Mad Men: Executive Gifts For Men
The Emmy-winning television show, Mad Men, is back on the air Sunday night for its fourth season. This AMC drama about the golden age of advertising in New York City is so authentic in capturing the vibe of 1960s style you can practically smell the cigarette smoke wafting through the room. The main male characters, ad-execs Don Draper and Sterling Cooper, are the stereotypical ego-driven sales men in their slim grey suits, narrow ties and cufflinks striking deals over martini fueled lunches at the Stork Club. In fact, the nostalgic wardrobe choices are also sometimes woven into the plot of the show. For example, the cufflink, a small accessory on its own, plays a big role in the "Marriage of Figaro" episode from the first season where Don breaks his cufflink, flirts with his department-store heiress client over it, she gifts him with a new pair from the store, and later in the evening (after a rendezvous together), he glances over at his cufflinks sitting on the night table as a silent reminder of his responsibilities at home. Adulterer or not, a pair of shiny cufflinks always makes a fabulous choice in luxury gifts for men.
Another reoccurring character on the show is the oh-so sophisticated cocktail, from gimlets and martinis to the day-in-and-day-out office martini. Somehow the characters seemed to have acclimated themselves to these work-day libations, but occasionally someone is shown sleeping it off on one of the modern, 60s-style sofas in every office. During the show's filming, the actors aren't actually slamming back all that alcohol; they are actually drinking faux cocktails created by the stylists. For example, a scotch on the rocks is really just a mixture of cranberry and grape juices with iced tea. However, completely authentic are the props - all the glassware is vintage and scoured out from various resale peddlers and antique shops across the country. Apparently, most barware from the 60s era, from highballs and martini glasses, were all cut on a smaller scale than our modern-day counterparts. However, you can still raise a glass, whatever the size, to Mad Men style by setting yourself up with a set of personalized barware for your own swank home or office bar. Or, hook up a buddy with these cool gifts for guys and he can have his own Mad Med experience.
