Hint: Your dad doesn’t want another tie for Father’s Day. Or cufflinks. Or anything golf-themed. Get the picture? Your father, the one and only, the guy who gets it, requires the ultimate gift—something that’s truly unique. Shop VandM’s top picks for every—and we mean EVERY—type of dad for a Father’s Day present he’ll never forget.
The Dad Who Is Never Wrong (Really!)
Hearing his every opinion on every subject is often, to be perfectly frank, boring. But, without a doubt, his brilliance always shines through to answer the most daunting question (Dad, how was the universe created?) to solving the most pressing problem (Dad, help! My laptop crashed!). You must confess that this father does indeed know best. Remind him of that with this Barbara Kruger signed lithograph.
The Dad Who Talks a Big Game
A man’s man, a woman’s man, his strength and skill is never questioned. A tough guy, this dad loves the outdoors and is no stranger to hunting, but deep down, he’s a real softy. Give him this silver-plated Buffalo skull to display and promise to never tell anyone that he didn’t hunt it down himself.
For the Happy-Go Lucky Couch Potato
It’s hard coming home seeing your dad, glued to ESPN, stretched out on that sofa. Your dad may be a couch potato, but he’s much cooler than the couch he vegges out on. How about this vintage Le Corbusier Design/LC1? Its pony fabric gives it a masculine look, the deep backseat means ideal comfort for watching the game, and the strong, clean lines will update a tired looking room. If you are feeling really generous this year, tack on this fifties Danish bar cart so he can keep his beer close.
The Dad Whose Dark Side Wants To Be Buried In Feathers and Plumage
His standard uniform is navy suits or khakis and button downs. Yet, you know there’s another side to your Dad, a hidden self. That side that ventured to Las Vegas (mother never knew) in the 1980s to catch the iconic Cher decked out in Bob Mackie’s birdlike togs and who thinks Lady Gaga’s getups are gorgeous. This over-sized mid-century cockatoo painting will speak to his hidden self without screaming it to the world.
For the Retiree Who Can’t Shake Off The Nostalgia For Tools of The Trade
What can you say about a man enamored with drills, mouth probes, electrostatic generators, and wood scrapers among other lesser-known apparatus. He likes to spend his time about the house, tidies up loose ends, places kitchen utensils in a perfect row, and still reads print. Add to his arsenal this rare wall-mounted dental set.
The Dad Who Wears Mink Without Blinking An Eye
He’s warm and fuzzy all the time. The kind of Dad you are most comfortable with when you’re in tears after a blowout with your significant other. Mom adores dad; he’s a real hopeless romantic. Together they unabashedly wailed through the 2009 tearjerker “Up.” He loves snuggling up under the blanket, and would love stepping barefoot onto this warm sheepskin rug on a cold winter’s day.
The Dad With An Eye For Quirky Objets d’art
He was a frequent business traveler, and you loved when your dad came home from trips loaded up with bags brimming with treasures from foreign countries: Kabuki masks, Manga comic books, porcelain dolls with red eyes, ceramic figurines, and silk screens. Thank him for exposing you to the wonders of the world with these Burmese puppet heads.
The Silent Dad Who Recently Found His Mojo
There are those people who make a strong entrance. From the sound of the bell, the knock on the door, you just know it’s them. Maybe your Dad, once considered demure and polite, has become one of those people, a “Thor” in disguise. He’s sharp, aggressive, omnipresent; don’t mess with your dad—anymore. Give him this heavy, antique metal lion door knocker to remind him how strong he is.
The Architect (or Architecture-Lover) Who Follows the Trend to Downsize
He has a long list of achievements: designing seventy-two story skyscrapers, altering the skyline of large, urban cities, being lauded by the public and peers alike with a stream of awards. And, even if he’s not quite as accomplished, Dad wants a French castle, a realm equal to his outsized ego. Troubled times make this tough to green light, but a small-scaled jewel-like model castle for novelty and fun would do the trick to lift Dad’s spirits.
For the Dad Who Has An Elephant Up His Sleeve
Okay, so he’s a stalwart member of the GOP, and I admit I do cringe when the Metropolitan Museum’s mascot, the turquoise elephant that sits on the library’s bookshelf, catches my eye, but he’s my dad and I love him. Friends roll their eyes (although they do find him utterly charming) during dinnertime chatter when talk turns to the Democrat’s liberal spending ways. My mom has given up on persuading him that Obamacare really is cost-effective. Although Dad’s firm beliefs frustrate, the practice of free expression, I admit, is open to all. And this year, I’m going to lighten up and add one more elephant to the mix. And you should too, with this Lalique frosted crystal elephant paperweight.
