published on 09/15/05

Hipper Than Your Mom: Dad Chic

There’s a new craze sweeping the Vassar campus, and by default, the upper-middle class portion of the world. No, it’s not fanny-packs, but it is something else your terminally un-hip father might wear on vacation in Disney World. Alas, the joke’s on Dad. For the first time since 1975—since he scored his first Vassar girl—he’s hip again. Dad Chic combines the worst aspects of Risky Business and Dead Poets’ Society with just a splash of Deerhoof. Not everyone can pull off this highly stylized look. For instance, people with nose hair or anyone who is actually balding; e.g. real dads. Here is The Miscellany News’ Ultimate Style Guide: Dad Chic Edition.

Tousled Hair. Reminiscent of Seth Cohen on season two of The O.C. Artfully arranged to look slightly balding.

Bloody Mary. Goes well with painkillers.

Ralph Lauren dress shirt. For that straight-from-the-office look. Perfect for appearing employed.

Slightly too-tight khaki shorts. Ensuring that he can never actually become a dad.

Ray-Bans. An absolute essential in any season. A true Dad Chic man also wears SPF 45. Why? Cancer, that’s why.

Ball-point pen. For signing important documents. Divorce papers, add/drop forms, etc.

Awkward gesture. It’s hip to be square.

Tucked-in shirt. To show off the expensive belt.

Tighty whities. Because nothing else will fit under those tight shorts. And, of course, the obvious Tom Cruise reference.

Boat shoes. The key ingredient to looking Dad Chic. Pleasantly psuedo-chic with just the right amount of orthopedist-recommended flavor.

E-mail this entry to:

Your e-mail address:

Message (optional):

Comments posted do not represent the opinions of The Miscellany News, its staff, or Vassar College. The Miscellany News reserves the right to withhold or remove comments which contain false information, are inappropriate or irrelevant to the article printed above, or are otherwise objectionable.

Alumnae/i posters are strongly encouraged to include their class year with their name. The maximum length for comments is approximately 100 words; longer responses should be submitted as letters to the editor to misc@vassar.edu. More information about our letters policy can be found on our Policies page.