What is Dad Fashion? When you think of a stereotypical dad outfit, your mind will often race to images of a man admiring his freshly cut lawn in a t-shirt tucked into his shorts, complemented by some classic white running shoes. While this look still may serve its purpose if you’re doing jobs around the home, the modern dad has access to many more style options than our fathers before us. From colourful shirts to comfortable jackets and chinos, the modern dad has an array of options that make choosing an outfit a breeze. Gone are the days when all dads looked the same. As a modern dad, it’s time to embrace contemporary looks and inform other fathers that dressing smart is as easy as it is comfortable. Tips on How to Dress Like a Modern Dad To help you elevate your dad wardrobe, we’ve put together some helpful tips on how to go from tucked-in t-shirts to being the envy of dads everywhere. Build a Capsule Wardrobe of Classic Styles As a starting point, looking to refresh your wardrobe with some modern clothing staples is the best way to elevate your look as a dad—enter the capsule wardrobe. A capsule wardrobe is designed to be a long-term collection of clothes that focuses on timeless looks, rather than keeping up with the latest trends. A capsule wardrobe will allow you to mix and match your outfits comfortably depending on the occasion, dress code, venue and weather. Some of the classics to include in any dad’s capsule wardrobe include: Plain t-shirts Polos Long sleeve shirts for work, events and casual wearing Chinos Jeans Knitwear Sports jackets Puffer vests Coats Having a variety of these clothing styles in a few different colours is the perfect step to modernising your wardrobe and dad-look. Don’t Be Afraid of Colour As dads, we often prefer to stick with safe grayscale colours (black, white and grey), however, experimenting with colour is a great way to elevate your wardrobe. Start with simple, easy-to-match colours such as: Blues Yellows Reds Greens Browns Utilise the colours alongside your current wardrobe to add a bright pop to your outfit. For example, black pants with a colourful shirt, or a grayscale outfit with a vibrant jacket or puffer vest is a simple way to elevate what you currently wear. If you’re unsure about bright hues, start with more neutral colours, such as navy blue, sand and dark greens before adventuring out into more vibrant shades. Doing so will give you the experience and confidence of seeing what colours work best for you. Wear the Right Size Clothing With more and more responsibilities every year, wardrobe refreshes become less common as we grow older. The repercussion of this is that dads will often find themselves in clothing that simply doesn’t fit like it used to. Our bodies change shape (for better or worse), which means our clothing needs to too. Clothing that is too tight and restrictive tends to be uncomfortable, often stopping us from moving as we should naturally and working with our current body proportions. On the other hand, clothing that is too large and baggy will make us look far smaller than we are and can actually make you look less stylish overall. Getting the perfect size is a simple task, simply measure the following areas with a soft measuring tape: Base of your neck Chest circumference Waist circumference Sleeve length Inside leg With these five measurements, you’ll be able to pick out exactly what size you need from our men’s clothing size guide. If it’s difficult to measure yourself, visit a GAZMAN store where we will help you find the perfect clothing for your body. Know your Dress Codes The truth is different events call for different outfits. What you’d wear on date night with your special someone should differ from what you’d wear at the pub with your friends. The first step to choosing what to wear to any event is understanding the dress code: How casual or formal is the event? Has there been a dress code expressed as part of an invitation? Some common dress codes include: Casual: Laidback and relaxed, casual events include going to the shops, taking the kids to sports practice, walking the dog or lounging around the home. Consider basic clothing pieces such as jeans, t-shirts, polos and puffer vests. Smart Casual: Think of these as organised casual events, which include gatherings with friends, going out for drinks or heading to a concert. Opt for more elevated casual pieces such as polos, chinos, patterned long sleeve shirts, short sleeve shirts, sports jackets and knitwear. Semi-Formal and Business Casual: Semi-formal and business casual dress codes are quite similar—both require a neat outfit that focuses on neutral colours, compared to smart casual which tends to be more vibrant. Weddings, formal parties and your office dress code will likely require long sleeve shirts, chinos, sports jackets and formal shoe styles. Don’t Forget About Accessories and Self-Care The final piece of the puzzle for any dad’s outfit is accessories and a side of self-care. Choosing timeless accessories will help complement any elevated dad outfit. Consider keeping jewellery minimalistic and instead opt for statement pieces. Classy watches, rings and necklaces will make you appear more refined, while other aspects such as bags and shoes should also lean into more timeless styles. Looking after yourself is another key aspect of putting your best foot forward. You don’t need to go out and get the latest trending haircut, instead, keeping your hair neat and tidy is a great first step. Similarly for facial hair, keep on top of your current routine, whether you’re clean-shaven or have a full beard, as this will further reinforce the put-together modern dad look you now have. When it comes to nailing dad style, you don’t have to compromise comfort and confidence. From building a capsule wardrobe to choosing some colours to add in and finding the right size of clothing, these small steps will help you embrace your role as a stylish modern dad. Shop the full range of men’s clothing at GAZMAN now, perfect for any fashionable dad.