Vibrant Fun Dad on the Street: Jordan Reid
Vibrant Fun Dad on the Street Jordan Reid has an unexpected style that’s always bright and happy whether he’s at the office, or headed to the park with his family.
Meet Jordan
Jordan Reid lives in Downingtown, PA with his wife Charlotte and three kids Asaph (5½ yr), Zion (2 yr) and Sabbath (9 mo). He and Charlotte met while living in Arlington, VA. They happened to meet on a fateful elevator ride in the building they both lived in. Jordan grew up all over southern CA, NJ, and PA. Though he considered a career in college campus ministry, he has built a career in technology sales. He works with some of the largest brands in the world helping them solve complex business challenges with results-oriented tech solutions.
Vibrant Fun Style
Which three words best describe your style? Bright, Unexpected, Situational
What are your favorite places to shop? I’m a bargain shopper: Macy’s sales, Marshalls, and thrift stores. I am thrifty and have found that I get a whole lot more use and enjoyment out of something if I can wear it and not worry if it gets ruined because it was inexpensive.
Who’s your favorite style icon? Tyler Durden, from Fight Club, impacted my appreciation of “unexpected style”. Of course, I class it up for work but it’s probably still there subtly.
What’s your best style advice? Have some bright and unexpected pieces; don’t wear them all at once all the time.Think holistically, (socks, underwear, belt, watch, sunglasses…) not just pants, shirt, jacket, shoes.Decisively situational, no middle ground – it’s either house clothes, casual everyday clothes, fun going-out clothes or business (formal or informal).
What fashion/style did you love at the time, but now cringe when you see old photos?Huge JNCO Jeans. Though I only had one pair of JNCO, I opted for the wide-leg Levis. I guess the whole oversized clothes thing in general, yikes! That said, the pendulum has swung way too far the other direction. You probably won’t catch me with painted-on jeans tucked into boots anytime soon. But my pants fit now.
What’s your dad superpower? Tickles and squeals. You would think they’d become immune from all the tickles they get, but my superpower tickles still get the squeals.
Facial hair or clean-shaven? Clean-shaven for business and formal events. Scruff in between. If I try and grow facial hair, I end up looking like an 8th grader who would be proud, but a failing man who should not be proud.
Vibrant Fun Family
What’s your favorite way to spend time with your family? When it’s warm, we go to the local park and play 3-4 holes of frisbee golf and then play on the playground a few nights a week. This has been a routine we all enjoy very much.
What’s been your best family vacation? We took the family to northern California for Thanksgiving in 2017. My extended family is up between Santa Rosa and Cottonwood CA. My grandma and grandpa, many aunts and uncles, and cousins were there; it was pretty incredible. It was amazing, to have four generations together. When we had Thanksgiving dinner, it was such a special moment to have so many of us gathered. This was Ace’s second or third CA trip. It was Zion’s first trip to CA, so it was fun introducing her to the family; she was 11 months and taking the first steps. We also shared the news that we were pregnant again with Sabbath. All of the sweet family time and the family is just a ton of fun between games, quads, horses, hikes we had an absolute blast.
What’s your favorite family activity? When it is warm, we go to Marsh Creek park for easy picnics. We will take the paddleboard and Ace’s new kayak out. One of us will hang out on the blanket or inflatable couch/hammock with two of the kids and the other will go out for a spin around the lake. I will tie Ace’s kayak to the paddleboard. I will send Charlotte out to paddle around kid-free. It’s easy to pack and go and to invite other friends and family to meet us down there. Good times!
Vibrant Fun Parenting
Best parenting advice: Actively choose “Get to” versus “Have to”… Raising kids is a lot of work. I am very fortunate that Charlotte is an amazing wife and mother. Still, kids change schedules, priorities, and for me, it can feel like a “have to” raise kids. This is the wrong way to look at it. Kids are a gift from God and a privilege to raise. There’s much more joy when I pray for a soft heart to cross between “Have to” and “Get to”. Even as my oldest is just 5 ½, I can feel the years fly by, so I want to find joy with them every day. My parents always made me feel like I was a “Get to” (joy) and I want my kids to know they are my “Get to”.
Parenting true confession: I often feel like a big kid and think, “Am I really in charge here? How did that happen?”. My kids have developed a taste for metal… Christmas morning/day/night at the Reid’s was August Burns Red “Sleddin Hill” Album on repeat. (If you have not listened to this rendition of “Jingle Bells” then you are missing out!)
What’s your go-to family dinner? “All the good stuff” – Chicken, bacon, peppers, onions, alfredo sauce on pasta. I say that, but our variety of meals is pretty high. It’s funny because Charlotte and I have the same taste buds. We were both very picky eaters as kids so trying to get kids to eat all kinds of food is an active process.
What’s your favorite family restaurant? Chain: Chick-fil-a – Tasty, Friendly, Fast, and a place for the kids to get out energy on rainy days! Local: Victory Brewing – I have never seen a brewery with so many kids in it!
Vibrant Fun Life
What’s your favorite show to binge-watch? Binge-watching does not really exist for me; if I get to make it through a whole movie it is an accomplishment. Charlotte and I enjoy The Blacklist and we liked Jack Ryan.
If you could pick anyone to star as you in a movie based on your life, who would it be? Why can’t I star in my own movie? I guess I would pick Brad Pitt… Fight Club anyone?
What’s your favorite sport and why? I like to play! I don’t like to watch… so if there is a game on TV I will root for whoever bought beer is rooting for. My favorite sports have always been action sports like motocross and snowboarding. I just picked up some skateboards in hopes to get down to the skatepark more with Ace. Right now I am playing in a Racquetball league at my gym. My longest-standing playmate is my dad, he loves to play too but there was never a game on in our house.
Vibrant Fun Adventures
What’s the best song to dance to when nobody’s watching? I dance a lot with my kids and that is the closest I get to dancing when no one is looking. “I Love my Mom” by Netherfriends, has been getting a lot of play recently with the kids. Awolnation “Passion” will also get a good dance-chase session going…If you could hang out with anyone from history, living or deceased, who would it be? Some people may say Jesus, but I try to hang with Him regularly. King Solomon, to try to pick up some wisdom.
What’s at the top of your travel bucket list? Thailand. I want to be immersed in a completely different experience. It makes me marvel at how cultures are so unique.
What’s your favorite way to unwind at the end of a long day? I get a lot of favorites, I don’t know if I ever feel unwound – it may be genetic. My favorite way to end the day is with snuggles, stories, songs, and prayers to put the kids down. Then some wine with Charlotte while we relentlessly dual at our game of the year, 2019 is Rummikub.
Your Vibrant Fun Style
We love how Jordan’s vibrant fun style reflects his upbeat personality. He incorporates bright colors and patterns into his outfits but takes a holistic approach to fashion. So they’re never too over-the-top. whether he’s dressed up for work or having fun with his family. His style is unexpected and never boring, and this exuberance extends to all areas of his life.
And for more stylish dads, be sure to check out FamilyApp’s Dad on the Street Channel!
