Dads are always the butt of the joke. From glaring commercials on television about hapless old “I’m in the house” and inability to perform basic household chores (thankfully about death) to Father’s Day cards interspersed with images of beer and football (one-dimensional and crude, right?), dads have it by the neck. Especially when it comes to their style. Yours truly, who is neither over 50 nor a father, was as guilty as anyone who writes about, say, how to avoid the “dad on holiday” look. I am sorry about that.
British entrepreneur Julian Dunkerton is here to replace millennials like me; In an interview with , he admitted he was navigating the choppy waters of delisting the Superdry brand in a bid to save it from administration. TelegramThe British label turned out to be a “dad brand” of sorts. “As long as I have a 16-year-old consumer, I’m not ashamed to have a 50-year-old consumer,” he said Telegram. What this means is that it offers something desirable among a certain group of men who don’t want to dress like their dads but still aren’t very cool; We’re talking leather or outdoor jacket, there’s a gray look to the stubble, jeans are more likely to be bootcut rather than straight cut. Richard Hammond and cast Best Gearbasically or all other British men like them.
Men over 50, particularly British men, have a particular interest in Superdry, which has grown rapidly since its early days on the Cheltenham market in 2003 and became a £1.7bn business in 2018. The man in the 2000s who will gladly attend Coldplay and Keane concerts with his bold branded outerwear and jeans. But that loyalty means these dapper youngsters now have 50-something Cotswolds dads with Land Rovers and school fees. And that shouldn’t necessarily be fashion’s kiss of death for a brand.
“‘Dad dressing’ is used in a derogatory way here; you’re middle-aged, you’ve let yourself go and given up,” says Style Director Johnny Davis. Esquire and a father himself. “Machine Gun Kelly became a father at 18, but as far as I know, his sense of style has never been called ‘dad dressing’. You would hope that we could move beyond these conditions; I find this offensive.”
So what exactly defines “dad dressing”? It evolved as a fashion term in response to deliberately “whimsical” high fashion trends about what a stereotypical dad might wear. Terms associated with dad dressing include “normcore” (your average Joe is treated to luxury), “Gorpcore” (dressing like a geography teacher on a school trip), and the preppy trend, where your look can reference a dad. to play a round of golf or go on a sailing trip. As a result, jackets, blouse jackets, rugby jumpers, light wash straight-leg jeans, sandals and “uncool” trainers have been swept under the dadwear umbrella and show no signs of being rehabilitated any time soon.
But given the fact that spending power lies with older men, perhaps it’s time to reframe the way dads dress. After all, fashion has evolved in recent years to ensure that high-spending women over 50 are well looked after (do we hear the phrase ‘mom dressing’ used in derogatory terms? Sometimes, but not too much). Maybe it’s time for the old man to pay the same amount of attention to his wardrobe.
“Superdry is rated next to Next as ‘naff’, ‘not aspirational’ and ‘not as cool’,” Davis continues. “This may well be true, but shopping at Superdry and Next that it’s entirely possible to do it and still dress well, although perhaps not head-to-toe in either brand, I wouldn’t recommend doing it in Cactus Jack or Dolce and Gabbana either. This all depends on the consumer, not the stores, of course. , you can dress however you want.”
To be honest, there has been a change in this regard in recent years; See the catwalks of Zegna, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana using characterful, older male models and personalities rather than fresh-out-of-the-box, baby-faced models. After a decade of streetwear-centric clothing, there is a shift in the style winds towards something more mature and sophisticated. The suit, for example, is making a comeback with increasing sales, and the humble old tie is finally making its presence felt once again. Likewise, the quiet luxury trend that prevailed afterwards Subrogation; Logan Roy’s soft power cardigans, padded jackets and sneakers.
Maybe we’re in an age where dads dress 2.0; Gone are the shapeless jeans and orthopedic sneakers, and instead the focus is on clothing that goes the extra mile for men over 50. In any case, stick to sturdy, outdoorsy cagoule jackets (Superdry’s mainstay), but pair them with a stylish cashmere. sweater underneath.
Jeans are an example of this; Older men tend to stick with what they know in their 30s; These were boot cuts that look pretty outdated today. In a dark wash it is better to stick to the straight leg. Likewise, instructors; Adult-oriented luxury leather and suede versions will serve Gen Z better than the uber-sporty versions. When it comes to outdoor jackets or leather jackets. The latter is great if you’re getting off your mid-life crisis motorcycle, but not so much in other circles. A stretchy suede bomber or a lightweight Harrington jacket is just as dynamic, but won’t attempt to convey your outdoorsy masculinity as overtly.
Some of the most stylish men over 50 I know know how to combine ease with panache. See the secretly stylish Gildo Zegna, CEO of the Italian giant, at 68, wearing a smart uniform of casual business jackets, polo shirts and casual suit trousers with sneakers. Also look at Idris Elba and David Beckham, aged 51 and 48 respectively, they have found their own style rhythm; Elba prefers loose-fitting, flowing-cut casual shirts and trousers and sporty sneakers. Beckham has always known how to wear suits, but now he wears them with soft Loro Piana slip-ons and knitwear.
Davis points to Paul Weller as an example of how wrong our assumptions can be. “In a recent interview, Weller was asked if he keeps a pair of Crocs by the front door to take out the trash. The question was clearly intended to be a joke; as if the Modfather would ever stoop this low. Even in the privacy of his own home on garbage day. “No way,” he replied firmly. ‘There are no slippers either. I wear sneakers at home. But it’s just Adidas, old school Adidas. One has to conform to some sort of standard.’ “If there’s one piece of advice I can give to any ‘dad,’ it’s this,” says Davis. “You have to meet some standards.”
Daddy’s dressing up shouldn’t be a dirty word, so give the older kids a break. And good luck to Dunkerton; Not enough British-born brands employing local communities have been sidelined in recent years.
Stylish Dads
Get the look
Cashmere jumper, £89.90, Uniqlo; Suede bomber, £249, Massimo Dutti
Straight leg jeans, £139, Ralph Lauren; Leather sneakers, £435, Vyn