#130 Shoe Polish

    “Shoe shine! Get your shoe shine!” Who actually uses those? Wait—is that Dad? Dad has taken a moment from the hustle and bustle of the airport to use the shoe shine station that you thought no one ever used. It looks like it’s been there before airplanes were invented and the shoe shine guy might brush his teeth using the polish—aka, he has none. But Dad insists it must be done. “Nothing like a good pair of shiny shoes” Dad musters with his signature smirk.

While you’ve been taught to stay away from shoe polish because of its ability to stain anything, even your skin according to mom, Dad embraces shoe polish for its renewable and rejuvenating effect on his beat up shoes. Much like Dad’s sweatpants or college sweatshirt, Dad’s shoes have been around and seen a lot. You’d never guess by the layers of shoe shine on them.

You do notice how worn out they are when Dad returns from work and claims “his dogs are barking.” Since when does dogs mean feet?  But you oblige Dad’s request and take off his shoes. That’s when you’ll witness the years of shoe shine and scuff on those shoes. From far away, they are professional, but up close you see the scratched character and smell from Dad’s “dogs.” 

“Dad—you need a new pair of shoes!”
“These things? Nothing a little shoe polish can’t fix.”

And off to his closet Dad goes. He reveals brushes, canisters, plastic bags and a mess of things almost as complex as his toolbox. Some of the things have multi use in his shaving kit, but that’s another story. And to your surprise, a couple schwoop schwoop brushes and the shoes look good as new. Shoe polish is Dad’s multi-purpose friend…well after duct tape. 

#9 Sandals with Socks

Its a beautiful sunny day out. Let's go to the beach! Got the towels, sun block, buckets and shovels (mandatory sand castle building), and umbrella. Dad loads up the car and yells for you to come out. That's when you see it. Ignore Dad's short swimsuit and ridiculous hawaiian shirt. But those socks with the sandals can't be real. And tube socks nonetheless!

Dad sports his outfit proudly. It has the appeal of being casual with sandals but still attains the silky comfort of wearing socks. Dad can't afford to bear his crusty toe nails or get sand inbetween his toes. After a day at the beach, he can simply take off his socks and he is clean as a whistle.

Now the beach isn't the only place where the sandals with socks make appearances. When Dad's not sporting those White New Balances for supported comfort, Dad wears the socks with sandals for those casual summer evening walks. Dad waves to neighbors to make sure everything is functioning as it should be in the neighborhood. Upon returning from his walk, no need to take off shoes to feel comfortable. The socks with sandals allow for a breezy feel on the feet with extra protection against the dirt and grim of the floor.

"Do you really have to wear those socks with your sandals, Dad?" You plead. Dad looks you in the eye. Rolls down one of the tube socks to reveal upon his calf a tan line you didn't know was possible to exist. "Would you rather this?" Dad-1, You-0. The socks with the sandals are here to stay.

#2: White New Balance Shoes

If you are a Dad, you are going to need shoes for jogging, walking around the block, dragging your kids to a museum, and of course "puttering around the house". A Dad needs a versatile pair of shoes that can fit any scenario and that is why Dads always have at least one pair of white new balance shoes. But why do they have to be New Balances? Well, because they are comfortable and support a wide array of flat feet (which nearly every Dad has) and bad heels and they are a generic white and gray color. Does anyone know when their Dad bought a pair of these shoes? The answer is of course they don't. Hospitals give them out as standard issue to all new Dads right after their kid is born. Dads across America rejoice in wearing these icons of fatherhood so much that they usually purchase more than one pair at a time so they do not have to waste time going to the store to get another pair or in case their favorite flavor of white New Balances is discontinued.



Style and appearance is everything when it comes to being a dad. You have to talk the talk and most importantly, walk the walk. Strolling through downtown suburbia after a kid's Saturday morning AYSO soccer game in white New Balances is the ultimate fashion statement for a father.