As many of you are aware, I am a father of three. As such, I gotta make sure I pack right whenever I take them out. Unfortunately I’m also pretty vain and self-conscious so I gotta make sure I’m looking good while I’m at it. Here’s some of the stuff that keep me ready for a day of fatherhood in style:
Man Bag-Turned Diaper Bag
Most baby bags out there are either really feminine or really techy. To look more like a dad who knows what he’s doing and less like a dad who had his wife pack his diaper bag for him, grab a nice-looking yet still very practical tote. Something like the bag pictured above or one of these nifty totes from Filson.
Diapers, Burp Cloths, etc. etc.
You know, stuff that I use at home for my baby – except travel-sized. Butt cream, baby wipes, diapers, thermometer, that Nose Frida suction thing, bottles and breastmilk/formula, spare clothes, all that good stuff. If ever I’m not sure, I just grab all the stuff in my wife’s diaper bag and shove it into my super-sweet tote (see above).
Extra Shirt
At some point in the early stages of fatherhood, my baby will likely pee on me. Or throw up on me. Instead of spending the rest of the day partially covered in urine/vomit, I pack another shirt – a really versatile one that matches anything I decide to put on.
Baby
No dad is a dad without one.
Dad Hat
One that screams “Look at me, I’m a cool dad”. This one from Ebbets Field Flannels is pretty sweet; I wear it whether or not I’m on dad mode.
A Classic Pair of Sunglasses
I use my shades to be able to see without them noticing anyone who is silently judging me. I look super young for my age (I’m 29 and get ID-ed any time I order a beer at Olive Garden(LOLJK I don’t eat at Olive Garden)), so when I walk around the the park with my baby daughter I often get mean looks from judgy grandmas. The kind of looks that say, “What is this thirteen-year-old doing with a kid?”
Bonus for the microfiber pocket square. I hate dirty glasses, so I’m always wiping mine clean with one of these pocket squares that double as a microfiber glass cleaner.
Got any other essentials for dads? Get at me in the comments.
Rainier Jonn 