The 'Emo Dad' meme revolves around a middle-aged man sporting the classic side-swept bangs, dark eyeliner, and band tees reminiscent of the mid-2000s scene subculture. It serves as a humorous homage to the generation of '00s kids who grew up and became parents while still holding onto their alternative roots. The meme often uses the phrase 'It wasn't a phase, it's a lifestyle' to highlight the irony in seeing a traditional father figure fully committed to emo aesthetics. It gained significant traction on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where users share content of themselves or their parents rediscovering their inner 'elder emo' for comedic effect.