11 Traits of a Gentleman

11 Traits of a Gentleman

This weeks post is going to be pretty short and sweet, but it is an important aspect to who we are, and the values that Future Hot Dad's of America hold.

Society tends to put a lot of emphasis on the 'classyness' of a gentleman and what he wears.  While we like this aspect as well, here at Future Hot Dads of America we try not to forget that being a gentleman goes much deeper than that.  It's about an attitude.


Here are 11 traits that we think all gentle should have.

1. A gentleman respects you and himself enough to never tell lies, even about the small things.

2. A gentleman takes the time to know himself fully.

3. A gentleman values integrity, loyalty, honesty, and honor.

4. A gentleman strives to become a role model for his kids

5. A gentleman wants his children to exceed his abilities

6. A gentleman provides for his family; emotionally, mentally, and financially.

7. A gentleman only sees the woman he loves.

8. A gentleman is able to laugh at himself.

9. A gentleman has the strength to protect without ever abusing that strength.

10. A gentleman knows you and loves you for who you are.

11. A gentleman understands that it's the little things you care about that make you amazing.


So there it is, 11 traits of a gentleman.  Of course these are not the only traits, but we think this list is a strong set of guidelines that every man should adopt.

What About Shoes? 3 Essential Shoes For Your Wardrobe.

What Shoes and When to Wear Them: Top 3 Must-Haves.

The shoes that a guy wears will always set the tone for the rest of the outfit he is wearing.  If you believe this as well, then it would also make sense that certain shoes lend themselves better to certain types of clothing, and even certain events. 

This is probably my favorite aspect of style, and I'd be willing to bet that I have more pairs of shoes (consisting mostly of oxfords and chelsea boots) than the average female.  There seems to be a social rule that men shouldn't need many pairs of shoes, but this really doesn't make much sense.  If you want to become a man with classic style, then you should start with your shoes.

With that being said, let's dive into what many consider to be the best place to start if you're just getting into shoes: The 3 must-haves.

1. Oxfords and Brogues 

Being 'the' classic men's shoe, the oxford is in the number 1 spot for a reason.  Oxfords are going to be the most versatile shoe out of the three, and will never go out of style.  These would be your go-to for formal occasions, the office, or even casual settings if you're feeling it.  Because of the formality of oxfords, it is important to match the the color of the shoe to your outfit.  This sets the tone for the rest of your outfit, and it's relation to the environment. 

I also mentioned brogues in the subtitle.  These shoes are often called 'wingtips' and are a type of oxford.  Broguing is the detail and design that is often put on the top of the toe cup to add an element of elegance to the shoe.  Neither shoe is more formal than the other, it simply comes down to preference.  Oxfords are the 'dress shoe'. Tried and true.

Since this is sort of a college budge blog, we'll focus on low cost recommendations in the $40-50 range. Oxfords from Asos.com, Brogues from Asos.com.  

2. Clean Boots

Moving on from traditional and classic shoes, boots can be trendier way to elevate your style.  When I say boots, I do not mean chunky combat boots.  I mean clean, low profile boots.  For this category, my all-time favorite is the chelsea boot.  Boots can be formal, but it's trickier to do; if you mess it up, you risk looking like you don't know how to match (not just colors, but styles) with your outfit.  That being said, chelsea boots are mostly worn on the street, and some semiformal occasions. These boots work well with skinny jeans, long coats, scarves, etc., and are mainly a fall/winter style that I wear almost everyday, even more than I wear sneakers.

Check out these chelsea boots by Metrocharm.

3. Simple White Sneakers

Sneakers can actually say a lot about you and your style.  They show that you know how to relax and have fun.  This type of shoe should always be paired with jeans, shorts, joggers and the like, but never with 'dressy' styles such as slacks.

White is also a classic and timeless style for sneakers.  Staying with white or black sneakers shows that you aren't just jumping on on every trend that comes along.  These Converse All Stars are my favorite go-to sneaker.

And there you have it.  The three styles of shoes to start you out.  As always, comment and let me know if you have your own go-to shoes, or if I missed any that should be included.

Q&A with Austin Francis: Men's Style

 Q&A with Austin Francis

This week on Future Hot Dads of America, we caught up with one of SUU's most stylish guys, Austin Francis.  Austin is a junior at Southern Utah University, as well as a Presidential Ambassador who aids in recruiting for the school. 

Austin agreed to sit down with me to answer a few questions about himself, his style, and some advice on style for guys out there.  So without further or do, let get into it.


Q: What made you want to get into men’s style?

I wanted to improve my appearance and first impressions that I was making on others. It’s important to appear like you care about yourself and to appear confident when meeting others. Your style sends a powerful message to others, and it’s important to be in control of what that message is.

Q: Where do you get your style inspiration from?

My style inspiration comes from this insightful phrase: simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Keeping your style simple shows that you know what is important and that you don’t need anything flashy to feel confident and to make a statement.

Q: I like that.  So what you say are one or two staple pieces that every guy should have in his wardrobe?

A nice black suit, and a good pair of brown leather boots. Brown leather boots can be used for casual as well as semi-formal events and overall just look classier than sneakers.


Q: Do you have any style pet peeves?

A big style pet peeve of mine is when men wear button up dress shirts without tucking them in. These dress shirts have a long cut so that they can be tucked in. Wearing it tucked out as if it is a casual button up looks silly. There are casual button ups that have a normal cut that are designed to not be tucked in. It’s important to know the difference.


Q: Do you have any advice for guys who might be getting into men’s fashion?

Don’t let money be an issue. You can get great outfits with some very affordable and simple pieces. Blue jeans and a black tee will never go out of style. Don’t get caught up with feeling like you need expensive brands to look good. It is not true. A $5 shirt from H&M can look stellar if worn right.

Q: You've mentioned before that photography is another passion of yours. What is your main focus in photography?

My main focus in photography is to take photos that are compositionally simplistic and convey an easy-to-grasp message. I like to take the clutter out of photos and just boil the photo down to what the most important factors are. I love simple outfits and simple backgrounds where I can focus my creativity on getting the most out of my model with poses, gestures, and props.

Henri Cartier Bresson is my biggest inspiration. He focuses on capturing little fleeting moments that tell a lot about the scene and the person. I try to implement this style in my own photography as well.


Q: As a photographer myself, I think that is awesome.  Not many people like to keep it simple.  Anyway shifting gears, let's do a few questions just for fun.  Do you have a spirit animal? What about it represents you?

I can’t really think of one. I should probably get on that!

Q: Haha ok, we'll follow up on that one another time.  Let's talk lavatory, are you a bathroom singer?

Most definitely.


Q: One last question.  Since you are a Future Hot Dad of America, give us your best dad joke.

What time did the man go to the dentist? Tooth hurt-y!

________________________________


If you want to see more of Austin or his photography, you can follow him on Instagram @austinperry_  and  @austinperry_photography

Future Hot Dads of America is Back!

We're Back Baby! 

    My name is Jordan Holiman, a friend and fellow T-bird of the blog's founder Riley Beck, who was excited about the idea of keeping the blog running.  I'm also excited to say that my pal Dewey Leavitt will be onboard as we create some really fun content over the next several months. 

     If you have followed Future Hot Dads of America before, you probably know that much of our focus is on men's style, advice with women, chivalry, etc.  Simply put, FHDA is about the pursuits of a gentleman.  Of course we plan to stay with these topics, but we also plan to introduce a bit of fun into the mix.  After all, why shouldn't a gentleman have some fun.

     Make sure you keep an eye on our Instagram feed @Futurehotdadsofamerica.  This is where we will post all of our updates for new posts, photos, videos.. you know the drill.

How to Flirt with the Perfect Smize

Now that you have all read my last blog on how to meet more women, lets go over what you do once you have met them.

This is very serious because if you fail then you may fall into the dark labyrinth known as the friend zone.

Staying out of the friend zone starts at the very beginning. You want her to feel comfortable around you, but if you don't play the game at least a little bit she will only view you as a friend.

So to play the game, you must properly flirt. This is very dangerous because if done wrong, you may seem extremely creepy. Also, everyone has a different way of flirting. Don't ever change your personality when flirting. Be yourself still!

Even though every girl will be different and it's always a different game to be played, here are just a few tips on how to flirt.

Practice

Yes, practice flirting. Flirt with everyone and see what comes off as creepy and normal and you can get the hint. If something is creepy, then simply don't do it! Through practice, you will gain experience and

Eye Contact

The eyes will just about always speak more than the mouth while flirting. I am not saying that you look straight at her eyes the entire time without breaking eye contact! That is just weird and a little intimidating. Just make sure that you simply give each other that occasional look and then once you have good eye contact, then just give her a little smile. She won't be able to resist smiling back.

Then for the secret weapon. This is seriously lethal, so use with caution! The smize! Beyonce is Queen of the Smize! This will break hearts everywhere is you can learn how to properly use. For those of you who don't know what a smize is, it's smiling with your eyes. To do so, simply smile, then lower your mouth to normal position while leaving your eyes in the same position. This may take some practice, but girls won't look at you the same when you have a solid smize.

Listen and Participate

Girls are smart, that means you have to be to. They will see right through you if you are not listening. Don't let your mind wander and go somewhere else. Be involved in the conversation. Keeping conversation is one of the best forms of flirting.

All you #FutureHotDadsOfAmerica have been trained! Now go out and apply what you have learned!

How to meet women

You are out and about with some of your best buds and suddenly this girl catches your eye. Immediately you are smitten, and your heart sings majestically to you letting you know that you just must talk to her. You begin to walk over, but then what?? What comes next? How do I get this girl to talk to me? Here's the guide to introducing yourself.

First of all. Once you see the girl do not overthink it. React within three seconds and just go for it. She'll think you're soft if it takes you all night and she'll lose interest. It is the worst to be thinking of how to approach a girl and then have her leave, or another man who is not a Future Hot Dad Of America beats you and she is bored the rest of the night. DO NOT THINK ABOUT IT!! Train yourself to just go for it the second you see her. 

Now do not approach a girl from behind. It is creepy and the last thing you want is for her first thought to be, this guy is a creep. Do not EVER approach her from behind and then poke her in her sides!!! This is the weirdest thing anyone could ever do, SO DON'T! SERIOUSLY!! Some guys think this is flirty, but DON'T!

Also do not approach straight on, this can be too forward.

Simply approach the girl at an angle. She'll see you coming, but it won't be to forward, but just natural. This natural approach is exactly what you want. This will lead into a smooth conversation and it won't send off any alerts in her head. 

After you have naturally approached her, then comes the hard part.. Talking to her. 

Pickup lines seldom work. It is hard for something so cheesy to lead to anything real. It provides a quick laugh, but that's about all it provides. 

Start a normal conversation. This can seriously be about anything. Make sure to stay up to date on current events and make the conversation intriguing. Let the girl give honest and real feedback and then the conversation will carry itself. 

So now you have started talking to the girl. You're doing great! But now we do not want to get put in the friend zone! The key to staying out of this terrible labyrinth is successful flirting. When you are flirty, she will automatically think of you as something more than just a friend. 

So make sure to read the next post about how to properly flirt. 

9 Tips for the Perfect First Date

Having a great first date is crucial in courting. There are a lot of little things that go into executing that perfect first date that will leave a girl wishing for a second. So here are 9 simple tips to executing a perfect first date.

1. Actually ask the girl out!

You may call the girl, or ask them out in person. Only that!! No texts, snapchats, Facebook messages, or any other social media medium of asking the girl out! It simply won't cut it.

Asking a girl out in person is scary, however, it is time to get over the nerves and do it. If you only feel comfortable talking to the girl over texts, how will that change on the date? Show her the respect she deserves and ask her out in person!

2. Plan the date!!

Girls do not like to be picked up and asked, "What do you want to do?" That is a HUGE turnoff and is not acceptable! Make sure that you have an actual plan and even a plan b in case your first plan does not go as expected.

3. Let the girl know what to wear

Personally I like to keep the plan a secret. It makes it fun for myself, and I like to see how the girl reacts to surprises and not knowing what is going to happen. However, girls want to know what to wear. They do not want to show up wearing something that doesn't fit the environment. Just the other day a friend was telling me about a date that she went on and didn't know the plan. She answered the door in a dress and light coat...they built a snowman!! This man failed to warn the girl on what to wear, and in turn did not get a second date.

So for example, if you are going ice skating, let them know to wear warm clothes, and probably high socks because of the skates. However, you do not have to tell them specifically that you are going ice skating, just make sure that they are prepared for ice skating;)

4. Pay

As a college student, "going dutch," is music to my ears! For those of you who do not know what that means, it means that you both pay your way. However when you ask a girl out, you are responsible to pay!

5. Be yourself

Relationships don't always work out, and that is fine. We should never change who we are so we can hope to have a chance with a girl. Being someone different will always come back to bite you. Imagine how it would be if a girl fell for you while you were saying that you really liked things that in actuality you despised. This builds a fake foundation and as a result there will be nothing to build upon in the future.

6. Be confident

The girl said yes to the date, do not act like she doesn't want to be there. I understand that at times it is difficult to have confidence. Listen to your pump up jam as you go to pick her up and keep those positive, confident vibes!

For me, I will be super confident the entire time leading up to the date. Then just as I knock on the door and start waiting, the stress comes! Waiting for her to come to the door is agonizing. "What if she forgot? What if I'm at the wrong apartment? What if she is hiding? What if this is just a joke and this is a guys apartment?" It's stressful and terrifying, however, none of that is important because life will go on! Even if one of those unlikely events are true, then just laugh it off and don't let that bring you down. Remain confident!

7. Think of time

Give enough time so that you can get to know each other, but not so long that you are both bored before the first date ends. There are a lot of variables that go into timing on first dates. Time may change depending on whether it's a group date or the activity that you are doing. Generally do not ever plan a first date longer than three hours!! That is super long and consumes a lot of time. Leave that to a second date. Generally a first date should be between one and two hours.

8. Walk her to the door, and don't kiss

This is the make or break moment to a second date!! Doorstep moments may be extremely awkward but they leave the lasting impression of the date. Attempting to kiss a girl after one date can spoil everything, so even if the date went perfect and better than any other first date, do not attempt to kiss her! You want the girl to want that kiss and that only comes from more dates.

This is where we must muster up the most confidence. Be natural and don't let the walk be awkward in the slightest. We must keep up conversation and leave the girl wanting to see us again. Look at her in the way that she thinks of a kiss, but don't let her think that you are going to try. Give her a hug, not how you will hug your sister or a bro, and not a creepy hug that lasts too long or involves a weird back pat, but just a nice affectionate hug. Then you walk away.

9. Follow up

Advice to all girls: If you enjoy a date, wait long enough for the man to drive home safe and right as he can think about the date, send him a little text. I promise this will bring a smile to his face! Throw the male population a bone.

Now men, if you felt the connection, ask her out again.