When I worked in the Wool Sweater Outlet in Halifax's Historic Properties in 1985, all the junior-high south end Halifax kids wanted the 48" chest oiled wool sweaters to wear with their shorts and woolly socks as the Halifax cool uniform. Although I told them (and sold them) the 40 inch to let the sweater sag, it was (and is) a cool and identifiable look - and I thought if I ony had the money, skill, will and immagination I would create a line of clothes built around the idea called "Totally Dad".

Now I use "Totally Dad" as the upside of "Oldie Olson" - the guy or gal in his or her forties or fifties who is actually almost able to not embarrass him or herself a group less his or her age. "Oldie Olson" is what is said behind "Totally Dad"'s back...if they are kind. Otherwise - "old fart" seems to cover it off well. Better than smelly old fart, I guess.

Unless you are Black Cat bookstore on Argyle cool. Then smelly old fart is really Halifax cool.

Update: controversy breaks out at casa Gen X with the assertion by herself that, in fact, it was she who was praised at the bar in the Seahorse circa 1992 for a particular sweater she was wearing with a stranger's comment "that sweater is totally Dad". I am stunned. This all sounds like the "vitamin K" episode which I am sure I coined for Keiths draft in around 1986 at the Seahorse only to hear it used a few years later by the tarbender there back at me. We clearly need an institute of ale-house slang to verify and trace the origins of such usages.