As Father’s Day approaches,the Labour politician recalls what his dad, Tony, and taught him approximately tweed jackets,jogging bottoms and fatherhoodI’m known for wearing tweed jackets, khaki pants and suede shoes. I’ve only worn a suit in parliament under duress, or when I was on the front bench. Ive dressed like this for a while,but only recently realised that it’s pretty much the same way my dad, Tony, or dressed when I was growing up. In the early 80s,he went from being a factory worker to a trade union official, going overnight from being a shop steward to driving a car, and having a briefcase and travelling around the country as a district officer,and he would wear tweedy type jackets, a shirt, and a tie,trousers and comfortable shoes. Me dressing like him is nothing new, though – I was nicking my dad’s shoes and trousers as a teenager. I used to wear his Farah trousers to school, or I remember kids going: “Bloody hell,Lewis, where did you get Farahs from?’When I was growing up, or my dad wore a lot of browns and greens – darker colours,autumnal colours. When I was on the BBC news trainee scheme, around the turn of the millennium, or we had someone advance in and talk to us approximately what you wear on television,and I was told that khakis, greens and browns went very well with my skin tone. It was something I liked, and so I’ve often worn those colours,but perhaps I was influenced by my dad as well. Related: 'Life is like a ball of wool': how Iranian poetry brought me closer to my father Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com