Mad Men ended back in 2015, but years later we’re still scratching our heads at how a show about advertising burrowed its way so deeply into contemporary culture—yes, we’re looking at you, mid-century furniture obsessives and old-fashioned-orderers. Regardless of how often you make Pete Campbell jokes, if you’re a young-ish professional-ish person, you know the type of friend we’re thinking of. They love dimly lit bars with red leather booths, their apartment looks like a West Elm catalog, they rattle off facts about vintage clothing labels like it’s their (second) job, and, of course, they love Mad Men a little too much.
But truth be told, many of us who haven’t seen a dang episode of that AMC show have still become connoisseurs of old man cocktails and lovers of mid-century modern design. So why not lean into it? (Just, you know, go easy on the rampant alcoholism and extramarital affairs.) That’s why we put together this short list of some of our favorite gifts for the person in your life (who might be you) who’s nostalgic for times past (that they never even lived through), is clamoring to collect cool whiskey accessories, and maybe even wants to quit their job in fashion (by making off with some octopus erotica). Read on for whiskey gifts, mid-century furniture and Don Draper gift ideas for the Manhattan-drinking, hard-partying professional in your life.
Barware to mix super strong cocktails
You know the drill. Look, drink however and whatever you like, but please, for the love of all that is good and pure in this world, don’t shake your old fashioneds. All you need is some good whiskey—preferably bourbon, but anything works—Angostura bitters, sugar, and a touch of water. Plop some ice into one of these beautiful mixing glasses, stir with a swizzle stick (those long, twisty bartender spoons), strain into a rocks glass, garnish with an orange peel, and stare pensively out the window as you sip.
Regal Trunk & Co
Classic Cocktail Mixing Glass Set
$42.99 at Amazon
West Elm
Crafthouse Mixing Set
$120 at West Elm
Rocks glasses, from which to drink Old Fashioneds
These aforementioned rocks glasses are a vastly superior drinking vessel than the charity run pint glass you’re currently using. A good rocks glass should have a little weight to it, fit perfectly in your hand, and hold about 10 ounces of liquid. (The relationship between a man and his rocks glass is a very spiritual thing.) On texture, it’s up to you. The clean, smooth finish is always a solid start, but there’s just something about the cut, textured glass that gets us in the mood for some of the brown stuff.
Orrefors
Peak Double Old Fashioned Whiskey Glass (Set of 4)
$85 at Wayfair
Schott Zwiesel
Zwiesel Tritan Paris Glasses
$50 at Amazon
Somewhere to keep your precious whiskey
A huge part of drinking like Don Draper and his crew is keeping your spirits on display so your friends and business opponents alike will always be subconsciously aware that you could be drinking if you wanted to. Which you do… and… welp, it’s right there!
Viski
Admiral Liquor Decanter
$43.99$37.42 at Amazon
A perfectly mid-century vibe stereo system
While nothing will sound as good as opening a bottle of Stoli while fried on acid, this Crosley Shelf System is the next best thing. It’s great for playing vinyl records, but if your collection is looking a little, uh, nonexistent, you can also play your favorite tunes via Bluetooth.
Crosley
Alto Turntable Shelf System
$149.95$120 at Pottery Barn
$149.95$120 at Pottery Barn
A dapper (yet affordable) suit
This isn’t the fucking breakfast buffet, George—put a goddamn suit on. If you’re following the ol’ adage of, “dress for the job you want” (which, for us, is professional emu wrangler), you can’t go wrong with a nice suit. Contrary to popular belief, nice suits don’t have to break the bank. These options from Men’s Wearhouse and Hilfiger are timeless, classic, and very three-martini-lunch-core.
Calvin Klein
Calvin Klein X-Fit Blue Windowpane Slim Fit Suit
$314.99 at Men’s Wearhouse
$314.99 at Men’s Wearhouse
Tommy Hilfiger
Classic Grey Plaid Wool Blend Suit
$550$168.98 at Nordstrom Rack
$550$168.98 at Nordstrom Rack
The gift of looking presentable
Don Draper doesn’t leave the house with messy hair. He scoops a big dollop of gel that was probably taken off shelves by the FDA years later, plops it on his dome, and lubes up. You can copy the look with the cool-kids sculpting hair polish from Aesop, or you can go with Triumph & Disaster’s “Fibre Royale,” which has a more natural look.
$35 at Aesop
Triumph & Disaster
Fibre Royale
$26.96 at Amazon
A five o’clock shadow annihilation station
If your friend finds themselves staring in the mirror, hungover, with a layer of 5 o’clock shadow every morning, a solid shaving kit is a great way to help them start their days off in style. A safety razor, straight razor, and some good shaving cream or gel is all you need for a morning routine fit for a king. (Or an alcoholic adman.)
The Art of Shaving
5/8 Blade Grenadille Dark Wood Straight Razor
$295 at The Art of Shaving
$295 at The Art of Shaving
Weishi
Double Edge Safety Razor
$23.55$15.66 at Amazon
Nice ice is our vice
OK, people who have ice machines built into their refrigerators, we get it—you’re rich. For the rest of us who aren’t Bill Gates, there are ice molds. This one gives you the option of large cubes or spheres, both of which will look insanely tight in a rocks glass. They’ll also dilute your drink more slowly than a bunch of small freezer cubes. Plus, show me a refrigerator that spits out ice orbs.
Samuelworld
Ice Mold Combo
$14.99 at Amazon
Sir, please don’t ash on the floor
Part of being a Don Draper-level guy is having very good manners (unless you’re drunk, cheating on your wife, or at the office, in which case you can apparently behave however you want). Get an extremely nice ashtray (designed by Seth Rogen, of course) to make sure you and your colleagues keep the rug clean.
Houseplant
Green Ashtray Set
$100 at SSENSE
Houseplant
Gold Standing Ashtray
$330 at SSENSE
A lamp for setting the mood
Deck out your pad with these mellow, mid-century lanterns. They kind of look like spaceships or like a family of penguins. Either way, they’ll be a wonderful addition to any cozy space in which your friend is likely to have an affair.
West Elm
Mid-Century Wood Lanterns
$39 at West Elm
Japanese octopus erotica, just like Peggy had
One of the most iconic moments in Mad Men is undoubtedly when Peggy, donning sunglasses and a cigarette, makes off with a framed print of Katsushika Hokusai’s 1814 woodblock art piece The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife. The erotic image, depicting a cephalopod going ham on some cunnilingus, is a classic move for anyone looking to zhuzh their work zone wall art space, and make their friends go, “Oh, wow, OK then.” Perfect gift!
Katsushika Hokusai
The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife
Hater blockers
You know the meme. Don’t show up to the function wearing anything else. These will help protect your precious little eyeballs, spruce up an outfit, and hide a hangover.
$171 at Ray-Ban
We don’t work in this office, we lounge
You don’t need to be a hardcore fan of the series to know that most of the time spent “in the office” is usually relegated to brooding, napping and—of course—drinking hard liquor. While we don’t recommend copying Don Draper’s approach to work while on the clock, you can help your Draper-obsessed friend pick up a chair that should help them nap off a midday hangover dream up new, creative ideas for their clients.
Corrigan Studio
Brocklin Upholstered Armchair
$132.99 at Wayfair
$1699 at Article
Learn how to do an ad campaign
You’re never going to be able to drunkenly pitch a cereal brand unless you start hitting the books, or in this case, a MasterClass in advertising from Jeff Goodby and Rich Silverstein—the minds behind the “Got Milk?” campaign, the Budweiser lizards, and countless other ads that have permeated pop culture. You’ll be boozin’ throughout the work day in no time.
Masterclass
Jeff Goodby & Rich Silverstein Teach Advertising and Creativity
$15 at Masterclass
Unlike Mr. Draper, these gifts ensure your friends know that, indeed, you do think about them.
The Rec Room staff independently selected all of the stuff featured in this story.
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