The holidays are quickly approaching. Are you struggling to find the perfect gift for your favorite sports fan? Well, we're here to help you out. In the following post you'll find our suggestions for how to shop for that sports fan on your list and will give you some specific ideas. The most important thing to know is what team or teams they are a fan of - purchasing a White Sox hat for a Cubs fan can be a huge mistake. Once you figure out what team they are a fan of and their size - if possible - try to match your purchase with their style.
For guys - I'd take a moment to think about what type of place they typically shop. Someone who likes the JCrew broken in look would probably enjoy one of these throwback shirts from Distant Replays. For those unfamiliar with the terrain of shopping for sports merchandise - the term "throwback" is often used by sports fan to refer to shirts, jerseys, or color or logo schemes since retired by the team. Its the sports version of "retro". Throwbacks give off the image that you've been a fan of the team for a long time - more often than not they also look cool and relaxed. The sort of gear you can wear with a pair of jeans on a weekend afternoon around the house or at a casual sports bar.
If the guy your shopping for tends to shop at a place more like REI, a hooded sweatshirt might be the way to go. Outerwear tends to be a little more expensive - but if the guy you know attends the games in an outdoor arena - the gear will probably be much appreciated as they try to battle the elements over the course of the season. MLB baseball, in particular, makes a cool line of Therma Base jackets that are perfect for those early spring and late fall games.
Speaking of baseball fans - the World Baseball Classic will return next spring. This line of gear is pretty cool for sports fans you know that also have an attachment to places around the world like Canada, Japan or Puerto Rico.
If you know the size of the person your shopping for - it is hard to go wrong with a t-shirt and hat combo, like this one from the Colorado Avalanche. A number of colleges and universities - as well as professional sports teams make this kind of hat and shirt combo.
Finally, the college bowl schedule is being announced as I write this. If you know a fan of one of the teams that made it into a bowl game - why not buy your favorite sports fan a t-shirt of their upcoming bowl game? Since the list is long here, Google will prove to be your friend.
If you have a young man on your list who plays video games - we're obligated to remind you about Madden '09 - the latest in the long series of NFL games from EA Sports. If they already have Madden - we like the NCAA franchise.
Onto the ladies. We tend to dislike pink gear, but if you know a woman that wears a lot of pink - nearly every team makes pink versions of their replica jerseys. Instead, teams also make the same types of replica jerseys in a women's cut. We're fans of this style. These zip up hoodies are also really cute.
Buying fitted hats can be a bit dangerous if you don't know their exact size, but this sort of "stretch" fit hat is becoming more common.
Finally, the NFL has a useful page for tailgaters here. If you're still stumped - all of the pro leagues offer gift cards. If you live near the college or university that he or she is a fan of, you can swing by the school's bookstore for a gift card. Check the links surrounding this page for other gift ideas.
Happy shopping! Have further tips for us? Send us an e-mail at welldressedsportsfan@gmail.com