The Dandy Gift Guide: For Your Best Man

Your best man stood beside you at the altar, planned the bachelor party, calmed your nerves, and probably spent more money on your wedding than he will admit. The gift should reflect that — something personal, lasting, and noticeably above the groomsmen tier.

A monogrammed leather dopp kit from Leatherology ($85 to $125) is the gift that travels with him for the next 20 years. Full-grain leather, brass YKK zippers, and complimentary hot-stamped monogramming in your choice of font. The Deluxe Toiletry Bag in cognac or black holds a full grooming kit with room to spare.

Whiskey Peaks Mountain Whiskey Glasses ($50 for a set of two) feature hand-blown glass with mountain topography molded into the base. Each glass represents a different peak — the Rockies, the Alps, Denali. Paired with a bottle of his favorite bourbon — Woodford Reserve, Blanton's, or Buffalo Trace — it becomes a gift he will use every weekend.

A custom-engraved Victorinox Swiss Army Knife Pioneer ($45) is the kind of practical luxury a man carries for decades. The alox aluminum handle takes engraving beautifully, and the knife, can opener, and screwdriver functions are used more often than anyone expects. Victorinox offers free engraving on their website at https://www.swissarmy.com.

For the style-forward best man, a Le Labo discovery set ($85 for 5 x 5ml) lets him explore fragrances he would never sample otherwise. Santal 33, Rose 31, Bergamote 22, The Noir 29, and Another 13 cover the full spectrum of Le Labo's range. If he finds a favorite, you know what to get him next Christmas.

A handwritten note paired with any of these gifts elevates it from generous to meaningful. Mention a specific moment — the speech, the airport pickup at 3 AM, the emergency suit alteration — that only the two of you shared. The object becomes a reminder of the note, and the note becomes a keepsake.

The benchmark for a best man gift is $100 to $200, but the thought behind it matters more than the price tag. Choose something that reflects his personality, not yours, and present it privately — not at the rehearsal dinner alongside the groomsmen gifts. He earned the distinction.