Channeling My Inner Goldblum: The Art of Aging with Swagger
The incomparable Jeff Goldblum
The other day, scrolling through TMZ, there he was – Jeff Goldblum. The silver-haired icon of both our cinematic past and our Instagram-present, wearing a suede fringe jacket like he was born in it. Standing next to him, his radiant wife, taking in the last night of the Taylor Swift concert in California. At 70, he’s still killin it, and making me pause and ponder:
“Could I pull off that look?”
For the record, my style has often been described as “Dad-core.” You know the look: comfortable shoes suitable for mowing the lawn, jeans that scream “practicality!” and, of course, the occasional t-shirt from a 1980’s rock concert.
Recently, however, I’ve been hit by the reality that I’m not the young buck I once was. The signs are there: my favorite bands are now considered “classics,” I groan involuntarily when I sit down, and I’ve begun uttering the phrase, “Remember when gas was .35 cents a gallon?…”
So, standing there, seeing Goldblum in all his “I’m Jeff Goldblum and your SO are not” glory, I had a thought. Could there be a style switch-up in the cards for me? Could I transition from ‘Dad-core’ to ‘Dapper-Dad-deluxe’? Maybe even obtain “Zaddy” status?
“Hey, honey,” I asked my wife later that evening, showing her the photo, “Do you think I could rock this look?” She looked me up and down, took a sip of her wine, and with a glint in her eye said, “Darling, style isn’t about age; it’s about attitude. Do it.”
Embracing the Silver Fox Within
The truth is, men tend to age just like expensive wine – developing character, color, depth, and a few uncorked moments. The key is to embrace that process and own it. Yes, the hair might be receding, or in my case, vacated completely, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wield, with flair, what you do have. Remember that with age comes benefits: wisdom, experience, and hopefully, a more expansive wardrobe budget. And don’t forget, you really should have developed the ability to care less about A LOT of things that REALLY are not that important to you. Think: ZFG.
Finding Your Iconic Look
Goldblum’s look may not be for everyone. But it’s about more than just the clothes. It’s about embodying the confidence and nonchalance that says, “I’ve been around, I’ve seen things, and yes, I can totally pull off this suede fringe jacket.”
For some, it might be a bold new accessory, a snazzy pair of shoes, or even just a fresh hairstyle…from a new barber. Whatever it is, let it be a reflection of the man you’ve become – not the boy you once were.
Words of Wisdom from the Wise
Your 20s were about figuring out life. Your 30s and 40s might’ve been about establishing yourself. Now? It’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor and play around with the man you’ve grown to be. And if that involves a suede, fringe jacket? So be it. If fringe is too much, call Nordstom, arrange to spend an afternoon in the hands of a free personal stylist/shopper to hook you up. If you don’t look good, they won’t look good. So trust them…and don’t look a the price tags. (You can tell them your budget ahead of time, and the worlds you are trying to conquer)
In the end, I might not end up with Goldblum’s jacket. But one thing is for sure: if Jeff has taught me anything, it’s that age is just a number. It’s how you wear it that counts. So, to all the dapper dads out there, let’s age not just gracefully, but with a bit of audacious flair and style!