3 Style Rules I Learned From My Dad

Introduction

Happy Father’s Day!

As my interest in fashion continues to grow, I’ve noticed that people assume that my fashion knowledge comes only from my mom, but this isn’t true.

Growing up, I looked up to my dad as a role model for the smart, creative, charismatic, and hardworking adult that I wanted to be, so when I envisioned the outfits I would wear as an adult, I often saw myself in the outfits he wore.

For context, my dad worked as an Outside Sales Manager when I was a kid, so being charismatic and dependable was an essential part of the job.

His job was to find new business, grow new business, and expand current business, so he was constantly on the road and on the phone selling and helping his customers.

He always made an effort to wear clothes that showed he cared about his image, but also that he had a fantastic personality that made him fun to work with.

I loved seeing his fun ties and the way he would pair colorful dress shirts with company quarter-zips, and I see a lot of my current style in his.

So for today’s post I wanted to share three fashion lessons I learned from my dad!

I hope you enjoy it!

1) The point of a tie is to cover the buttons. 

Growing up, I found ties to be a pain, so I didn’t have much of an appreciation for them.

However, understanding the role of a tie helped me better utilize them in my outfits.

I always think of my dad when tying my tie for work in the morning because of this.

2) Your shoes, belt, and jacket should be the same color. 

I understand that pairing brown leather and black leather is going to be a big trend this winter, but I think this rule offers an excellent foundation for anyone getting started with pairing these items.

In high school, I found styling, especially with leather pieces, to be really difficult, and this rule helped me out.

Now, I teach people this rule on TikTok at least once a month!

3) Dress to impress, but never forget who you are.

As a Sales Manager, my dad always made an effort to look the part of a respectable business professional, but he always made sure to leave room for his personal style as well.

Whether it was through his Jerry Garcia ties, patterned socks, or warm sweaters, my dad’s clothes always communicated his interests and artistic point of view.

I think about this when getting ready for work every day.

When I first started working full-time, I tried to blend in by wearing what I thought other people wanted me to wear.

However, by owning my personal style in the workplace, I actually gained more trust and credibility from my coworkers and vendors.

This has helped me become a better employee and also made work much more fun.

Conclusion

My dad played a huge role in shaping the person I’m growing up to be, and a lot of that started with the clothes he wore.

Whether it’s his taste in music, restaurants, comedy, TV, movies, or clothing, my dad is a very fashionable guy, and I’ve always loved that about him.

I hope my dad, and the many father figures in my communities, know how much I appreciate them for helping me be the best I can be.

It can be really easy to feel lost when figuring out who to be, but my dad acted, and still acts, as a shimmering north star, guiding me toward the person I’m destined to become.

Happy Father’s Day!

– JM

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