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2020 has left us all in need of positive vibes. While I’m not one for escapism, I’ve been thankful to find daily joy in two activities: talking to my dad in the morning before my work day begins and watching Seinfeld to fall asleep. I’ve been living in my parents’ house since March but they’re not here. They’re in California with my brothers while I’m on the East coast. It’s a funny thing to live in a house full of your family’s stuff without them. For example, one of my father’s shirts is hanging in the bathroom from the last time he was here in late January when he presumably thought he’d be back soon – I think of it as the ghost shirt.
I like to think that it was this ghost shirt that kicked off our morning chats. With years of working in the film business under his belt, he’s used to waking up at the crack of dawn, which means we tend to start our days now at the same hour despite the time difference. Usually, when he is filming, we catch up over text or by sending each other a barrage of news articles every day but this time has created space for us to talk more than we ever have. We’ve even found similarities in our work and spend time discussing what shoots — whether fashion or film — might look like in a new world with COVID-19. We bounce ideas off each other, we work through equipment sanitization, we speak creatively about our ideas around bringing images to life, and then we talk about what’s for dinner. I like to brag about the fresh fish I’ve been able to get my hands on from the local fishing dock and he tells me the best way to make it. I promised him early on when I got here that I would stick to local species only, and I’ve kept my word.
To return to the ghost shirt, I just can’t bring myself to put it away. Now, in addition to being the reminder to call my dad, I think it’s starting to affect my fashion sense. With summer starting to set in, I’ve found myself looking around the closets of the ones I love in need of a little boost. I usually rely on my coworkers for some styling inspiration so maybe this is filling that void. Anyway, I’ve found myself drawn to an inordinate amount of loose fitting button downs, specifically those styled over t-shirts, vintage straight leg Levis, and even elastic waist shorts. I’m all in on menswear for women but especially dad style. It was in this realization that it came to me — my two moments of joy are intrinsically linked. My dad definitely always has and always will dress like Jerry Seinfeld. It seems to run deep in my DNA.
Below, please find one daughter’s celebration of her dad’s style, ready for summer 2020 wardrobes. May it also encourage you to call your family, parents, or favorite father figure.
The Style Out:
