Their jeans are iconic, their jokes are awful, and their beer gut is older than you. Believe it or not, Dad’s everywhere are celebrated more than just that one BBQ in mid-June via their trademarked shape: The Dad Bod. I’m positive no one has ever truly defined The Dad Bod but that’s okay because like sunburn you know when you have it and you know when you see it. If your edges are, well, softer, don’t revert to dressing like you're about to go mow the ole lawn real quick before carpool. Here’s some attainable tips to make that huggable body of yours hot and dare say, ~trendy.~
*Kindly fwd to all men who need help stepping up their dress game.
Bottoms: For an article on dadbods we’ve gotta start with bottoms up. Stick to a more boxy, straight-edged silhouette to allow your own body to give the clothes the shape. Not the other way around. I.E. Shorts - above the knee. Straight leg jeans which just so happen to be, of-the-moment should be your go-to. Tapered pants like joggers balloon at the bottom in a weight-adding way. Hard pass.
Tops: Like Clark Kent, for men with dadbods it’s not necessarily about the shirt you see but more about the shirt that is underneath. Mack swears by Shark Tank’s Thompson tee with padded armpits to minimize sweat and reduce stained clothing. Additionally, when I was a buyer for a women’s plus department, I realized small and simple recurring prints work better than one large print or graphic for women who carry weight in their torso region. The same goes for guys. Horizontal stripes of any kind are a widening no-go for all.
Color: We all know someone somewhere in a Dad Bod invented “Real Men Wear Pink.” Was it a cry for help? Absolutely. But does it actually work? A darker reddish pink is the most talked about menswear color for the upcoming Fall 2021 season. It’s the see through pale pink tees we see at waterparks that give guys in pink a bad name. The richness of a darker pink or a lighter red is striking on men mainly because it's not seen everyday. Guys tend to gravitate towards cooler tones like blue, green, and grey to invoke a sense of calm and level headedness.
Shades: Since they live on your face, sunglasses are a key piece in creating a slimming yet cohesive look. Trendy rectangular sunglasses draw the eyes upwards to the eyes and brows and away from round chin and cheeks. A general rule of thumb: look for pieces with straight lines - not roundness.
Outerwear: So maybe you just want to keep on wearing the same clothes you have right now because you hate joy shopping. The easiest way to elevate your go-to outfits is by adding a new jacket. Bomber jackets do many favors for dadbods. They were originally designed to keep men warm in the cockpit over their uniforms. We all know those will dadbods have no issues keeping warm, so pickup a lightweight fall jacket and make it modern with a simple tee underneath. Act fast because post-Top Gun re-release these jackets will be hard to get your hands on.
Formalwear: All navy suit, white collared shirt, no tie. Don’t be afraid to let the chest out. There are many reasons a navy suit is a must for 2021: The Year of Many Weddings. Navy masks (I feel like we can’t even use the word mask without thinking about covid. *Shudders.*) sweat spots easily while standing out from the sea of black and dark grey suits in a good way. If you have to go low brow, an inexpensive navy suit also tends to look less cheap than basic black.
You’re the life of the party! Dress like it.
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