Men's Shop Daily

The past few weeks, in honor of Father’s Day, we’ve been paying homage to the inspiring, handsome, and oftentimes hilarious patriarchs in our lives—by collecting vintage dad and grandpa photos from our colleagues here at Nordstrom HQ. So far, we’ve seen dads doing everything from getting hitched and riding camels to rocking ‘staches and taking home trophies. Today we’re keeping the streak alive with yet more bespectacled, long-haired, paisley-clad dads. Check back Sunday morning, Father’s Day, for our final installment.

As far as the all-important Dad’s Day gift—first things first: Let the man sleep in. Once he does roll out, place a steaming cup of joe in one of his paws, and the TV remote in the other. (A hug and/or a little shiatsu action wouldn’t hurt either.) Yes, you should buy him something nice, too; it’s a bit late for shipping, but for selected items, you can Buy Online, Pick Up In Store. Or just swing by a Nordstrom near you for tons of ties, wallets, watches, and other great options—find ideas here: GIFTS FOR DAD.

In the meantime, join us as we once again ponder: Why are dads so cool?

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[Above]: They Put Mad Men to Shame. “This is my father-in-law. He’s been a huge inspiration because of his successful career, including being behind the scenes to ‘build’ the Nordstrom brand as architect for the first Nordstrom Racks, and the boutique store in Manhattan. Best thing about this image is that he still has the glasses, and my husband is eyeing them to be re-glassed for himself!”
—Sarah Huntley, Senior Digital Image Editor

They Were Good Guys…With a Wild Streak. “These photos were taken while my parents were dating in 1965, after meeting each other working at a factory that made bicycle seats in Tennessee. Both were from extremely small towns and my dad would borrow my grandfather’s car to drive the hour to see my mom on her parent’s farm (the dog was her little sister’s). Being one of five boys, he was surprisingly very low-key and polite—but he did like to race, and my grandfather’s car took the brunt of it.”
—Clayton Joyner, Digital Image Tech 

They Taught us Stuff. “Near Atlantic City (long before the casinos). We rented a house on the beach for a few summers when I was little. He taught me how to swim there. (His math books are back at the blanket.)”
—Claudia Anastasio, Digital Marketing Copywriter

They Were Born Romantics. “My parents met in the 7th grade at the American Overseas School of Rome, Italy. This is my dad in Rome in the early ’70s. I would imagine Todd Rundgren was playing in the background when this photograph was taken. (They got married to this song.)”
—Sean Dutton, Motion Graphics Designer

They Dreamed Big. “Aside from a voracious appetite, I also inherited from my dad a disciplined sartorial dogma and unquenchable thirst to commit memory to film. That being said, he also really, really, really enjoyed being in front of the camera—a tendency to which I can’t relate. Notoriously illegible penmanship or not, he meticulously documented a lot of his old photographs (the red and black scrawl seems to indicate a childhood address/neighborhood, name and date—’67). Dad always embraced and exemplified a ’70s sense of immigrant Americana (having moved from Korea to Denver around that time)—muscle cars, road trips, bell bottoms, tireless work ethic, so on and so forth. And though he passed when I was teenager, the things that made him awesome (like his aesthetic splendor) still live on.”
—Mona Lee, Product Copywriter

They Dressed to the Nines. “This is my grandfather. It was taken in Belgium, late 1800s. He was born September 7, 1876, and died here in the US in 1941. We know this was taken before arriving in the US in 1910. How amazing were the clothes back then?”
—Ann Morrow, Photographer

They Did It All. “This is in ’76, one of my parents’ first Christmases in their new house in Medina, after they moved from Fort Polk, Louisiana, where he was stationed as a doctor in the army, taking care of soldiers training for Vietnam. My dad pretty much did it all—athlete, honor student, track star, doctor—even a great sense of style.”
—Deidre Crawford, Features Writer

They Knew How to Tie the Knot (…Seriously, Check Out at That Knot).  “This is my grandfather’s wedding picture. I know it’s post WWII, but I’m not positive on the year. He was so dapper and has the best stories (like giving people 15-minute airplane rides around the airport for $1, just because he liked to fly!). Funny enough, his retro clothes are back in style…He’s in a Penguin polo and slim trousers almost every time I see him.”
—Lindsey Bollinger, Men’s Accessories Assistant Buyer

They Were in The Velvet Underground. “When John Cale left The Velvet Underground in 1968, my dad (third from the left with the saucy hip jut) was asked to join, partly because he could play bass well and partly because he was a Pisces—so ’60s, right? They immediately went on tour—think dive bars, they were NOT famous at the time—and ended up in LA to record their third record (he sings one of my favorite songs on that record: ‘Candy Says’). I love this photo because when people think of The Velvets, it’s often the Nico/Warhol-era lineup (with Cale), where the band is always wearing dark sunglasses and head-to-toe black. This photo is the polar opposite. Velvet bell-bottoms? Crazy wallpaper-print shirts? And the setting is so nature-y. Everything is in contrast to the NYC cool that most people associate them with.”
—Jenny Yule, Features Writer 

They Knew the Basics: Fedoras and Football.
Left: “This is Grandpa Dean, circa 1950/1951. He worked at a hotel in New Orleans, but moved to Philadelphia with my Grandma in ’51, just before she gave birth to twins (my dad and aunt)!”
Right: “My Grandpa Todd (my mom’s dad), all dressed up in his high-school football uniform. He played for his school in Greenwich, CT, and graduated in ’34, so we’re guessing this picture is probably from ’32 or ’33.”
—Alli Dean, Studio Technician

They Wore the Pants. “My dad’s always taken pride in presenting himself well; even for family events like this (pre-Kristyn) Fourth of July picnic, he wants to look put together (though I’m very confused about the long pants choice on an Ohio summer day). I’m personally digging  his aviators, and enjoying my older brother’s ‘Wait, you didn’t just see that, did you?’ look.”
—Kristyn Asseff, Proofreader

They Were Ahead of the Printed-Shirt Trend. “This is my dad growing up in rural Minnesota, in a little town in the SW called Jackson. He looks about 9 or 10, so it’s probably around 1950. The shirt is awesome. What can I say? Lucky [i.e., the horseshoes].”
—Christina Libertini, Senior Video Art Director

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Father’s Day is this Sunday!
Get ideas of what you can find in-store here:
GIFTS FOR DAD

And check back Sunday morning for
our final installment of Vintage Dad Pics.

With Father’s Day in less than a week, we’re back with another round of vintage dad pics collected from our own colleagues right here at Nordstrom HQ.

There’s still plenty of time to pay homage to the dads and grandpas in your life with a great gift (shop our Top 25 here). First, though, take a moment to look back at some of our favorite fathers—in all their Bug-driving, Coors-sipping, Pendleton-wearing glory. And definitely catch up on our first batch of vintage dad pics in case you missed it.

They Were Renaissance Men. “Dad was born in ’49, so I’d say the photo with the four boys [up top] is from ’64 or ’65. He’s still good friends with at least one of those guys. The VW Beetle (his first car!) was ’67 or ’68. I don’t know much else about them except that my dad is awesome. He’s part mountain man, part Renaissance Man (literally—he has an art booth at the Maryland Renn Faire). He will hike 20 miles, fix your sink, then write you a poem. He is also an artist (mostly wood and 2-D materials, but also leather, ceramics, you name it), and thanks to working as a landscape foreman for his brother’s company for the past 30 years, he’s 63 years old and still pretty much has a 6-pack.”
—Sarah Kilgore, Web Designer

They Appreciated Quality. “This is from the early ’80s when we lived in Alaska. He always wore Pendletons.”
—Deniz Anders, Topshop Director

They Set the Bar High. “I think this is in the early ’60s or late ’50s. Apparently it was taken in the class he was teaching in Seoul, Korea. And yes, unfortunately I didn’t get any of his genes.”
—John Choe, E-comm Design Manager

They Embodied the Term ‘Southern Gent.’
Top: “My grandpa Barney and dad, Big Rand (Randy), at what we Virginians refer to as ‘The University’ (UVA), their alma mater.”

Left: “A boarding school-era Big Rand, circa 1964 or ’65. He attended one of the older Virginia boarding schools, Episcopal High. School ties, indeed.”

Right: “Big Rand on the porch of our built-in-the-1700s Civil War-era farmhouse, Rosedale. It’s where he grew up. I’m guessing the photo is late ’80s early ’90s? Anyways, it’s been our vacation home since I was a kid. In reference to his wardrobe and choice of beverage, let me just say: The man has taste, and he passed it on.”
—Lily Wyckoff, Social Media Manager

They Were Sideburned Seafarers. “That’s my dad John and mom Nancy, 1978, on our trawler boat. We were in the Edmonds Yacht Club and ironically were ‘Yacht Club Family of the Year.’ We used to spend every summer, all summer, on the Puget Sound in that boat, up to the San Juans, Vancouver Island and the surroundings.”
—Scooter Churchill, Campaign Project Manager

They Made a Good First Impression. “I’d say this was 1986; my dad, Abbas, in Rhode Island where we’re from. He’s Iranian and had only been in the states seven years or so, but clearly a real fashion plate! He was an engineer at the time, and always cared about the way he dressed and carried himself. It’s very important in his culture, especially to make a good first impression, which you only get a chance to do once, as you know! He still is super stylish to this day. He always has it going on! The only thing missing from this pic was his signature Kangol newsboy cap and classic Ray-Ban aviators—but maybe not both at the same time!”
—Naheed Hadjisoffi, Fashion Stylist

They Took the Cake. “My parents’ wedding—August 28, 1983. On their wedding day, the cake was never delivered. My grandparents were friends with the sheriff in Salt Lake City, so they called him to have them open the bakery to get the cake.”
—Kelsey Tyler, Men’s Site Merchandiser

They Grabbed Life by the Handlebars. “My dad on a motorcycle, circa 1968. Probably good to crop out the carpet behind it. Haha.” [Fat chance, Lynn. The carpet stays.]
—Lynn Frauenholz, Web Designer

They Saw the World. “This is my dad in Morocco, 1972-ish. Pretty classic shot, my brother had it blown up poster-size. Check out his Easy Rider moccasins. I’ll have to tell you the rest of the backstory on that one over drinks sometime…”
—Julia Hibarger, Men’s Site Merchandiser

They Loved Every Minute.
Left: “Grandma bought that diner in 1967, in Montauk, Long Island, and I would guess this pic was taken that summer. That would make Grandpa 48 and Grandma 46 (they look pretty damn good, eh?). It was like an old McDonald’s type of place. There was no indoor seating. People had to park, come in to the counter and order their food to go. The sign pretty much tells it all. We also sold milkshakes and great ice cream sundaes.”

Right: “The other shot is you at 6 weeks, and Grandpa is 63. It’s at their house in Palm Springs—your first airplane trip. Whatever that is behind Grandpa’s head makes it look like he has a halo.”
—Mom of Justin Abbott, Senior Editor, Men’s Shop Daily

Have a rad vintage dad pic of your own?
Tag it #NordstromMen on Instagram, and we might feature it here.

And don’t forget, Father’s Day is June 16.
SHOP: GIFTS FOR DAD