Posts related to dad style

I’m going to preface this post by saying I never thought I’d be reviewing a pair of pants from Lululemon. With that said, a few weeks ago a friend had mentioned that he loved his few pairs of ABC Classic (Anti Ball Crushing, more on that later) Pants. I took a look at them, and found a pair  on sale for $80. I figured I’d give them a try.

First impressions

Pulling these pants out of the package, they felt very comfy and stretchy to the touch. I originally thought, based on the website pictures, that these would be something I could wear to work on a very casual Friday. But putting them on for the first time, I quickly changed my tune on that thought.

They have much more of an athletic look to them (think golf pants). While the fit was very good, these didn’t belong in the office. But what they did end up being great for was traveling. I recently went on a vacation, and wore these through the airports and such.

Travel days can be very long, and your clothes should be accommodating to all of the moving around you’ll do. These ABC Pants were perfect for that, and I love how functional the pants were.

Functionality

One of the things I like the most about these pants are the pockets. The change pocket was oversized, and fit my iPhone X very snug and comfortable in there, leaving the two front main pockets available for anything else. Even though I regularly use that change pocket on all my other 5-pocket pants (for chapstick), they generally aren’t too functional, because who carries change anymore?

There is also a hidden zippered back pocket inside the normal back pocket, which can also fit a phone or passport when traveling. This is a nice touch.

The Anti Ball Crushing “engineering” just seems like a marketing gimmick. I’ve never had ball crushing issues with my pants, especially athletic pants. So don’t get suckered in by that. Any pants with good stretch should be accommodating for your man parts.

The Fit

These fit pretty well. It’s a slimmer fit, but far enough from skinny to stay comfortable. They’re 34″ in length which is perfect for my height (6’2″), but if needed you can slightly cuff them which would look good also.

One thing I don’t love about the fit is how the material seems to bunch at certain spots.

How to Wear them

I struggled with what tops to wear with these pants. Visually, they have a bit of a shine to them, and really lend themselves to an athletic look, despite how they appear on the website. T-shirts would be a safe bet for these pants, but whatever top you wear, lean more towards activewear, and you can’t go wrong.

Don’t think you can pair these with button downs or sweaters. It will not look good.

For the Dads

If you’re an active dad, going to birthday parties or sporting events, these pants are worth your attention. As a dad, I’m always on the lookout for clothes that will fit my on-the-go nature with the kids, and when sports starts back up, I’ll be in these pants a lot.

These pants will also challenge me to dress well with activewear. Normally I’m either dressed up nice, or in sweatpants and a tee. These in-between space is new to me, but I’m going to make it work. But don’t think these are pants you’ll wear and try to be the best dressed in the room. These aren’t that. Treat them as a step up from sweatpants.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I really like these pants. But at their price point, it’s really tough to recommend them. Full price, they’re $128 and that’s a lot to pay for an activewear item. If you have money to burn and a need for these type of pants, give them a try.

But if you’re not wanting to shell out the money, I certainly recommend having pants like these, but at a cheaper price point.

When I thought about starting the Dad Style series, the first item that came to mind is stretch denim. I first discovered them about 6-7 years ago. After buying my first pair I wanted every pair of jeans I bought to have a bit of stretch. When kids came into the picture, they became even more valuable.

So what is stretch denim? It’s exactly how it sounds. It’s denim with about 1-3% elastane (aka spandex). To the naked eye, they look like every other pair of jeans. But to the touch, they give just the flex you need as dad.

Kids are active, and demand that you be active along with them. So you need pants that can move and be flexible with you. And they’re certainly more comfortable than your standard jeans.

In terms of brands, just pick your favorite and they more than likely have a stretch option. You’d be hard pressed to find a brand without it.

There are no special style guidelines for stretch denim. You wear them exactly like you’re used to wearing them.

Dads. Let’s face it, we have a lot on our plates. Work, kids, significant others, hobbies, etc. Sometimes, we don’t want to think about style and dressing up. It’s just not a top priority. But that doesn’t mean we can’t look good.

When my wife became pregnant with our first kid, I wondered if I would stop caring about what I’m wearing. I questioned whether or not I needed to choose between buying diapers and formula, or being able to shop for myself and still dress well. But why not both? It is certainly possible, and just because you have kids doesn’t mean you can’t be the best looking dad in the room.

So why am I starting this series?

Picture the last birthday party or gathering that you took your kids to. Now picture all of the dads at said gathering. It was probably an atrocity on the style front. There were probably lots of baggy jeans, maybe some cargo shorts and maybe a few super hero t-shirts.

Dads, we can do better! Our wardrobes don’t have to go to shit when kids invade our lives. We just need the right clothing choices to fit the lifestyle, and I’m here to help.

So make sure you follow along here, on Facebook, and Instagram, as I’ll be posting new blog posts there. If I generate enough interest, then I’ll create a separate newsletter. So if that’s something you’re interested in, please shoot me an email (john@acuratedstyle.com) and let me know.