Dad can be hard to shop for sometimes. Of course, he can never have too many ties, coffee mugs or tools. But doesn’t the man who taught you how to ride a bike, to play catch and to always try your best deserve something more personal and unique.

Sure, he will be happy regardless of what you get him, but why not help him enjoy more time with the interests he has outside of being a great father. Here are some Father’s Day gift ideas for every kind of dad – from the grill master to the car enthusiast and the clean freak to the hygiene centric and every kind of dad in between.

Let Dad Stand Out with a Million-Dollar Shine

Your dad can now achieve the million-dollar appearance of Barrett-Jackson car auctions in his garage. Their Premium Auto Care line includes washes, waxes and detailers formulated with synthetic hydrophobic polymers and genuine carnauba wax for lasting brilliance and easy application. Learn more about how to bring a long-lasting and brilliant, deep shine to your dad’s car at Barrett-JacksonAutoCare.com. Barrett-Jackson Premium Auto Care products, which range in price from $5.49 to $17.99, are available at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Pepboys, Menards and select Home Depots, and through online retailers including Amazon.com. For the ultimate gift, go a step further and wash his car for him.

For the Dad Who Loves to Drive

What do you get a dad who loves his car and truly loves to drive? How about something that connects him to his car, like a shoe that enhances his driving experience? While comfortable and stylish enough for everyday wear, the Piloti Spyder S1 driving shoe features patented Roll Control heel technology, superior red suede and mesh panels for maximum comfort and flexibility as well as the perfect combination of support, size, grip and feel. Check out the Spyder S1 ($150) as well as Piloti’s complete line of luxury, casual and performance driving shoes at Piloti.com.

A Gift Dad Can Sink His Teeth Into

Make Father’s Day complete with a dinner he’ll remember for years. The Omaha Steaks Father’s Day T-Bone Gift package is a meal dad will be willing and eager to fire up the grill for. The package is headlined by two 18-ounce T-Bones and includes four Brisket Burgers and four Gourmet Jumbo Franks along with Omaha Steaks Seasoning. Regularly $194.95, you can now bring the family together to enjoy this incredible fare for just $69.99. For more information, visit omahasteaks.com.

A Spotless Man Cave, Workshop and Car

It’s the ultimate gift for dad and his man cave. The Dirt Devil FlipOut™ is a premium cordless hand vac, perfectly designed to keep his man cave, workshop or set of wheels spotless. The 16-volt, fade-free lithium battery means faster charging, longer runtime and continuous power. It’s compact and lightweight, and has versatile tools for quick and easy cleaning. The FlipOut is $49.99. For more information, visit DirtDevil.com.

Power Dad’s Smile

Be the power behind dad’s smile this Father’s Day with the Oral-B 7000 SmartSeries Electric Toothbrush with Bluetooth connectivity. The brush connects to the Oral-B App, which provides real-time guidance while brushing and records brushing activity that can be shared with dental professionals. With six different cleaning modes, it removes 300 percent more plaque compared to a manual brush. Upgrade your dad’s oral care routine and visit oralb.com for additional details.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

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Ladies, we implore you to take time out of your busy work week and walk into any shoe store and simply take a deep whiff.  Do you smell that? That’s the intoxicating aroma of leather boots, suede moccasins and faux fur booties that are just begging for a home this fall. Don’t leave them behind in the cold!

Looking for the perfect autumn arrivals to add to your wardrobe? Peruse our list of must-haves that are perfect for fall weather…rain or shine!

Bold Boots & Booties: Don’t settle for boring boots this season! Make a statement with your fall footwear lineup by sassing it up a bit.  What do we mean?  Simple…skip the standards and opt for these stunners!

Naughty Monkey “Santa Anna”

Michael Kors “Bryn”

Impo “Top Secret”

Jeffrey Campbell Lace-Up Tall Boots

Modern Moccasins: When we say modern, we mean it! We’re drooling over the inherit comfort that coincides with moccasins, but innovative “grounding” shoes by Pluggz created a footwear experience unlike any other.  We recommend these trampoline-esque mocs with memory foam soles for your autumn wardrobe, along with these other stunning slip-ons.

Pluggz “MOCS”

Minnetonka “Canvas Moccasin”

Gabor “California Sporty”

Manitobah Tall Moccasin

Functional Flats: Don’t fret, flat-lovers! Unless you are living in the nor’easter region, flats are perfectly functional, whether ballet, loafer or oxfords.  But use your best judgment…remember, The Weather Channel is your friend year ‘round!

Cole Haan “Manhattan” Jewel Ballet 

Forever 21 Monk Strap Loafers

Penny Loves Kenny “North”

Lucky Brand “Dooree” Oxford

Glamorous Golashes: Rain gear can be sexy too ya know! Don’t settle for bulky, rubber boots that look like they’re ready for a moon landing. We suggest you try singing in the rain with these beauties instead…

Ted Baker “Karriner” 

Stuart Weitzman “Stirrup” 

AIGLE “Polka Giboulee”

Coach “Tristee” 

The post Marching Orders: Putting Your Best Foot Forward This Fall appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Never undermine the importance of a great workout shoe! Besides looking stylish, proper footwear will play an important role in proper technique and form during any type of exercise. Whether you are looking to set a new personal best mile time or want to try out Crossfit with your friend this weekend, if you are sporting a poor pair of shoes, you will want to perform at your best. A solid pair of shoes should support your arch type and be made for the activity you plan to use them for. Different shoes will have unique levels of lift, higher or lower arches and will vary in ankle support. All this stuff matters! In addition, most shoe companies have figured out that looks matter, so picking up a functional pair no longer means an ugly pair. Here are a few popular picks for women’s fitness shoes, each one shining in a particular fitness niche. Pick appropriately and don’t roll an ankle!

Nike Lunar Eclipse+2

This shoe is an indoor fitness runners dream. Its feather-weight and snug fit make it the ideal treadmill partner for those long distance battles. A fabric strap is used to wrap around your mid foot, bringing about a very comfortable, but tight fit. The midsole has a slight lift, but is padded with “springy” material, which is meant to give the runner a little extra kick during their foot lift. Anything that makes running a little easier sounds good to me!

Salomon Xr Mission W

The Salomon is like the Nike’s evil sister. This is your go-to if you want a great performing running shoe for the outdoors. Made with weight and durability in mind, this shoes hard elastic top will allow for a little more abuse to take place on the trails. Padding is quite liberal, making it an extremely comfortable fit. The fast pull binds help to achieve a quick and foot-embracing fit, while the grippy outsole will keep you on the path, not the ground. 

The North Face Hayasa Shoe

Another trail killer, The North Face Hayasa is meant to be your companion on those long distance epics. This ultra light running shoe gives you a chance to truly feel the trail while still maintaining rigidity and stability. The midsole is very low, which is great for proper foot strike. 

Asics Gel-Blur 33TM TR

Another great indoor shoe, the Asics has been made for high impacts and tough surfaces. This would the perfect shoe for activity on a hard court or practicing your hops during box-jumps. The gel-filled pads under the heel ensure comfortable landings after that monstrous jump and rigid sides make sure you stable during quick pivots. The curvature at the heel of this shoe supports the foot tightly and comfortably, helping you to feel great even when you have this shoe on for 2 or more hours. 

Merrell Bare Access Arc

Easily the lightest shoe in the review, the Merrell has been made to feel like you are shoeless in the gym. This is great for practicing weightlifting, as it will mimic being barefoot. Running is still possible, but this shoe really shines due to its lack of a lift. Barefoot activity is great to support posture and activate little muscles that don’t get used when a shoe is on. Take it easy in these shoes at first and in no time you should be jumping and lifting like never before.

Mackenzie Kelly is a fitness model, personal trainer and fitness coach. In her free time, she writes about health and fitness to educate others. Her personal blog about health and fitness can be found at: www.mkellyfitness.com.

The post Best Women’s Fitness Shoes appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Give back and give to yourself this Earth Day with Naya Shoes’ stylish spring sandals! For every pair of the Naya Zephyr or Zenobia styles purchased this season, one tree will be planted in Colorado. The brand has teamed up with non-profit organization Plant-It 2020 to support Colorado’s reforestation efforts after last year’s devastating wildfire damage through the “Buy It. Plant It.” campaign. What better way to help the environment than by adding a cute new pair of shoes to your spring wardrobe?

 You can find both the Zephyr and the Zenobia at Shoes.com. 

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