Reviewed & updated: October 19, 2022 by Jamie Wilson BA
We’re sure you men all appreciate the ‘MILF’ term, and all of the women that fall into this category, but have you ever considered taking a look at the ‘DILFs’? There are some men out there that you could take a style tip or two from, so let’s go ahead and check out the 6 best-dressed dads.
Can Dads Dress Well?
We do a lot of style guide and reports on stylish men and the best-dressed men of the week, however with the recent dad trend occurring, we feel it it’s only right to honour the 2017 celebrity dads and hand out credit where credit is due. Not all dads like to follow the dad style, and in fact, this trend is only really one that is popular with the younger generation. There are plenty of actual dads out there who wouldn’t dream of crossing into this stereotypical dad fashion of boxy, loose-fit jeans and chunky dad trainers. Instead, they take their fashion game to inspirational places. We’ve looked into some of the all-time most fashionable dads and we’re about to tell you how you can take a leaf from their style book.
Ryan Reynolds
Who better to start with than the ultimate Hollywood dad, Ryan Reynolds? Married to Gossip Girl’s Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds has two children – one girl, Ines and one boy, James. Ryan Reynolds is often seen flaunting his handsome family at red carpet events where he shows just what a high fashion dad he is.
Ryan’s style centres around the three-piece suit. At his latest dad-appearance, he was seen wearing a mix-up of the traditional suit, where he opts for a warm wool material. He also switches up the colours, going for a classic white shirt and a grey waistcoat, but a navy blazer and a navy pair of trousers. He finishes his smart red-carpet look with a grey tie to match the waistcoat. Usually, we would advise sticking to one colour when pulling off a three-piece suit, but Reynolds shows us exactly how it’s done.
We can’t deny, Ryan Reynolds on the red carpet is one of the cool dads. When off the red carpet, however, Ryan let’s his cool go a little, often wearing a typical flat cap and jeans or kitted out in sports gear – it’s all about having an even balance, right?
David Beckham
Do you want to know how to dress like a dad? David Beckham has all of the answers for you. Dad to four kids (Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper), David Beckham embraces the dad life, recently stating that he even does the school runs every morning. David Beckham also dresses like a dad, and it’s his laid-back cool dad style crossed with his impeccable evening attire that makes places him so high on the best-dressed dad list.
David Beckham is often seen out and about in his casual outfits, usually made up of the classic T-shirt and jeans combination. He also often wears an open shirt layered over the T-shirt, paired with a cap or beanie to finish the look. Beckham shows us how versatile and how far a good pair of jeans can take us, as he sports jeans in all sorts of fits and colours. We love the black denim jeans style – a perfect option for a dad who wants to mix up the jeans in his wardrobe.
Below, Beckham is seen out with two of his boys at a sports game, and you can’t deny, he certainly looks like a cool dad. Dressed in the aforementioned black denim jeans, partnered with a white T-shirt and a blue denim jacket, Beckham showcases the best dad clothes. This look is so easy to re-create whilst looking good and being effortless at the same time.
Will Smith
Will Smith has got to be one of the most influential dads ever, with two of his kids following closely in his footsteps in the music and acting industries. Both Jaden and Willow Smith are musicians, with Jaden Smith releasing his newest album, SYRE, in November 2017. Will Smith has also clearly had a substantial effect on his children when it comes to fashion, with Jaden and Willow both making a name for themselves in the industry.
Will Smith has always had a style to be reckoned with. Since his 1990’s Prince of Bel Air days until now, many people have looked to him for some style and fashion tips. Smith can pull off a range of fashion vibes from the polo shirt dad look, the suited and booted red carpet look and the designer clothing look, so there are a lot of looks for us to pull our best-dressed dad inspo. We’ve gone for a happy medium of a smart casual look which everyone can easily re-create.
A tan suede jacket is a piece of clothing that every man should have in his wardrobe. It is such a transitional piece, working for both smart looks, casual looks, and everything in between. Here, Will Smith wears his dark tan suede jacket with a white cricket-style jumper and some black trousers – how simple is that?
Chris Hemsworth
The elder of the Hemsworth brothers, Chirs, now has three children with his wife, Elsa Pataky: daughter India and two twin boys, Tristan and Sasha. This Australian dad definitely goes for the casual, almost skater dad style. When he’s not causing chaos on the big screen playing his most popular character, Thor, Chris Hemsworth, the 34-year-old actor, is playing the role of dad, which, by the looks of it, is his best role yet.
He’s generally spotted out with his wife and kids wearing a very casual style, which comes as no surprise as he lives in a pretty laid back place. T-shirts, shorts and a hat seem to be his wardrobe go-to. When it comes to wearing T-shirts, we would suggest you invest in a few quality T-shirts in the staple colours of white, black, grey and navy. These colours will go with everything you need when you’re looking to dress down, and if they’re good quality, they’ll last you a long time. Some men simply like to dress comfortably, and with three young children, we don’t blame Chris Hemsworth for going down this style route,
Barack Obama
How could we possibly go through the best-dressed dads without including Obama himself? Father to 2 kids and about 320 million followers, Obama has a great sense of style, and it’s hard not to when he probably only owns about 100 suits. Always dressed well, Barack Obama wears the suit for all occasions. His version of a casual outfit is a suit without a tie, or perhaps even with the top button undone. We love Obama, and we love the way he wears a suit, so let’s go through the best suit combinations.
- A black suit always looks best when paired with a white shirt, a black tie (if formal) and a pair of clean, black shoes.
- A Grey suit works well with a white shirt and either a black or red tie. Brown shoes or black shoes should be worn with a grey suit. Grey suits, in our opinion, work the best when wearing a three-piece suit. If you like to jazz up your suit, go for a grey that has some checked patterns on it.
- A navy blue suit goes with a white shirt, a red tie and brown shoes. Black shoes can also work, but only if you’re wearing a darker shade of navy.
To nail Obama’s style, consider wearing a suit dressed down, for example, drop the blazer and wearing a shirt, suit trousers and a suede jacket instead.
Conor McGregor
This UFC fighter has made his way into the limelight both in the ring and in the fashion scene. Earlier this year, McGregor smashed the internet with everybody talking about his iconic suit. The ‘F*CK YOU’ suit, designed and made by David August, is a navy suit which has pinstripes down it, however, upon closer observation, the pinstripes actually read ‘F*CK YOU’ all the way down. This was worn by McGregor at his press conference with rival Floyd Mayweather, which can now be bought for a whopping £5,000.
This is not a suit that 29-year-old McGregor would wear in front of his son, no doubt. Only born in May 2017, Conor had his firstborn, Conor Jack McGregor Jr, with his girlfriend since 2008, Dee Devlin. This makes him a pretty young, cool dad. With his new-found money, McGregor has upped his fashion game, wearing everything designer and luxury. Covered in tats, his style always has that edginess about it, whether it’s a suit or a shirt and trousers. McGregor is partial to wearing a heavy printed shirt with black trousers and a pair of loafers; the laid-back smart style which works so well for a young dad. You won’t catch McGregor in a pair of dad shoes or wearing ‘bad dad fashion’.
On That Note
Well-dressed dads are everywhere, despite whether their kids are 2 years old or 22 years old. The dad fashion in 2017 is the style that everybody wants, and these 6 dad-icons should help you achieve the look yourself. Whether you are actually a dad, or you’re just after some style tips from some life-experienced men, we hope this style guide will serve you some purpose. The key points to take away from this? T-shirts should come in every colour, black jeans and blue denim is a must, and you’re never too old for a tan suede jacket.
