Hey!
My name is Alex and welcome to the Midwest Dad Lifestyle blog! I’ve been wanting to have a space to share ideas and inspirations with other likeminded dads out there, so I finally got around to doing it in one of the busiest (and strangest) times in my recent memory.
I’ve long been interested in what it means to live in the Midwest and it took living away from here for 10 years to realize what it really means to me. After finishing grad school my wife and I decided to move to Arizona and try out a culture and climate that is probably the opposite of what our life in Minnesota was. We stayed there for almost five years during which I went laterally through jobs, we bought a house, and had our first kid. We decided the southwest and it’s horrid summers weren’t quite for us, so we up and relocated to Colorado for a change of scenery in the mountains! We stayed there for two years and had our second child, however I was continuing my upward growth within my career and was offered a great opportunity to move to the east coast, so we packed up the truck and headed off! There were parts of living in Connecticut that we enjoyed, such as the ocean(ish) water, the access to NYC, and the pizza, however we found quickly that the east coast was our least favorite part of the country thus far. Looking back I think we have an idea why, but like I mentioned before, it really took moving back home to realize what that was.
To me, lifestyle in the Midwest, and specifically MN to me, is something unique when compared to our experiences around the country. There’s not one thing in particular I can put my finger on, it’s just a collection of experiences and people put together throughout different extremes in weather and wildlife. I love being on the lake in the summer, drinking Coronas on the boat with friends and watching the kids run around the beach. I love shorts and hoodie weather, and if you don’t know what season that fits into or why anyone would dress that way, you’re not about the lifestyle quite yet! I DON’T love the winter, and I think that’s ok to say out loud, but I do appreciate what it does for our mental fortitude and I love the feeling of knowing (or at least assuming) we’ve had our last snowfall. I love boots and a full Levi’s tuxedo the fall, sock-less Allen Edmonds in the spring, and heavy duty Sorrels’s while shoveling the sidewalk. It’s a feeling, a vibe as they say, and you know it when you’re in it.
I want this blog to be an ever-evolving way to capture that overall feeling of what the Midwest lifestyle is, and I wanted to put a focus on looking at it through the lens of a dad because I think it’s important for us to have our own ‘thing’ if you will. We have our own interests and experiences, and I think this could be that outlet to share and express the things we enjoy, free of judgement and worry. If you’re into fashion or photography, or like to weigh-in on decorating your home, let’s hear it! I’m in the midst of a number of changes myself and I hope to share those with others, so I hope that’s reflected in the work done on here and the output through the Instagram I’ll be using as well.
I appreciate anyone who plans on taking the time to follow along going forward and I’m excited to see how this evolves as I am able to share and learn from others. Make sure to follow the Instagram @midwestdadstyle for pics and updates, and reach out to me to say hi or chat!
-Alex, Midwest Dad Lifestyle
Midwest Dad Style 