Eli is oozing sex appeal even as he sits there patiently waiting for me to finish up my camomile tea so that we could move from that café and to our next pit stop. Imagine how uncontrollable I got when he started serenading me! Oui, got me all hot under the collar!
I recently bought Eli this fedora because I know he looks good in it and I have a shopping problem (first step to overcoming an addiction is to acknowledge it!).
A fedora is a hat with a lot of personality. Not everyone can carry it off, although some who try, do eventually get some style by proximity to the hat. It is a hat for sleek gentlemen with a playful personality. It is perfect for Eli.
Yes, we all know he looks good in it, but besides that, there is an important lesson to be learnt here. This purchase is a follow up, an example, a result of applying my own self-tested gift shopping guide for men.
So I have acknowledged that I have a bit of a shopping problem and I tend to make hasty purchase decisions and I am a sucker for good salespeople. I always find it hard to walk away without buying. But with this hat, I actually took some time before purchasing.
How did I decide to buy him a fedora (or any other item for that matter)?
All the gifts I’ve bought him have been put against the gift shopping tips.
Earlier in the summer, I’ve not uncovered any caps in Eli’s closet (tip #1) so I asked Eli if he wore caps (tip #2). He said he used to, but then he grew up and stopped wearing them. Real men shouldn’t wear caps unless they are involved in some sports or painting the house.
Then I asked him if he would wear a cap, perhaps in the summer and not to pubs (tip #3)? He said maybe.
On more than one shopping trip, Eli tried on a series of hats including fedoras (tip #4). HOT HOT HOT. But he always replaced them on the shelf and never looked back. It isn’t something he needs. When I asked him if he wants to get one, he would say no. I would say, “I’ll get it for you!” And he would say no. I leave it as that.
If he has said no, why would I still buy it for him? Would I be contradicting tip #3? No I am not because, tip #3 talks about whether he would use it. If he will not use it, then don’t buy it. But if he is saying no to buying and not no to using, it means he will use it if he has it.
And he loves that hat! Not as much as he loves the person who bought him the hat of course, but he loves it.
To some of you, this might be quite a “given” considering Eli has been modelling hats each shopping trip. However, if I did not apply the previous tips, I would not have been able to reach a good conclusion.
The fedora isn’t quite an impulsive buy. I actually pulled out the label to read what material it was made of and only bought it because it is made majorly of wool. Wool means warmth, means good for winter and good for keeping snow out of hair.
On hindsight, those tips really make shopping for the significant man in your life much easier. Not easy, but easier.