Ask a Picky Guy: Stain-Hiding Duds for Dads
Whether he’s overhauling the Menswear Hall of Fame, trying on every sweater at J.Crew, or profiling the Zoomer tailor of the moment for New York’s inaugural “Men’s Style” issue, senior writer Michael Zhao has quickly become the Strategist’s resident picky guy. He’s here to answer your questions about men’s style, highly specific appliance hunts, impossible gifting assignments, and whatever else you need a picky guy’s take on. Send your questions to pickyguy@nymag.com.
“What’s the best color to wear when you have a 2-year-old who stains everything?”
As a new father myself who’s already running into this issue, I have limited experience to offer and, frankly, could use advice as well. So I polled some of the most stylish dads I know for their sage counsel.
“I think you need to embrace the reality that no matter what you wear, your toddler will find a way to visibly stain it,” said Michael B. Dougherty of Mensweird. “That being said, I find lighter neutrals hide snot and grease better than dark colors. Or just wear camo and let people guess if the pattern is flecktarn or Go-Gurt.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Dougherty’s preferred brand of camo pants.
New! You can now save this product for later.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Made from cozy moleskin (and currently on sale).
Chris Gentile, the owner and head designer of Pilgrim Surf + Supply, recommended dark earth tones for everything except spit-up milk — which might be fine for a 2-year-old. But he added that patterns are more effective than any specific color in hiding stains: “Mid-tone check, plaid, stripes, and patterns are by far the best at hiding stains. Think houndstooth chef pants.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
A perfectly soft micro-plaid flannel for the fall in burgundy to match the new iPhone.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Banana Republic offers bolder patterns at better prices than any other mall brand.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Gardenheir co-founder Alan Calpe also likes these for gardening.
“Navy served me well before, during, and after the toddler phase,” said restaurateur and shirting designer Brooks Reitz. “But that’s probably just because that’s what I’ve always loved.” Founder and designer of 18 East Antonio Ciongoli also recommended staying the course: “White and own it. I never switched up my fits at all with three kids.”
New! You can now save this product for later.
Reitz’s ideal navy oxford, co-designed with his wife.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Ciongoli’s long-sleeved white T-shirt. It’s thicker than many sweatshirts.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A three-pack of modern-fitting crew-neck tees in white, black, and heather gray.
I’ll add that wool fabrics resist stains exceptionally well because the residual lanolin that coats the fibers prevents liquids from soaking in. (We’ve been loving our new CB2 rug for this reason.) Pendleton flannels (plentiful and affordable on eBay) are a classic, but there are thinner, less hot wool fabrics as well.
New! You can now save this product for later.
This extra-breathable oversize shirt has a slubby texture that boosts its stain resistance.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Made from a thin cotton-wool blend that feels as dry, smooth, and cool as vintage rayon.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A wool-poly-blend flannel that’s less scratchy than a Pendleton.
“My boyfriend only wears Patagonia. What are some other brands I could get him into?”
Patagonia boyfriend is definitely a type — and one that’s hard to grow out of, for good reason. The brand’s decadeslong commitment to high-quality, relatively sustainable materials and durable construction is enough for many to look past its often unflattering cuts. Its clothes may not be the most fashion-forward, but the fact that its pieces pair easily in any combination appeals to guys who see getting dressed as a chore rather than an opportunity for self-expression. Here are a few other brands and lines doing something similar that should integrate easily with his existing wardrobe.
Outerknown was started by pro surfer Kelly Slater, but the quality of its clothes transcends its celebrity-founder origins. It began 11 years ago with the Blanket Shirt, an elevated overshirt take on the surfer-beloved blanket ponchos — colloquially known as “drug rugs.” Since then, its offerings have expanded into every clothing category a boyfriend could ever need, plus a decent women’s line. Like Patagonia, it prioritizes sustainable materials and responsible factories wherever possible.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Unisex dad jeans with a surf-inspired vintage fade.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Plastic-free fleece made from recycled wool. I’ve owned and loved the jacket for a year now.
Gramicci is as deeply enmeshed with climbing culture as Patagonia. It started in the ’80s with the original G-Pant, which combined the gusseted crotch and pull-on design of karate pants with hard-wearing cotton canvas construction to create tough, easy-wearing, crag-ready pants. It’s expanded its line of Japanese-streetwear-inspired tops and jackets in recent years.
Like Arc’teryx’s Veilance, Red Box is the North Face’s more fashion-forward sub-label. However, unlike Veilance, it’s not significantly more expensive than the main brand’s collections. The silhouettes are definitely on the trendier side, so I’m not sure he’ll go for it, but it’s worth considering.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A plastic-free, rain-resistant army jacket made from British-milled waxed cotton.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Hefty rugby in an alluring purple-tinted charcoal.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Finally, maybe it’s okay if he sticks with Patagonia. As I noted in September’s testing report, the brand’s latest collections are increasingly fashionable, with more logoless designs offered in more contemporary cuts. It hasn’t spun out a sub-label (and I doubt it ever will), but there are plenty of great options if you know where to look.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A logoless bomber made from stretchy, breathable Nano-Air material.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A perfect pair of organic-cotton pull-on climbing pants I’ve been loving.
New! You can now save this product for later.
An Aran-inspired cable-knit fisherman’s sweater made from recycled wool and nylon.
What are some fall-winter shoes you’re excited about?
New! You can now save this product for later.
Is it a dressier slipper or a more casual loafer? Yes. Runs narrow. I sized up from a 9 to a 10.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Finally a resolable Blundstone. Same shape and fit with a dressier sole.
New! You can now save this product for later.
An archival golf shoe that reminds me of old-timey mail-carrier oxfords.
New! You can now save this product for later.
French skate shoes inspired by vintage climbing shoes.
New! You can now save this product for later.
A street-specific version of one of the original approach shoes.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Stylish barefoot sneakers in good colors from an unexpected source.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Spanish-made Jungle Mocs with a clownish silhouette.
New! You can now save this product for later.
An archival reissue slip-on that’s perfectly on trend.
New! You can now save this product for later.
What I’m wearing: buy-it-for-life boots and British quilted coats
Like many men who got their style advice online in the mid-2010s, I was enamored with the idea that a pair of welted boots could be bought once and resoled for life. In practice, the ones I bought for around $300 ($440 in today’s dollars!) looked pretty shabby after a year of regular wear — and not in the patinated style I was hoping for. I have had better success with dress shoes, loafers, and derbies in the years since but had given up on the promise of a buy-it-for-life boot until I visited the new Viberg store in Nolita.
New! You can now save this product for later.
Viberg Navvy Boot
After hearing about my experience with previous boots of this style, the clerk pulled several parts from deconstructed Viberg shoes, along with some from other well-known brands for comparison. Viberg’s leather insoles were over twice as thick as the next thickest. The welt flanges were channeled directly into the leather rather than sewn or glued on — a technique that requires antiquated machinery and custom-milled parts to repair. The uppers are stretched drum-tight over the lasts by hand and stitched down all the way around. This laborious process means the brand can produce no more than 10,000 pairs each year, which is why new drops tend to sell out within weeks of release.
I worried that such a sturdy-feeling boot would have a burdensome break-in period, but it was actually quite comfortable from the first wear (they fit true to size, and Viberg offers different lasts for different foot shapes). After six months and hundreds of miles, and despite my lackadaisical shoe-tree use, the leather is only barely beginning to crease. At $1,380 a pair, they cost more than any boot I’ve come across that isn’t from a luxury fashion house. But unlike similar designs from other brands (many of which aren’t much cheaper), Viberg’s boots could actually last you a lifetime.
One more thing: a clothes chair worth displaying
New! You can now save this product for later.
My colleague Erin Schwartz recently gave some excellent advice on how to banish the clothes chair from your home once and for all. As much as I’d love to do that, I don’t think I have the fortitude and discipline to make it stick. Instead, I opted to replace the Cesca chair with a busted wicker seat that had been languishing beside my dresser with a piece of furniture that was actually designed to be saddled with clothing: a valet.
The Harrington chair comes from Todd Snyder’s recent collaboration with CB2 and is actually meant for holding clothes. Unlike the tall-back versions commonly found in estate sales, this modern style made from gorgeously sculpted solid hardwood is the same size as a regular dining chair, so it can be called on for dinner parties if needed. It’s perfectly sized for hanging shirts and jackets that aren’t ready for the laundry but don’t need to go back in the closet. I also use it to lay out an outfit when I need to try different shirt-jacket-tie combinations before committing. The downside to this compact, dining-friendly design is that it has no pants hanger, and even if it did, it would be too short. But it’s the right size for most men’s needs most of the time.
More From The Strategist
- The Best Things Strategist Editors Have Bought This Year (So Far)
- Hark, the Advent Calendars Arrived (Very) Early This Year
- 63 Things You Should Never Buy Full Price
- The Strategist Fall 100
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
