Many years ago, the comedian Bill Cosby said, “Fatherhood is pretending the present you love the most is soap-on-a-rope.”  Even though these days it's just as likely to be some brand of “manly”  shower gel and a net scrubber, most of us still get stuck in a rut whenever Father's Day rolls around, clueless what to get. There is no excuse to perpetuate the proliferation of nostril- (and room-) clearing aftershaves, tee-hee bar accessories like battery-operated hula girls, and hellacious ties whose only redeeming feature is that you can use them to strangle the people who gave them; ditto soap-on-a-rope. Dad is no longer””and really never was””the pipe-smoking, golf-playing WASP cliché from TV's bygone era, who wore pleated slacks belted just below his neck, with a fringe of golf shirt visible beneath his comfortable cardigan.

It's the 21st century, so let's liberate the guy. If you turn off Leave It to Beaver and come down from Walton's Mountain, you'll find that there are plenty of cool pop-culture paters to look to for inspiration; for example: Chris Martin (29), Eminem (33), Jon Stewart (43), and David Bowie (59). Give dad a break with a Father's Day present that's got some class, recognizing that a) he's a complex man who happens to be a dad among many things, and b) Vancouver dads are about as diverse as it gets, representing almost every culture on the planet. There are straight dads, gay dads, and even some dads who used to be moms; married dads, single dads, and dads of blended families. No matter who you call your daddy, here are a few ways to tell him that he's hot.

“This is one of the best new lines around. It's what I use,”  John Skoryna says about the 12 products composing John Varvatos SKIN. Skoryna is a rep for men's grooming products at Holt Renfrew (633 Granville Street). Varvatos is the leading menswear designer who came up through the ranks at Ralph Lauren Polo, then moved on to Calvin Klein, where he was pivotal in launching the men's collection and the cK brand.

“Men's skin is very different from women's,”  Skoryna says. “Most skin-care products are made for women and really don't do much for men.” 

The opaque glass containers with muted green trim look good on the shelf or in the cabinet. SKIN's various items are virtually fragrance-free and contain a range of anti-aging, moisturizing, and toning ingredients especially for men. Multi-Vitamin Face Serum ($98 for 75 millilitres) is designed to strengthen cells and firm the skin's texture while softening wrinkles. Essential Face Cleanser lathers up into a deep-cleaning foam that also balances oils with a blend of vitamins C and E and extract of raspberry leaves. Eye Serum for dark circles and puffiness and Eye Cream for wrinkles ($75 for 30 millilitres each) contain minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants.

Perfect for the man who doesn't feel comfortable going to a public spa or who otherwise values his privacy and anonymity, Cassanova's””aka Alexandra, who goes by just one name””offers one-on-one spa treatments in Alexandra's home on the edge of Yaletown. (No, not those kind of treatments””she has a large gay clientele.)

“It's not fancy, but it's warm and homey, and I create all my own products from natural ingredients,”  says Alexandra, whose business has grown mainly by very positive word-of-mouth. “You can come in, relax, and have a martini or a beer while you watch the game.” 

Cassanova's packages range from about $200 to $300, and include a wonderful Champagne Facial. (Call 604-970-8033 to book.)

One way to tell dad that he's a star is with an item from Crossover””Bollywood SE (6468 Main Street). Based out of Dubai, the new store carries a men's collection inspired by Indian cinema's flashy singing and dancing heartthrobs, including a purple-grey and gold kurta (a collarless long shirt) embossed with gold thread and blue rhinestones, partnered with a white churidar (a loose, tapered pant cinched at the waist, $275 for the outfit) and a short black kurta embossed with embroidered gold circles and trim ($165). The look is so hot it can cause perfect strangers on the street to break out into celebratory show tunes.

Steer clear of rapper bling if you're going to get the big guy jewellery; nothing says yesterday's man like glitzy gangsta gear. James Keary at the men's-accessories counter at Holt's suggests Gucci's sophisticated sterling-silver bracelets in a bamboo motif ($295 to $435), which he says are popular with men looking for something unique but not over the top. Other recommendations are Gucci's slick new video iPod case in black leather ($350) and a chic Prada card holder in brown leather ($260).

For dads on the go, Allesandro Santinato at Ermenegildo Zegna (Pacific Centre) singles out the clean lines and light weight of Zegna's modernist travel case in black leather ($1,795).

Some stylish gifts that won't break the bank: a compact Kenneth Cole shave kit ($65), complete with blade, razors, lint brush, nail file, cuticle pusher, scissors, comb, and corkscrew, at Boys'Co (various locations); retro Lacoste polo shirts in a range of colours ($98 to $160) at Harry Rosen (Pacific and Oakridge centres); and one of the new line of Hugo Boss soccer shirts, like a white cotton sweatshirt with an embossed white-on-white soccer ball ($165), at Harry Rosen.