Dads

It’s pretty easy to find mommy-and-me clothing, particularly if you’re into dressing like one of Santa’s helpers or some kind of gingham prairie girl. Daddy/kid matching clothing is a heck of a lot rarer; probably because Daddy won’t put up with looking like a giant tool.

Footsteps Clothing, however, a manufacturer with a specialty in kid-and-parent clothing, makes an excellent line of T-shirts in kid, infant, and adult sizes. Cutest of all: the Lucky Dad/Lucky Kid shirts, plain T’s in mod colors, emblazoned with the legend “Lucky Dad” or “Lucky Kid.” Here is a Father’s Day or birthday gift that won’t molder in the back of the shirt drawer.

Lucky Dad/Lucky Kid T-shirts, $10-24

You’ve seen him once or twice at the playground — the totally involved and evolved stay-at-home dad. Who is this thoroughly modern man, and what makes him tick?

The Daddy Shift: How Stay-at-Home Dads, Breadwinning Moms, and Shared Parenting Are Transforming the American Family, offers a look into the changing world of fatherhood today. Inspired by author Jeremy Smith’s year spent at home with his young son, this book investigates the stories of a diverse group of dads who have embraced care giving and egalitarian marriages, from both a social and economic standpoint.

How 2009.

Available at beacon.org.

No more ties this Father’s Day — you’re looking for something a little more intellectual.

Humor, insight and truth — any new dad wants to hear the real deal from those who have been there, done that. That’s why The Book of Dads gathered top writers like Neal Pollack, Nick Flynn and Darin Strauss to share their advice, insights, ruminations and anecdotes about the world of fatherhood. Edited by Ben George (of the literary journal Ecotone), this anthology includes poignant stories like “The Night Shift,” a lyrical recounting of the first few years author Ben Fountain spent in the dark with his young children.

No matter what the experience, he’s not alone.

Available at amazon.com.

This Father’s Day, you want to initiate your favorite dad-to-be into the club — too bad he’s a nervous wreck about holding a newborn.

Comic and filmmaker Chris Mancini explores impending fatherhood in his new book Pacify Me: A Handbook for the Freaked-Out New Dad. The Los Angeles-based pop presents a modern take on what to expect from a male perspective (Mr. Spock vs. Dr. Spock). This play-by-play for dads, from pregnancy and delivery to the adjustment period and the infant years, includes anecdotes from the author’s time in the trenches that will quell the nerves of many fathers-to-be.

Available at amazon.com.

Your DS loves watching Daddy get dressed in the morning, but an Armani tie is not a toy.

Get him his own: Blume’s new Little Man collection will prepare him for the corner office while he’s still crawling. The soft tees, available in corporate colors like navy, black and grey, feature real striped ties that make for a totally hipster-meets-hedge fund vibe (sizes 6 months to 10). And if Barneys has them in stock, they’re sure to be the next big thing in boyland.

That and, well, dirt.

Available at blumegirl.com.

Even if he’s a modern, diaper-changing, hands-on type of Dad, no man wants to carry a turquoise satin diaper bag that has a great big Petunia Picklebottom tag on it. You might as well be wearing a dress and green eyeshadow, am I right, fellas?

Encourage daddy/kid outings with a suitably masculine carryall, Diaper Dude’s Dad Survival Kit in basic black. Looking much like a messenger bag with a whole bunch of pockets, the Diaper Dude is nicely sized, a mere 16 x 14 inches, and hangs on the back of a stroller much more stylishly than its big, honking mom-bag counterparts. Handy features: a zip-up pouch for befouled diapers, a bottle pocket possible to access with one hand, and two elasticized compartments in back that make it easy to shove in errant toys and onesies.

Another thing you should put in the survival kit: Wry Baby’s Safe Baby Handling Tips. As much as you’d like your baby-daddy to be reading Dr. Sears or Elizabeth Pantley, it’s not likely. This satiric, graphics-based guide to keeping baby alive will at least amuse Daddy as he learns that peekaboo is a better game for infants than chess, and testing bottles is better done by shaking a drop of milk on the inner wrist rather than taking a swig.

Diaper Dude’s Dad Survival Kit, $110 at diaperdude.com; Safe Baby Handling Tips, $10 at wrybaby.com.

Fashion, even in a size 2T, is meant to express individuality. But sometimes it highlights what we have in common.

Take CommonThreadz, whose universal message is helping kips in need. For every T-shirt sold, a school uniform is donated to orphans and vulnerable children in developing nations. Even better, these tees are actually cool: Each limited-edition collection is designed by a well-known artist, and is based around a different social cause. Sizes range from 3 months to 4T, and adult styles ensure Mom and Dad aren’t left out.

Everybody’s doing it.

Available at commonthredz.org.

You’ve got tons of summer activities planned — if you can fit all the baby gear into one massive tote.

Go GaGa Life’s diaper bag will last you through baby-and-me yoga, an afternoon at the water park and a public restroom changing table. The unisex style makes it easy to pass between mom and dad, and the ergonomic design means your shoulder won’t give out by day’s end.

Although your brain might.

Available at gogagalife.com.

If your DH is one of those — you know, the kind that pitches in — he probably already has the requisite daddy diaper bag, manly baby carrier and father-friendly gadgets.

Let him know you noticed: Tees from New Age Dad declare that some men really do diapers, strollers and late-night feedings (the company’s founder is one of those dads).

And if it’s his first Father’s Day, remind him he doesn’t need to be an expert — yet.

Available at babiesrus.com.

Mom’s not the only one with beach reads in her bag. This Father’s Day, help him be an even prouder pop with these new books.

The Baby Bonding Book For Dads: Building A Closer Connection With Your Baby
By James di Properzio and Jennifer Margulis
Husband and wife authors share honest, helpful and humorous stories and advice for new fathers.

Daddy’s Little Girl: Stories of the Special Bond Between Fathers and Daughters
By Gregory Lang
The New York Times bestselling author showcases real-life dad-daughter stories, illustrated by simple black-and-white photos.

Husband-Coached Childbirth: The Bradley Method of Natural Childbirth
By Robert A. Bradley, M.D.
This fifth edition updates obstetrician Dr. Bradley’s partner-oriented approach through the prenatal stage, labor and birth.

The Perfect Book For Dad: The Astonishingly Complete Guide to Fatherhood
By Paul Barker
New age dad or dangerous pursuits dad? This irreverent identification guide is full of quizzes, lists and tongue-in-cheek illustrations that leave no fatherly question unanswered.

There When He Needs You: How to Be an Available, Involved, and Emotionally Connected Father to Your Son
By Dr. Neil Bernstein, Ph.D.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Bernstein gives step-by-step methods to help dads bond with their sons.