Macklemore said it best, “I wear your granddads clothes, I look incredible.” This seems to be the anthem for Men’s Fashion at this moment in time. The fashion world is suffering from a major Oedipus Complex and not only are they wanting some Dad attention they are wanting all men to dress like one!
As we all know in the world, fashion is not literal. For any style or trend you are to take the fashion elements, mix them up and incorporate them into your own personality and style. Let’s break down the fashion elements of the “Dad trend”, the spring/summer biggest men’s looks!
Dad Caps
Dad caps have many different looks and styles. Some ate very easily spotted such as the newsboy cap and the fedora. Both are made from rich menswear fabrics such as herringbone and wool. Up until now they were reserved for older distinguished gentlemen, men from another era. However, now they are worn by men of all ages and paired with everything from a dress shirt to a tee shirt.
The biggest “Dad Cap” trend is the change to the young guys ball cap. Say so long to the low profile extremely bent bill baseball caps and hello to the multi panel high profile cap with a flat bill. These hats come in a wide variety of colors with either a full fabric back, mesh back or the ever popular snap back.
Twill
Twill pants are not for just dressing up anymore. It used to be that men had a small collection of twill in their closet for either the work week or for wedding season. Now these classic Dad pant are your edgy fashion alternative to denim. Twill has become an everyday pant that comes in many colors that work as a great neutral. Today’s twill pants come in lots of different fits. You can rock them super skinny, straight or relaxed. Pair these comfy pants with your tee shirts, hoodies or casual button ups.
Plaid
Plaid shirts have been the staple for many working class Dad’s for decades. They popped up in the yearly 90’s as part of the grunge look and they are back in full force. Plaid isn’t just for Dad anymore. There are different types of plaid; window pane, madras, gingham, tartan just to name a few. Depending on the type of plaid it can help you translate many looks. Plaid shirts can be preppy and refined yet they can portray alternative and edgy. Mix this pattern with twill, denim or shorts. You can also layer over your favorite tee or under your sweatshirt.
The best thing about all these Dad fashion elements are that you can mix them together or dissect them and put them with other looks. My favorite is when mixing the “Dad Trend” with streetwear fashion. Wear your twill pant with some high tops and a tee or rock your newsboy hat with your favorite bomber jacket. Remember fashion is a way to show who you are without saying anything. So men put in a little effort and mix it up a bit. At the end of the day its rad to look like a Dad!
