5 Grooming Lessons to Learn from Stylish Dads
Dads get a pass when it comes to things like dressing well. We've come to expect, even romanticize, the corporate retreat-issued baseball cap, the relaxed fit jeans, and nurse-level trainers. Remember the dad bod? There's a good argument to be made for applying that same nostalgic standard lowering to a fatherly grooming habits—but let's not.
We're of the school that dad grooming can and should be aspirational, like the way famous dads (i.e. Bradley Cooper) get it done. Cooper's got the kind of sprezzatura that says: I've recently cleaned up poop, but I'm not going to let it stop me from being dope. So we compiled a list of five grooming moves our favorite dads are pulling that you should be too (no kids necessary):
Lluis Gene/Getty ImagesA Lesson from Lionel Messi: Bring Your ‘A’ Game, Always
Leo Messi doesn’t take a day off. Even on the field, his grooming game is major league stuff. Think of that the next time you put a cap on for hungover Sunday brunch: If Messi can style his hair (and beard!) before a match, then you can take a damn shower and put your contacts in. I imagine that Messi and partner Antonella Roccuzzo are raising their sons to be world-class footballers and world-class gentlemen. If they follow in dad’s grooming footsteps, they’re getting hair trims every couple weeks, and aren’t settling for anything but the best. Always look as good as you can, amigos. People will notice.
Getty ImagesA Lesson from Barack Obama: Embrace Your Grays
If you compare photos of Barry from 2008 and 2016, you’ll see just how much his job aged him. It isn’t easy being Commander in Chief, and it’s apparently even harder to do it gracefully. (Cough.) The grays suit him well, as do the crows feet around his eyes. We write a lot about how to look younger longer, how to reverse signs of aging. Embracing these things is harder than covering them up—but more worth it in the end. That’s the lesson from this newly retired vacation dad: Barack and Michelle, in setting an example for daughters Malia and Sasha, show us that embracing imperfections—and not covering them up—is sometimes the best look of all.
Neil Mockford/Getty ImagesA Lesson from Liam Payne: Show Off What You’ve Got, While You’ve Got It
Liam’s got his whole life ahead of him. The former One Direction singer is just 23 years old, and his hairline reflects that. The new dad was all smiles while promoting his new single last month, showcasing a windswept pompadour that gives grooming hair god Harry a run for his money. Liam won’t be young forever, especially after a few sleepless nights of fatherhood with son Bear (yes, that’s his son’s name). So flaunt it before you start balding.
James Devaney/Getty ImagesA Lesson from Hugh Jackman: Run the Grooming Spectrum
Hugh Jackman is a beast of a dad. He’s constantly taking his son and daughter to basketball games, to the beach, to the playground, or babysitting hoards of children with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness. He’s also juggling a host of looks: hairstyles short and long, a beard full or sculpted, or sometimes a freshly shaved face. He’s one of the great grooming gods](https://www.gq.com/story/zayn-malik-grooming-idol) of our time, alongside Zayn, Brad Pitt, and few others. Grooming versatility is a gift in itself. Mix and match your hair lengths and beard lengths, aligning your outward look to your evolving internal mood (or your 20-million-dollar movie contracts).
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Jason LaVeris/Getty ImagesA Lesson from Bradley Cooper: Let It Grow (But Keep It Tame)
Cooper is also a new father: He and partner Irina Shayk welcomed daughter Lea to the world in March of this year. He’s not new to badass grooming moves, though. For years, the actor has alternated between buzz cuts and long, burly manes. Check out his full beard/long hair combo from late last year. He’s is a handsome guy under any amount of hair, but Cooper’s maintenance of his hair gets him highest marks. His lesson to the rest of us: If you’ve got it, flaunt it, but if you’re gonna flaunt it, take good care of it. I suggest you overdose on hair conditioner and beard oil, and get it trimmed every 4-6 weeks to keep strays in check.
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Adam Hurly has been covering men's grooming since 2013 (and for GQ since 2016). He is also a travel writer. In Fall 2024, Adam is launching Blue Print by Adam Hurly, a men's grooming platform. Adam resides in Lisbon (previously Berlin, NYC, and San Francisco). He is a Sioux Falls, SD, native... Read moreWriterInstagramRelated Stories for GQFather's DayGrooming