• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
GO TO EXPAT LIVING SINGAPORE
GET OUR NEWSLETTER

Expat Living Hong Kong HomepageExpat Living Hong Kong

Moving to Hong Kong and not sure where to start? Expat Living is the essential lifestyle guide to living in Hong Kong.

Login Pelcro Shop

Menu
  • Living In Hong Kong
      • Living Here
      • Where To Live
      • Schools
      • For Guys
        • Private tutors in Hong Kong
        • Image of Chinese characters for article on tips for learning Mandarin Chinese languageSix steps to a magical Mandarin Story
        • International Women’s Day: Nominate Someone Special
        • Helping our communities learn to swim
      • View all
    Close
  • Things To Do
      • Things To Do
      • What’s On/Calendar
      • Competitions & Offers
        • KidsFest 2023 Hong Kong - Tabby McTatTop 35 Best Things To Do In Hong Kong This Weekend
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • Best playgrounds & parks for the kids
        • What to watch this month – Netflix & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Kids
      • Activities & Things To Do
      • Education & Enrichment
      • Health & Wellness
      • Mums & Babies
      • Podcasts
        • Private tutors in Hong Kong
        • We chat with two GSIS families
        • A boarding school with wildlife on the doorstep!
        • Children's teeth and bracesKids and braces – all you need to know
      • View all
    Close
  • Homes
      • Home Décor
      • Readers Homes
        • A New Home in The New Territories
        • Transforming an old Hong Kong junk
        • Image of Altfield home furnishings showroomWhere to get designer home furnishings
        • Hong Kong People: Meet Laura Pezza
      • View all
    Close
  • Travel
      • Short Breaks
      • Further Afield
      • Travel News & Offers
        • Sequoia Lodge, AustraliaTravel Tips: Hot hotels for 2023
        • Mount KinabuluClimbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah
        • Son Doong CaveJourney into the world’s largest cave
        • Famous movie locations in Asia - Hong Kong - Gage Street8 Famous Movie Locations in Asia
      • View all
    Close
  • Wine & Dine
      • Recipes & Groceries
      • Bars & Restaurants
        • Thai food at Monsoon restaurant in Hong KongRestaurant Review: Monsoon
        • 6 super reasons to visit sky100
        • Popcorn Shrimp with Spicy Honey Mayo
        • Indulgent chocolate cake - recipeRecipe: Indulgent Chocolate Cake
      • View all
    Close
  • Style & Beauty
      • Fashion
      • Hair & Beauty
        • Convertible clothing that can be mix-and-matched
        • where to get botox in hong kongBotox in Hong Kong – All you need to know
        • Where to buy (and sell!) watches
        • Face masks, spa products, body scrubsWe test body scrubs, creams, masks & more!
      • View all
    Close
  • Health & Fitness
      • Medical & Dental
      • Fitness
      • Wellness
        • dry eye disease - causes, symptoms and treatment for dry eyesDo you suffer from dry eyes?
        • family dental clinics and dentists in Hong KongFamily Dental Clinics and Dentists in HK
        • Children's teeth and bracesKids and braces – all you need to know
        • Safe & healthy eating during pregnancy
      • View all
    Close
  • Shop
    • Magazine
    • Advertise With Us
    • Close

Men’s fashion: Style tips for trendy dads

12 January, 2017 by Simon Oates, Senior Designer of Men’s Lifestyle at Musto Ltd 3 Min Read

https://expatliving.hk/mens-fashion-style-tips-for-trendy-dads/

Men don’t always have to look the part of sleep-deprived baby daddy. In fact, you too can be that eye-candy chap that the ladies drool over. With the help of our brother mag, EX, we get tips in the Dad’s fashion department from style guru Simon Oates.

As I approach my (shudder) 40th birthday early next year, the gentle canter of the passage of years I felt in my twenties and thirties has been replaced by a thunderously intense gallop as the wild stallions of time drag me kicking and screaming towards middle age.

Like many men approaching their fifth decade, you begin to take stock of your life. Funnily enough, I’m not living the millionaire playboy lifestyle I imagined in my twenties, but thankfully one thing I have managed to achieve is the passing on of my genetic material. Yes, although the Hugh Hefner lifestyle has sadly passed me by, I am, at least, a father.

Being a modern dad is a style minefield, especially now that all our spare cash is diverted from the clothing budget to keeping the little swines alive. Therefore, sartorial decisions become much more considered than when we had money to burn.

Becks. What a guy

 

The combination of style-aware gents and fatherhood has (excuse the pun) given birth to the Trendy Dad. For further proof, just look at how the style icons from the past 15 years have evolved; chaps like Ewan Macgregor, Jude Law and the king of celebrity dads, David Beckham, are now more regularly papped taking their kids for a Happy Meal than falling out of 1-Altitude.

Not getting it right in the fatherhood fashion stakes means you can end up looking like you’re in fancy dress as you drop your kids off at the school gates – Mick Jagger, Rod Stewart and Elton John are all guilty of this sartorial sin, but being international rock stars they are excused. But if you want to get it right as a trendy dad, here are the essentials.

Barbour jacket’s stand the test of time (credit: Barbour Facebook)

 

Outerwear
“Fashion fades but style is forever”. Choose something that will last and be prepared to shell out a few extra dollars for a lifetime of wear. Workwear, Military, American Varsity, Biker, English Country and American Outdoor never go away.

The jackets by RRL (Ralph Lauren’s heritage-inspired line) are based on original vintage pieces and are worth the considerable retail prices. A Belstaff or Barbour jacket is going to last you for years – the leather biker jackets at belstaff this season are fantastic if your cash can stretch that far. For a more modest budget, authentic New York manufacturer Schott have been making peacoats for the US navy and leather biker jackets for decades – Marlon Brando’s jacket in The Wild One is a Schott.

Levi’s Shuttle Taper Jeans, with selvedge denim

 

Selvedge denim
Made on shorter looms than standard denim, selvedge denim features a coloured edge of fabric that is joined at the leg, so when you turn them up you get a neat seam detail.

Check out LVC – the Levi’s premium denim line for authentic fits from their 150-year archive. Alternatively, all the big denim brands do a selvedge style or two, but be warned, they are pricey. Go for a tailored slim fit rather than skinny – leave the leggings look to your other half; it’ll suit her better.

Sunspel t-shirts

 

Perfect t-shirt
The cornerstone to any trendy dad’s garb is the plain t-shirt. Get rid of those meaningless slogan tees and channel your inner James Dean. A basic t-shirt doesn’t mean two for $10 from City Plaza; splash out on something a little more premium and it will fit like a glove and become better the more you wear it. British jersey specialists Sunspel have some great options, as does German brand Scheisser.

Men's fashion, boots, men's shoes
Red Wing’s fall boot collections are available now in Hong Kong

 

Boots
Well-chosen footwear is the finishing touch to the trendy dad’s ensemble, and again, be prepared to splash out on something a bit special. Red Wing boots have transcended their original work-wear roots and are now as common at the school gates of UWC as they are in the North American wilderness.

If the work-wear/biker look doesn’t do it for you, then a pair of classic English country boots is equally suitable. This season, try a plain toe or a derby rather than the ubiquitous brogue – and black and dark brown rather than light tan. Brands like Trickers or Grenson tend to be the best quality.

Now… I’ve got bottoms to wipe. Until next time.

 

Categories: Fashion

Get the latest events, stories and special offers
sent to your inbox.

By signing up, you'll receive our bimonthly newsletters and offers, which you can unsubscribe to anytime.

You May Also Like

Getting party-ready for the holiday season

Stunning vintage party and cocktail dresses

Shopping online in Hong Kong - Baopals

The best way to shop from China in HK

Primary Sidebar

  • COMPETITIONS & OFFERS
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Subscribe

© 2023 Expat Living Hong Kong, All Rights Reserved.