An Ode to Dad Fashion
Dads have been the non-plus ultra style idols for the fashion savvy for quite a while now – so let's take a look at the fashion lessons we learned from our fathers.
«Hey, Daddy»,
From Usher's hit single to Tiktok, the slightly raunchy phrase has remained constantly in the teenage slang for over a decade. This proves that a father's attraction is not a phenomenon of recent years, but has been the case for generations. However, this lewdness, which is certainly based on an unhealthy and unequal distribution of power, is not our topic today: we are talking about the influence of the ugly-cool ways that dads have been thought to dress.
I suppose each of us had a moment in our lives when we thought, «Dad, what are you wearing now?» Well, if only we had known that day we would all want to walk around like our fathers in the future. Our old men introduced us to a marvelous range of garments: There is the dad sneaker – chunky, bulky, retro – and of course, the baseball cap, tucked-in t-shirts, light wash denim, and, obviously, the vivid vacation shirt.
The Origins of Dad Fashion
To start at the very beginning, we need to travel back in time a handful of years. Already at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the first examples of what would eventually become dad-style emerged. Hand-me-downs that fathers gave their sons to start working set the foundation. From farmers to construction workers, this occurrence was common to save families some cash in the long run.
Obviously, dad hand-me-downs were not the first choice of the youth – so the question remains when the trend really took off. Once again, pop culture is to blame. We began to see people actively choosing to wear dad-inspired clothing from TV’s dads of the 80s and 90s. Full House’s Danny Tanner and Frank Costanza from Seinfeld served as inspiration for a bunch of outfits.
Turning Point 2017
As the heat of summer 2017 began to send us fleeing into the shade, an unusual obsession with chunky, ugly sneakers emerged on social media. From the beginning, the silhouette of the shoes reminded us of something very particular: Specifically, of our fathers' wardrobes.
After the classic New Balance 990 models suffered a frightening worldwide shortage, the famous designers of our era hopped on the trend. Dior, Yeezy, Acne Studios, and many other household names released a dad model, bringing the trend to the major fashion stage. Yet, a few more dad trends are taking off in close succession. 2017 fashion was as well shaped by collared shirts, Hawaiian shirts, tube socks, dad cardigans, and plain baseball caps – all inspired by the old men of our society.
Well, if you're hearing 2017 in combination with dad fashion and you've kept a little eye on the pop-cultural changes, you should notice a certain link to Kanye West as well as Barack Obama. Obama in a non-ironic way and West in a more anti-fashion way have both spread the trend to the masses.
Is Dad Fashion a Part of Anti Fashion?
Anti-fashion is an umbrella term for various styles of clothes that explicitly contradict fashionable ideals. They usually embody political or social opinions and present fashion as a secondary priority. The chaotically and eye-catching phenomenon of dad style was a crucial part of the rise of anti-fashion.
The Ultimate Dad Sneaker
«Worn by supermodels in London and dads in Ohio», emblazoned New Balance's legendary advert in 2019. Just a year later, alongside the ultimate New Balance fanboy Steve Jobs, names like Timothée Chalamet and Leonardo DiCaprio could be added to the list of famous wearers.
For a long time now, New Balance has found its niche among best-dressed men, retro fashionistas, and creative types, and it all started with an early pair that cost around $100 in 1982.
Long before Ohio dads wore trainers, a migrant worker named William J. Riley founded the New Balance Arch Support Company 1906 in Boston intending to do what the chickens on his farm could do with ease: stand comfortably all day long. About 85 years later, after several new models were already on the market, the legendary 990 model was released. Without further ado, Steve Jobs added it to his unofficial uniform and brought the shoes to Silicon Valley.
While the Stan Smith and Air Force 1 are seen on every corner in the world, the 990 is still an insider's tip among the most hyped trainers. New Balance has carved out a special place for itself among the creative and fashionable minds of our society with the shoe, and from time to time it dazzles on a celebrity's foot – as it did recently on Kourtney Kardashian.
Retro, chunky, comfortable with a seventies-inspired running look – New Balance gave us the ultimate flagship shoe for the dad trend. No superfluous designs, nothing seems pretentious or too futuristic. The 990 has become a symbol of dad fashion with its balanced, calm yet cool look – perhaps also because it reflects a father's appearance in an incomparable way.
Is Now the Grandmother Trend Coming?
Each morning when I walk into the agency and look at the outfits of my work colleagues, I notice that certainly more than 90% of the people are inspired by dad fashion. Our current fashion norms have been moulded by anti-fashion, as well as our pop's wardrobe.
However, we all know the hamster wheel of fashion very well: Trends do not last long. Yet the dad movement keeps itself very securely in the wheel. Trend forecasters and analysts do not see any decline and they currently added mom and granddad fashion to the palette.
This means: Let's continue to walk around like proper DILFs. By the time we have kids and they complain about our outfits, at the latest, we should think about the topic again.
Until then: Tell these dad jokes.
Love,
Pascal