There comes a time in every man’s life when he must consider the turtleneck in relation to his wardrobe. Only a few centimetres of fabric separate it from the ubiquitous crew neck, yet there is something deep in our psyches that gives us pause. Is it the ghost of Andy Warhol, telling us we’re not arty enough to wear one? Is it hazy memories of 1990s Christmas movies? Or is it something else that stops us from sticking our necks out, metaphorically at least. What if you’re just not a turtleneck guy?

In life, the golden truth and learning often lies in the opposite of what we think is logical. Look to the psychologist Carl Rogers, who based his now-ubiquitous brand of empathic therapy on a simple yet startlingly counterintuitive idea.

Men often say something like, “Please don’t get me anything this year” when what they really mean is “If you’re going to get me something this year, make it special”. But also: “You shouldn’t have” when what they really mean is “You shouldn’t have”. Which can make sourcing a gift for them problematic… or at least not the easiest thing in the world.

A down jacket opens up a lot of possibilities. The question is: which one should you go with? “It’s a choose-your-own-adventure type of moment,” Lauren Cochrane, senior fashion writer for The Guardian and author of The Ten, says of the range of options currently available out there. “The puffer is now so much a part of the fashion landscape that there’s loads of versions to look to. A classic, like a North Face Nuptse, is still good – or a statement one, like a Burberry check, is fun.”

There comes a time in every man’s life when he must consider the turtleneck in relation to his wardrobe. Only a few centimetres of fabric separate it from the ubiquitous crew neck, yet there is something deep in our psyches that gives us pause. Is it the ghost of Andy Warhol, telling us we’re not arty enough to wear one? Is it hazy memories of 1990s Christmas movies? Or is it something else that stops us from sticking our necks out, metaphorically at least. What if you’re just not a turtleneck guy?

In life, the golden truth and learning often lies in the opposite of what we think is logical. Look to the psychologist Carl Rogers, who based his now-ubiquitous brand of empathic therapy on a simple yet startlingly counterintuitive idea.