Missed the Sales?

Congratulations to all of you who went out and braved the shopping fury of Black Friday. The northeast was especially nasty outside with low temperatures and a mixed bag of precipitations. Perhaps the forces of nature kept you inside, and you did some of your gift getting without ever having to take off your flannel pants or put down that mug of fresh coffee. Now let's say that you couldn't seem to shake the tryptophan hangover and missed the day of sales. Is all lost for you? Of course not! Who can forget about Cyber Monday?

Cyber Monday? What is that? Well, faithful reader, it started when online retailers started to notice a high uptick in sales on the Monday after Black Friday. They realized that there were those out there that just couldn't get around to shopping in the days earlier and then would use that first day back to work to shop from their desks at work or home. In order to capitalize on these eager shoppers, many retailers extend their sales to Monday and few even offer exclusive deals.

Final Verdict: Take advantage of the extended sales to pick up those items that you may have been mulling over in your mind and just couldn't bring yourself to pull the trigger on early Friday morning.

Last Minute Ideas

So, we are getting down to the wire for Black Friday and you are probably putting the finishing touches on the planned assault for the shopping center you've singled out. Or maybe you are trying to figure out which online sites you want to tackle first in order to make sure you get the products you want before you see the cursed ON BACKORDER tag next to it. Allow me to share with you a few of my last minute picks before the big game. Who knows, you may want to rewrite your playbook before the midnight kickoff.

Let's start with universal gifts. These could be for either sex and whichever gets it, the other will most likely attempt to steal and use constantly.

Mini Gladstone Bag by Rag & Bone

All Leather Safari Bag by Mulholland Leather

Zip-Top Crocodile Duffle by Santiago Gonzalez

Canvas and Leather Satchel by Rugby

Next, we can move onto those male gifts. There is always something awesome out there for your guy, so use these as inspiration.

Rustic Wool Hooded Sweater by Ralph Lauren

Wool/Cashmere Houndstooth Sport Coat by Brooks Brothers

Basically Anything by Tom Ford

A Personalized Signed Copy of Russell James V2 (available on his site)

Finally, we come to the female gifts. Men, women want you to spend time thinking about the gift that you get them. When in doubt buy smaller... the "oh, I could have sworn you were a 4... you're so skinny" always wins you points.

Lace-Up Grey Bootie by Christian Louboutin

Double Breasted Wool Coat With Hood from Zara

Anything by Kiki De Montparnasse

Most Cardigans by J.Crew

Final Verdict: These are just a couple of additional hints that may help you out for your shopping day.

76 Trombones...

Sure, it maybe looks a little like something off the set of The Music Man, but I love this women's military jacket from the Ralph Lauren Collection line. It's flashy, well-tailored, and a smidge impractical... all reasons to get my stamp of approval.

Final Verdict: If you have an extra $3,500 just lying around, why not give it a shot? I mean, I'd comment on it if I saw you at a party.

That Natural Slope

There are a few things that look exceptionally good on most men, one of which is a well-fitted suit. However, as you can imagine, a suit can be a difficult gift to buy your man without a slew of measurements. If you know his inseam, chest, waist, overarm, outseam and preferred drop then by all means, go suit shopping. Sound like too much work? I have a different suggestion: the shawl neck sweater.

Essentially, the shawl collar got its start from the Victorian smoking jacket as a way to combine the collar and the lapels in a seamless fashion that was both flattering and new. One of the things that I love about this style is how it gives your shoulders that natural slope. This would be especially helpful for those men who have square shoulders and find unstructured jackets to be unflattering. The v-neckline in the front also keeps the thicker collar from overpowering your look, and even gives room for a flash of a tie if you are so inclined.

Final Verdict: Almost every retailer carries this style, so you should be able to find one in your shopping price point. For a fashion-forward take, look for the novelty (a.k.a. Aspen ski sweater) patterns.

Now With More Twitter

It's official! Rakish Dishevelment is now on Twitter. Follow me at: @Dageus_McKelter

Final Verdict: For fashion thoughts and different pics, follow me on Twitter.

Go Go Gadget

Timeless: a word used to describe something that has transcended the ability to be dated. When you use that word in reference to women, you may conjure up thoughts of Sophia Loren, or perhaps Audrey Hepburn. In fact, that very descriptive has been ranked as one of the top adjectives that a women would like to be called when her date is complimenting her beauty. If she desires for her look to be timeless, wouldn't it stand to reason that you should look to purchase her something that is equally so? Sure, a diamond is forever, but they are also ridiculously expensive. How about we shoot for something under $1000? And with that, we are onto my third gift idea for the season: the trench coat.

Burberry has been associated with the trench coat name since the early 1900's and even more so after the second World War. This amazing brand has made a name for themselves, but why not get your lady something that is a little bit less brand-noticeable? Their trademark check is plastered on almost everything they do, thus allowing the coat to subconsciously "name drop" for you. (Also, most Burberry trenches start over the $1000 limit I set earlier). Instead, why not try one of the timeless trenches by Gryphon?

Aimee Cho is a former fashion writer for Vogue magazine who realized that the chic trench coat needed a mid-price point option for fashion savvy shoppers. Many other items like a classic tee shirt, perfect denim, and even cashmere sweaters had a variety of tiers out in the market to fit the pocketbook of most shoppers. The trench, however, seemed to be missing the high quality, mid-priced option. It was upon this revelation that Aimee started Gryphon New York. In a short amount of time, Gryphon has become a favorite with celebrities, fashion magazines, and retailers.

Final Verdict: Gryphon's flirty, yet classic take on this coat is well worth the price. And if properly cared for, your coat will be timeless as well. For a cheaper option try the shorter "mini trench" pictured above.

Sparkling Scavengers

Women and crows actually share a lot in common. You didn’t know that did you? They are both very intelligent, both have complex vocalization that is not well understood by man but understood by their brethren, and they both love shiny objects. This, of course, brings us to the second recommendation from yours truly at Rakish Dishevelment for the lovely siren in your life this Christmas season: jewelry. Sure, that is a vague answer, but let me focus it a little bit better for you. More specifically I am talking about Azaara jewelry.

Designer Josef Arzili is the mastermind behind this gorgeous brand hailing from Los Angeles, California. Arzili began his studies at the Fashion Institute of Hamburg, Germany over 30 years ago. It wasn’t until fall 2001, though, that he created his first line of jewelry called the Vintage Crystal Collection. Over the years, he has added new and exciting lines to his company, featuring everything from enamel to precious stones. The beautiful thing about his line is that many of the pieces are affordable yet high in quality, winning you points for both style and frugality. Each piece looks like a rare estate item once belonging to an elegant duchess, which is how she will feel when she opens it up.

Final Verdict: When buying a ring make sure that you know her size. You wouldn’t want her excitement to be diminished by the fact that she has to mail it back and get the next size in 4-6 weeks. Also, pick up a jewelry box to put it in. It makes more of a statement. Do that, and the only sound you hear after the creak of the box opening will be a gasp.