Dave Bowden

Dave Bowden

Founder of Irreverent Gent and best-selling author (in Canada, but still!) of Man in Command and Stop Doubting, Start Dating

Dave Bowden

Founder of Irreverent Gent and best-selling author (in Canada, but still!) of Man in Command and Stop Doubting, Start Dating

About Dave

Also (unfortunately) pictured: my shiny forehead

Whether writing for industry-leading blogs or locally loved community newspapers (remember those?), Irreverent Gent founder Dave Bowden has built an incredibly rewarding – and occasionally award-winning – career as a blogger, journalist and author.

His advice on everything from men’s style and home decor to grooming and self-confidence is read by more than two million people each year.

In addition to hundreds of articles here on Irreverent Gent and two best-selling books available on Amazon, Dave’s advice on how to look good and live well has been featured in some of the world’s most trusted publications, including New York Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Business Insider, Ask Men and more.

When not obsessing over style and self-improvement, he can usually be found at home spending quality time with his wonderful wife and son, indulging in a hoppy craft beer, or sobbing over the woeful state of Toronto’s sports teams.


Read Dave’s Style Story

Find out how a chance encounter with a friend’s stepdad
taught him how looking good leads to living well

(He swears it’s less creepy than it sounds, but… you be the judge)

Me on the day I left home for college,
dressed like an extra from an
Avril Lavigne music video

Back when I was in college, my style left a lot to be desired. 

Up until that point, I really hadn’t thought much about the way I dressed, or the way a man’s overall look can make an impression, both on his own sense of self, and on the people he encounters.

This was the early 2000s, when bands like Dashboard Confessional and Fallout Boy were at the peak of their fame, and I tended to dress like the kind of overly emotional sad sack sensitive introvert who loved that style of shrill emo nonsense emotive pop-punk. 

Read Dave’s Full Style Story ➤

In the Press

As one of the web’s leading voices on all things men’s lifestyle, Dave’s insight and advice has been featured in some of the world’s top publications. (Although they usually edit out his lame jokes—much to their credit.)

New York logo

New York Magazine’s The Strategist:

“The Very Best Men’s Oxford Shirts”


WSJ logo

The Wall Street Journal’s Buy Side:

“The 12 Best Slippers for Men”







Dave’s (Many) Articles on Irreverent Gent

As the founder of Irreverent Gent, Dave’s written more than 300 articles about how to look good and live well. (Look, there was a pandemic—he didn’t get out much.)

That’s way too many to cram into one page, but here’s a small sampling of his most recent posts and articles.


More About Dave ↓

If you’ve read this far – thanks for hanging in there, by the way – we might as well give you the full picture

Education

  • 2007: Dual Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy and History, Queen’s University
  • 2009: Post-graduate Journalism Diploma, Centennial College
  • 2011: Briefly experimented with a goattee
    • Failed to earn any credentials, but learned a lot about the consequences of making poor grooming choices

Professional Career


Family

The Bowden Family

While helping guys learn how to look good and live well is the primary mission ofIrreverent Gent, Dave’s primary mission is to be the best husband, father that he possibly can.

A proud Canadian, Dave and his wife Michelle live in Toronto with their son Jack.

And Michelle will soon give birth to a second child, giving Jack a little brother to play with… and Dave and Michelle even less sleep than they get now.

One of the best things about blogging is that it provides a flexible schedule that allows for a lot of family time, and Dave loves nothing more than cuddling up at home to watch a movie, or taking Jack out to explore all the sights and experiences that Toronto has to offer.


Hobbies

When not working or spending time with his family, Dave likes to say he’s one half nerd, one half athlete.

(The truth is that it’s more like nine tenths nerd and one tenth athlete, but he’s a middle aged dad who needs a win, so just let him have this.)

On the nerd side, Dave’s credentials are pretty unimpeachable:

He’s a voracious reader who pours over as many books and magazine articles as he can get his hands on, watches more movies and TV shows than could possibly be healthy, and loves comparing the different types of hops used in craft beers.

On the athletic(ish) side, he’s a lifelong fitness buff and former fitness magazine editor who lifts weights at least three times a week, loves a good round of golf (followed by a round or two of beers) and obsesses over Toronto’s most perennially disappointing sports franchises, the Leafs and the Jays.