14 Lessons on Style Mastered by GQ Editors from Their Fathers
Celebrating Father's Day: Lessons in Style Evolution from our Staff
Hey there! This Father's Day, we asked our team to honor the paternal figures in their lives by sharing some of their dad's timeless dressing rules. To dive deeper into the fatherly fashion wisdom, check out our series of counterintuitive tips for dads here!
Embrace Change, Stay Authentic
It's amazing how my old man's style evolution mirrors the carefree spirit of the '60s, if you looked at photos. From his debonair earlier days with narrow Ivy League ties to his lumberjack-esque Big Sur phase with long curls perched on a boulder, it appears as if the Summer of Love suddenly flipped a switch. But a deeper look reveals a gradual, organic transition—with him donning Oxford button-downs to free concerts in Golden Gate Park.
The essence of his Ivy style remained constant across the years, but elements like wide belts, leather vests, and lush manes were added over time, accompanying classic staples like chinos and blue oxfords. My father's style journey teaches me that reinvention shouldn't require abandoning your core style beliefs. Instead, it's all about gently building upon a solid foundation.
—Martin Mulkeen, Global Commerce Category Director
Quality Investments for Long-Lasting Style
Martin's father's tale of style evolution doesn't come with specific details. Yet, we can offer insights on how one can evolve their personal style while preserving a consistent core:
Navigating Your Personal Style Evolotion
- Understand Your Identity: Identify the aspects that make you unique and the values you wish your style to exemplify. This helps preserve consistency in your personal style.
- Keep Up with Trends: Staycurrent with fashion trends while choosing only the elements that echo your core style. This ensures your style stays dynamic without deviating from who you are.
- Invest In Classics: Construct a wardrobe with enduring, versatile pieces. These serve as a foundation that can adapt alongside newer accents.
- Take Inspiration: Follow fashion influencers, bloggers, or designers whose styles resonate with yours. Discovering fresh ideas here helps you avoid deviating from your personal aesthetic.
- Quality over Quantity: Prioritize quality over quantity. Investing in a few well-tailored, enduring pieces brings more impact than acquiring numerous cheap, fleeting items.
- Express Yourself: Feeling authentic and confident is crucial when revamping your personal style. Don't shy away from showcasing your individuality.
- ** balance**: Aim for an 80/20 ratio, where core pieces constitute 80% of your wardrobe, and experimental or trend-driven pieces make up 20%. This balance maintains consistency while allowing for style updates.
- Self-Care and Confidence: Ultimately, your personal style should make you feel good. Cultivate self-care and confidence to rock any style.
Following these tips can help you evolve your personal style while maintaining consistency that reflects your personality and values. Happy Father's Day!
- Martin's personal style evolution, much like his father's, demonstrates the importance of gradually incorporating trends that resonate with one's core style, rather than abandoning the foundation significantly.
- In the realm of fashion and beauty, maintaining a consistent lifestyle while embracing change requires understanding one's identity, keeping up with trends selectively, investing in classics, taking inspiration, opting for quality over quantity, expressing oneself authentically, and maintaining a balance between core and trend-driven pieces.
