This Father’s Day, we take a look at some of the best and most stylish celebrity dads from home to Hollywood. Whether they’re famous movie stars, legendary sports heroes or just plain ol’ dads, when it comes to their children, the entire rough and tough act simply melts away to reveal doting parents worried constantly about their child’s happiness. And this is why we love them!
Super Hero Dads
Our dads will always be heroes in our eyes, but how incredible must it be to see them as an actual action figure on screen with super powers and everything? Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman aka Batman and Wolverine, respectively, are two of the few men who can actually carry a beard and are our top picks for the best superhero dads for their suave cool style balanced by warm fatherly qualities.
Desi Dads
Is there any dad you know except for maybe your own, who carries a crisp white kurta and black blazer better than Imran Khan? The ex-cricketer turned politician may be 60 but he hasn’t lost a drop of his charismatic aura. We love him for the strong example he continues to set for his children, an unbeatable trait in a father. We imagine new dad Ali Zafar to be a comically entertaining father to his son Azaan. We’re sure he too, will have a great eye for fashion just like both his parents.
Hollywood Dads
Finally, the dads who can’t help but look good even when they’re not trying are Brad Pitt and Will Smith. Smith is definitely playing role model for his son — having starred in more than a few films alongside 14-year-old Jaden Smith, most recently in After Earth — and their chemistry is remarkable on screen. Pitt, father of six kids, still manages to look amazing, be it in a leather jacket and aviators with the long hair he’s currently sporting for his upcoming film, World War Z, or in black tie attire on the red carpet alongside fiancé Angelina Jolie.
Sporty Dads
This was an easy one to judge as Roger Federer and David Beckham were the outstanding choices. We love Roger in a sleek suit and the Rolex he wears ever so gracefully as ambassador for the brand. However, no one wears shorts better than the record breaking tennis player. Even off the court, Roger is most often seen with his gorgeous twins and wife in cargo shorts and sneakers. Beckham, who is all set to retire from football, is rumoured to follow his wife’s footsteps of founding his own fashion house. Whether this materialises or not, we adore his English dressing, usually spotted wearing dapper tweed overcoats with a scarf and a posh beret or a casual beanie and T-shirt.
Royalty Dads
Kate Middleton may be the talk of the town for her wonderful high street picks but dad-to-be Prince William, is no less style-savvy himself. Often opting for blue suits or preppy sweaters, William has the unique advantage of dressing like an actual prince in his royal uniform covered in badges of honour. On the other end, is the new Nawab of Pataudi — long time dad Saif Ali Khan has come a long way style wise since his boyhood days. While his fashion sense is far more relaxed in daily life, we like him best in Bond suits as seen in Agent Vinod, as well as in traditional princely sherwanis. The actor clearly has a soft spot for fashion and was also seen at SS13 Burberry London Fashion Week.
Bollywood Dads
Bollywood has plenty of good dads. Unfortunately, not many of them are as stylish as we’d like. Our vote goes to Shahrukh Khan for his versatility and ability to pull of the most edgy trends with staggering confidence, be it a shalwar and jacket or a top-to-toe sequined kurta. His obsession with his children is no secret, having often been spotted with him at IPL matches. Amitabh Bachchan, who recently celebrated his 70th birthday, rubs shoulders with Shahrukh in this category. He is a true sport when it comes to fashion experimenting with his style even past 70! But sometimes he misses; a perfect example being the striped blue trench coat he wore at the Cannes Film Festival. However, we admire his philosophy of having fun with fashion no matter what your age is. Furthermore, he is one persona that is considered a father by more than just his own children.
Master Chef Dads
Who better than a Michelin star dad to win hearts with delicious and healthy foods? Gordon Ramsay and Jamie Oliver earn a rightful place as the best Master Chef dads who look fine not just in a chef’s coat and hat, but also when they’re outside the kitchen. It’s hard to picture Ramsay as anything apart from scary, but with four kids, he probably has to be strict!
Published in The Express Tribune, June 15th, 2013.
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