Styling my Dad for Summer*

So next month is June, and that not only means the official start to summer, but it’s also Father’s Day! I thought i’d kill two birds with one stone (urgh, I hate that expression but I always use it!) but putting together a post about Father’s Day, and summer.

Credit

I’m truly blessed that even at 30, I still have my Dad around and in pretty good shape. He does a lot for our family and even though he can be a pain in the butt, I love him. We had a little scare with his health last year and it made me realise just how much he means to us. It definitely made me appreciate him way more and take note of him as a person and not just my dad (aka taxi driver, bank machine, grandad). So was thinking for this Father’s Day I’d help him shake up his wardrobe and sense of style, which if I’m honest, he has none. He’s a long distance lorry driver so when comes home he wasn’t to be in a baggy t-shirt (or football shirt) and a pair of jogging bottoms.. which I’m pretty sure isn’t what my mum wants to see week in and week out… so here are a few ideas for giving my dad a new look;

Swap Football Shirt for Graphic Shirt
Trying to get my dad to part with his football shirts is mission impossible. He’s been getting one for Christmas every year for as long as I’ve been alive, I kid you not! He has a whole shelf of them! But they make my dad look like a bit of a pub thug (he likes the pub) and they’re definitely not “cool” so maybe trying to find a graphic tee of a movie he likes that isn’t too in your face is the way to go. Graphic tees these days can be worn for casual, or dressed up with jeans and a blazer for a night out with his friends so they’re multipurpose and since my mum likes most of the same movies, it’s win win where as she isn’t into football at all. Although I’m no hugely into “dressing for your other half” after 31 years it’s easy to forget about wearing something that makes your wife smile. At least for my dad anyway.

Swap Jogging Bottoms for Cargo Pants
After a week in his work trousers my dad wants to come home and wear something comfy so he has always enjoyed jogging bottoms. He wears them every wear and I always remember my mum’s face when he’d head into town in them. So we’re now making it a mission to convince him into cargo pants, both full length and the short version (he loves his shorts) again they can be worn dressed up or down, they’re practical with loads of pockets and come in loads of colours. They’re softer fabric than jeans but can still look smart. My dad is a social creature so he is always out and about, cargo pants really are a practical compromise between his jeans and joggers.

Swap Hoodie for Light Weight Jacket
Finally, that darn band hoody he’s been wearing for about 5 years. Yep, 5 years. It’s thread bare but he likes that he can just throw it on, it works for most weathers and it’s black. But I’m hoping I can find a few jackets that will peak his interest. He likes something he can throw on, has a hood, doesn’t get creased if it gets left in the car boot and is dark so it goes with everything. I think this will be the hardest thing to find but if I can do it, I think he’ll love it.

Of course I don’t want to change the person my dad is, but he is young, he is popular and he has the best social life out of all of us, he should a few bits in his wardrobe that are both comfy and stylish because even though he doesn’t think it, he really is the coolest dad.