I just found a gob of jam stuck to the bottom of the dining room chair when I went to move it. The sensation was similar to finding gum stuck to the desk chair in High School. This, for those of you who may not know it yet, is life with kids. It used to bother me, greatly, but as any living being must you adapt to survive. Once all the crumbs, spills, stickiness and more is vacuumed, swept up and wiped I take my shower and shave. This is a purification ritual that I must perform each morning in order to start the rest of my day as an adult who aside from the world of parenthood, must also function within society at large, the one that has no idea what it means to have kids and quite rightly couldn’t care less.

I head straight for my closet and make a point of dressing like an adult regardless of whether it is work or a day out with my son that awaits me. Dressing like an adult means that I could walk into a church or temple or other sanctuary and feel that I am dressed appropriately (unless of course I am at or near the beach or working out). I choose religion to make my point, not because I am a man of religion, but because religion (supposedly) represents a certain etiquette and decorum that first and foremost is meant to lead believers to respect themselves in order to be respectful of others.

If there is anything I can still control in my life these days, it’s my wardrobe. My wife is an incredibly stylish Italian woman and certainly very opinionated when it comes to what I wear, as any respectable Italian wife should, but I need to feel comfortable first and foremost in my own “skin”. False modesty aside, I think I do pretty well on my own. I stand taller and walk taller when I feel well dressed this goes for work cloth as well as casual clothes.

Whatever your style, just make sure it’s tidy. Kids, although certainly a major hurdle, are no excuse to looking shabby. That is really what being dapper is all about. Also, never confuse style with snobbery and never ever equate fashion to style. Style is about you and not about what others want you to be – dad’s should understand and appreciate this more than anyone else.