In many ways "dressing like a dad" was always not so much of a compliment. But I see much different. Fatherhood gives man that extra push to want to represent himself better in ways far beyond clothing. My style before fatherhood I would describe as "loose, edgy, and carefree" Isn't that how the mind is? When one does not have any children he tends to be loose and edgy, with the come and go as you please mentality.
Honestly, I can say having a child was the best thing to ever happen to my Style.
I asked a great friend of mines Marcus Payne, whom is also a proud dad and entrepreneur, "How did your outlook on style change post fatherhood?". He quoted "Style has always been a direct representation of your personality. The way you dress expresses the type of person you are. On November 25th 2011 my life changed. My perspective on life changed and most importantly my style changed! With fatherhood came responsibility. No longer was it ok to spend money on myself without first making sure I had done everything possible to ensure I've provided the best for my family. When new shoes came out, it just no longer mattered, video games or any other useless expense became less and less important. I guess that's the way The Lord shows us what we truly value. Now the objective is to make sure I can provide the best life for my son, the one I could only dream having. So I told myself I was going to be very successful. But successful people don't dress like they have nowhere to go. So I started buying suits, I wore them all the time. Even though I really had no need for them I knew one day they'd come to use. Now I can't go a day without grabbing a suit. It's all based on perspective. We are who and what we say we are! Speak it and live it into existence. That's what the Birth of my child did for me! Proud dad"
Post- Fatherhood elevated my Style in numerous ways. I started to dress more traditional, I found myself not wearing printed t shirts anymore, I've gotten rid of all my sneakers, and I also found such great respect in myself. Apart of becoming a great dad is having respect for himself first, whether you're with your kid's mother or not. Once man does that, he respects his situation and knows he's obligated to fatherhood. The men who run out on fatherhood are the men who don't respect themselves and aren't able to lead. The men who take responsibility are "Men of Respect"
I had an image in my head of what type a man I wanted to look like to my son then I became that man. Until we have children we don't look at ourselves much as role models, I mean we all have people who look up to us but none like your own child. So I wanted to look like the coolest dad ever! I have many different color suits because not only do I love color but my kid loves color. So wearing a yellow suit will give me major props in the fashion world but also brightens my son's day when he sees me dressed like big bird lol.
You can connect with Marcus Payne on Linkedin here.
To all my fellow dads out there take "dressing like a dad" as a compliment because whether you're dapper or not... YOU ARE A LEADER! Keep the trend going! -Armada
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