2nd Anniversary Gifts for Him: Cotton, From Shirt to Shared Rituals

In 1967, Ralph Lauren launched Polo from a drawer in the Empire State Building, starting with a line of wide, handmade ties. Five years later, he introduced the Polo shirt. Emily Post’s classic anniversary list gives year two cotton, with china in the modern column. I like that the tradition can be a shirt, not a token that only says anniversary.

 

That makes 2nd anniversary gifts for him surprisingly easy to shape: start with the cotton, then choose the version that sounds like him. Polo moved from neckwear into its first full men’s collection in 1968; its namesake shirt arrived in 1972. I would use that history as permission to choose something that belongs in his actual rotation, not to build him a new uniform. A collar, a knit, or a little color can do enough.

 

Mr P.’s light-blue Honeycomb-Knit Cotton Polo Shirt has a textured stitch and ribbed borders; I would pair it with dark denim and let the open collar do the work. The blue Polo Ralph Lauren Slim-Fit Cotton Oxford Shirt is sharper, with buttoned cuffs and a back box pleat. Todd Snyder’s Simply White Relaxed Cotton Pique Polo would sit easily with chinos, while his Chalk Mark Hemingway Polo offers an open ribbed stitch and three-button placket. Bonobos’s Cornsilk Cotton Stripe Hudson Sweater Polo keeps color understated. For a different neckline, I would choose Brooks Brothers’ teal-heather Supima Cotton V-Neck Sweater, Everlane’s beech Seed Stitch Polo, or Noah’s white-and-navy Cotton Polo Sweater.

 

Before choosing, I would check his usual collar shape and compare the care label with how he handles laundry: the blue Oxford is machine washable, while the light-blue knit is listed for hand washing or dry cleaning. That small detail can steer the gift toward the piece he is more likely to use.

A robe is a very personal fit, so I would start with the silhouette he already likes, not the color. Emily Post’s classic list points to cotton for year two, but there is no need to make every cotton gift match the same way.

 

The white Petite Plume Classic Cotton Twill Pajama Set has contrast piping, curved lapels and a chest patch pocket; I would pair it with slippers for a slow morning. If his preference is a robe, the white Turkish-terry option has a shawl collar, patch pockets and calf-length coverage. HANRO’s deep-navy Night and Day Cotton Robe adds a tie belt and two front pockets, while the ARUS heavy Turkish-terry robe is made in Turkey, a product detail that gives the gift a small travel note.

 

The navy Daniel Buchler Cotton Waffle Robe comes with a removable tie and front patch pockets; Parachute’s white waffle robe has a deep texture and a removable belt. For a print, the red snowflake Leveret cotton pajamas bring winter color, and the navy-and-black plaid flannel robe gives him a quieter pattern. I would think about his usual sleepwear first, then decide whether a matching set or one robe would feel more like him.

 

What I would skip: matching robes unless he already enjoys coordinated loungewear. I would compare robe length, sleeve finish and belt style with something he owns, then read the care label before choosing among terry, waffle, twill, jersey and flannel.

The useful accessory is the one he can put on without planning the rest of the outfit. Cotton has a surprisingly long Arizona chapter: Hohokam people grew and irrigated it in southern Arizona from A.D. 500 through A.D. 1200.

 

A second chapter came in 1906, when USDA agronomists traveled to Egypt to study long-fiber cotton and then tested seeds near Sacaton and Yuma; Pima cotton developed from those trials. That history makes the off-white Polo Ralph Lauren cotton-twill cap with its embroidered pony more interesting than a logo alone, while the muted-tartan Barbour Macklow cap brings a cord-fabric peak and slider closure.

 

The black brushed-cotton cap is the plain one, with a curved brim and adjustable back buckle. If he prefers a small leather piece, the tan-chestnut belt has stitched edges and a polished rectangular buckle; Bellroy’s Aragon Slim Sleeve uses a pull tab and has room for five to eleven cards. TUMI’s MagSafe card case has two pockets, and Montblanc’s ebony Sartorial holder is sized for five cards.

 

What I would skip: a cap whose large mark would be the whole point, if he rarely wears logos. I would compare the belt to one he already owns and count his everyday cards before choosing a case; then I would keep the cap and belt in the same quiet color family.

Scent is the one part of this set I would choose by habit, not by anniversary theme. I would start with his familiar scent family, then decide whether the bottle should lean bright, woody or warm.

 

Prada Luna Rossa Ocean lists grapefruit, incense and vanilla bean, while Armani Acqua di Gio Parfum names bergamot and rosemary. Viktor&Rolf’s Spicebomb Extreme gives pepper, lavender, tobacco and vanilla a darker register; Givenchy Gentleman Society pairs daffodil, vetiver and sage. Burberry Hero turns to pine and cedarwood, and Azzaro The Most Wanted combines red ginger, wood and bourbon vanilla.

 

Jo Malone London’s Wood Sage & Sea Salt sits in the unisex lane, with sea salt, herbal sage and woody tones. If he prefers a grooming item to fragrance, Jack Black Beard Oil comes in a cobalt bottle, and the product notes describe its essential oils as conditioning facial hair. I would choose that route only if beard care is already part of his routine.

 

What I would skip: a pepper-and-tobacco profile if he usually wears airy citrus. If a sample is available, I would compare it with a scent he already knows before choosing a bottle; the note list is a better guide than a guess about what he should smell like.

A shared object can make the anniversary date do something beyond sitting on a shelf. I would choose the kind of evening he actually enjoys, then let the serving pieces follow.

 

Waterford’s Lismore set pairs a small decanter with two double old-fashioned glasses, while the Mixology Cocktail Shaker has two nested stainless-steel tins. For a more design-forward bar, Orrefors City glasses come as a set of four, and Remy Savage’s NUDE coupes arrive as a pair. I would check the boxed counts before choosing what the two of you will reach for together.

 

The coffee side has its own morning script. Aarke’s French Press has an etched scale and dripless spout; SMEG’s white Drip Coffee Maker has a 10-cup glass carafe and timed auto-start. Baratza’s Encore ESP Pro gives him a digital display and a 60-setting range, including 40 espresso settings, while the Villeroy & Boch double-wall espresso glasses come as two 3.75-ounce cups.

 

What I would skip: bar tools if he never makes cocktails. I would pick one lane, coffee or a nightcap, then check counter space for the brewer and cabinet height for the glasses; the shared gift works only if it has a place in the routine.

I would start with the cotton piece that fits his day: a knit polo if he likes a collar, pajamas or a robe for his off-hours, or a belt or card case if he keeps accessories pared down. Then I would add one plan for the two of you, coffee on a slow morning or a drink after dinner, and leave fragrance to the choice I can match to his usual scent.

 

The cotton list is a prompt, not a rule. I like that the Polo story began with a tie in a desk drawer and made room for a shirt; the year-two version can be just as uncomplicated, one useful thing and time set aside together. A tie once started in a drawer, and I like the idea of letting the next chapter start at the breakfast table.

 

For more gift ideas: Steel Anniversary Gifts for Him, 1st Anniversary Gifts for Him, Anniversary Gifts for Husband, Anniversary Gifts for Him.