendence for other colors and styles.

Leather Strap Watch from Calvin Klein

If you’re looking for something elegant but with beautiful understated design, check out this Calvin Klein Stainless Steel Case Leather Men’s Watch. The silver, stainless steel face of the watch contrasts nicely with the black leather band. The watch is also water resistant up 100 feet. It’s a perfect watch for business or evening attire.

Luxury Sport Watch from Tommy Hilfiger

Most guys would love to have a nice sport watch, and this Sport Luxury Chronograph and Stainless Steel Bracelet Watch from Tommy Hilfiger offers a great choice. It has a stainless steel case and bracelet, and black chronograph dial for a sporty but elegant look that can be worn anywhere. It’s water-resistant to 165 feet and features a durable mineral crystal to protect the watch from scratches. It’s a high-quality item for a reasonable price.

Dakota Watches

Much like that other watch company named after a certain archeological discovery, Dakota has been providing quality wristwatches at respectable prices for several decades. Ranging from sports watches to elegant timepieces, Dakota’s unique collection has something for every personality, gender and age. One of the more popular styles – the Dakota Spider – resembles a high-end luxury watch at a fraction of the price, with 330 feet of Stingray water resistance, mineral glass crystal and a stainless steel band. (There’s even a cool Rose Gold variation that’s perfect for the special lady in your life.) The collection also includes digital watches for those who lead active lifestyles, leather bands for formal and casual settings, and an entire rainbow’s worth of eye-popping colors. But most importantly, Dakota makes great watches that you can depend on, and until that changes, you won’t find a better gift for that friend or family member whom you’re not sure what to buy.

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Whether you’re shopping for someone that likes to kick back with a good book or graphic novel, or enjoys watching documentaries and other non-fiction films, you’ll find several great suggestions here.

Click on the image next to each item to purchase it online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Before Watchmen Collections

Have you ever wondered what happened before the events of “Watchmen”? Creator Alan Moore has been pretty outspoken about his thoughts on the matter, but that didn’t stop DC Comics from enlisting some of the industry’s best writers and artists to create eight new miniseries exploring the histories of characters like Nite Owl, Rorschach, The Comedian, Dr. Manhattan, Silk Spectre and Ozymandias. Serving as a prequel to the original 12-issue series, the “Before Watchmen” comics have since been collected in four hardcover editions, and the end result is a pretty mixed bag, especially since each collection features at least two characters per book. Though that’s good news for diehard fans, those that want to read J. Michael Straczynski’s Nite Owl series but couldn’t care less about his Dr. Manhattan story, for instance, are screwed. Additionally, some of the series are much better than others, with Darwyn Cooke’s Minutemen yarn the clear standout. Still, if you know someone who loves “Watchmen” that doesn’t mind that the property’s original creators aren’t involved, “Before Watchmen” makes for interesting supplemental reading.

American Experience: JFK

The story of John F. Kennedy is one of the most fascinating in American history. Regardless of your opinion of our 35th President, he will always be an iconic figure in American history, due to both the pivotal nature of his presidency and his tragic assassination. Debates will rage on about his performance in office and the circumstances surrounding his assassination, and his prolific adventures with the opposite sex have been fodder for the tabloids for decades. His story will captivate anyone who appreciates American history, so any documentary is likely to maintain the attention of viewers. But it’s hard to imagine anyone telling the story better than the folks at PBS who produce “American Experience.” They have consistently told the story of America through its presidents and other influential Americans in a series of compelling documentaries. “JFK” easily lives up to that legacy, and it’s a must-see, as this year we marked the 50th anniversary of that terrible day in Dallas. Like other “American Experience” documentaries, this is not just a story of the JFK presidency, but also the man.

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We must give the music industry credit: just when it appears that they have completely run out of ways to spin their back catalogs into gold for the umpteenth time, they find a way. (They’re nothing if not survivalists, those guys.) In addition to featuring a number of big box sets this year, we’ve also included some excellent concert films, as well as one The Beatles’ most famous movies.

Click on the image next to each item to purchase it online, and for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Bob Dylan – The Complete Album Collection V.1

Box sets often make for great gifts, and this mega-set will put a smile on the face of any serious Bob Dylan fan. The CD set contains 35 studio titles (including the first-ever North American release of 1973’s Dylan album on CD), six live albums, and a hardcover book featuring extensive new album-by-album liner notes penned by Clinton Heylin and a new introduction written by Bill Flanagan. It also includes two “Side Tracks” discs that include a wealth of previously released non-album singles, tracks from various compilations and songs from films. This set is also available as a limited-edition harmonica-shaped USB stick containing all the music, in both MP3 and FLAC lossless formats, with a digital version of the hardcover booklet, but according to the reviews on Amazon, you should probably stick with the CD box set.

The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert

Finally. After 21 years, the full April 1992 show featuring the surviving members of Queen fronted by a murderer’s row of early ‘90s rock star gods (and Liza Minnelli) is seeing the light of day, and on Blu-ray, to boot. (Inexplicably, the DVD of the set is still missing a few songs.) Extreme’s medley of Queen tracks has been added, as have sets by Metallica, Guns ‘n Roses and even Saint Bob Geldof (and Spinal Tap appears on the Blu-ray). The main show features one showstopper after another, whether it’s James Hetfield singing “Stone Cold Crazy,” George Michael singing “Somebody to Love,” Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott banging out “Tie Your Mother Down,” or Elton John and Axl Rose teaming up to take on “Bohemian Rhapsody.” The bonus featurettes from the 2002 DVD release are here as well. For the Queen fan in your life (or even the Muse fan in your life), this is a slam dunk.

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Walk into any liquor store and you’ll see hundreds of options. You can zero in on someone’s favorite drink when picking a gift, or you can get creative and choose something they wouldn’t buy for themselves. Also, remember that you don’t want to come to a party empty-handed, so get in the habit of at least bringing a bottle.

And for more gift ideas, check out the other categories in our Holiday Gift Guide.

Craft Beer Club

If you have a beer lover on your list, you can give him or her the gift that keeps on giving. The Craft Beer Club discovers exceptional craft brews from around the country and delivers them each month direct to you or your gift recipient. Every selection is produced by small-production, independent brewers who use only traditional brewing ingredients and time-honored brewing methods. In addition to traditional bottled beers, they also embrace the hundreds of small craft brewers around the country that offer their hand-crafted beers in cans. It’s a great way to enjoy craft beers and it’s ideal for the holiday season.

Laphroaig 10 Year Old Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky

If dad, your buddy, your tomboyish gal pal or anyone else on your holiday list loves a very good bottle of Scotch, then consider this rather dandy, unusually enjoyable single malt. Outstanding on the rocks, with a splash of water or soda, or neat for you purists, the Laphroaig 10 Year Old is also more mixable than you might assume; on the other hand, it’s good enough that many will consider even the finest cocktail made with it a crime against nature. The website tells us that it’s got traces of salt and seaweed along with the usual peat and smoke flavors, but we don’t completely agree. It’s definitely got smoke – indeed, you might get hungry for barbecue after you take a good whiff and, yeah, that’s some salt in there, but that’s not all. Every good Scotch has its share of several indescribable tastes and smells of nature. We haven’t been to Scotland, but we wouldn’t be one bit surprised to find ourselves tasting the essence of this concoction in the clear cool air of the highlands. Cheaper than super-duper premium single malts but nearly double what you’ll likely pay for Chivas Regal, this is an outstanding gift for a true blue Scotch enthusiast.

Brugal 1888 Dominican Rum

If you’re in search of a bottle for the man or woman who’s drunk everything, Brugal 1888 is something genuinely new under the sun and it’s completely remarkable. An aged Dominican rum that thinks it’s a premium Scotch or Bourbon, it has the tantalizing, woody and astringent flavor you might get in very a high-end single malt, plus a hint of something that somehow reminds us of our dad’s old fake-leather chair. (That’s a good thing, believe it or not.) At the exact same time, it has a boldly sugary undertone that goes well beyond what you’re likely to find in the sweetest bourbon. We tasted more than a hint of maple syrup or maybe turbinado. Regardless, it’s delicious and probably not like anything you’ve had before. You can drink this on the rocks, with a bit of water, or neat. You can also put on your mixologist hat and go to town as this is a flexible beverage that won’t be out of place in an Old Fashioned, especially if you use real maple syrup in place of the usual sugar or simple syrup. High priced for rum but worth every gosh darn penny, this is one boozy gift that won’t be forgotten.

Cabo Diablo

This is the best new spirit we’ve tried in a long time. Cabo Wabo is known now just as much for its excellent tequilas as it is for its founder Sammy Hagar, and this new Cabo Diablo should attract many more fans. Cabo Diablo features a delicious coffee flavor and tastes amazing when you drink it straight. It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and it’s not think and syrupy like some liqueurs. So it’s a fantastic sipping drink that men and women should both enjoy. But better yet, it’s a tequila, so it’s also a great way to get a party going, as tequila makes everyone a little nuts at times. It is made with 100% blue agave Cabo Wabo Silver tequila, then kicks in notes of fresh roasted coffee, vanilla and chocolate for a striking combination. It’s excellent served chilled or on the rocks. With the holidays around the corner, this makes for a great gift for men and women, and it’s a great bottle to bring to a gathering to get the party started!

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