Dressing Democratic

Democratic Presidential candidates have a a richer history of sartorial acumen than the Republicans. FDR was a beautifully dressed man. He was followed by former haberdasher Harry Truman, and then, after the Republican interregnum, we were led by John F. Kennedy. Kennedy set a style standard for the White House that hasn't been equalled since (if I wanted to be depressed I could go find some old video of Jimmy Carter addressing the nation in a sweater. In a sweater!).

Just look at JFK. Pin stripes, polka dots and a white pocket square. Further, I would bet there are discreet gold cuff links under his jacket sleeves, and bespoke oxfords on his feet.

Contrast JFK with John Edwards, whose official web site is full of 'man of the people' photos. Call me cynical, and I am, but I have a hard time taking wrinkled chinos and scuffed shoes seriously when they're worn by a man with a $400 haircut that flew in on a private jet. And, when he is wearing a suit, his necktie seems perpetually to sit a quarter inch too low.

Joe Biden does business casual the right way, substituting a blazer and gray trousers for the navy suit in his official portrait. Of course, he needs a pocket square.


Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, will hopefully soon begin taking wardrobe lessons from Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, who usually looks statesperson-like in her Armani suits. Clinton, on the other hand, is frequently photographed in jewel-toned blouses and badly fitting pastel pants suits. I've only chosen the photograph above to be kind.

When I began this exercise, I fully expected Barack Obama to be the cream of the Democratic crop, based on a series of photos I'd seen of the distinguished Senator wearing what appeared to be well-cut suits and discreet solid colored neckties. A bit of investigation established that he tends to wear shirts that were made for a man with a much larger neck, and that lowered his score considerably. Here he is looking professional speaking to a small group in Evanston, Illinois.

Next we'll consider the best dressed candidate from each of the two major parties.

Dressing to be President

As I write this, a dozen or so men and at least one woman are working just about every waking hour to become the next President of the United States of America. Now I know that how they dress will not be the defining factor of their campaigns. There have in fact been but a couple of twentieth century American Presidents with more than a mediocre sense of dress, proving that dress does not a President make. A recently seen turndown shirt collar worn with white tie is but one of a list of sartorial transgressions committed by at least three of the current and former Presidents in the photograph. But Presidential candidates are forced to conform to certain clothing expectations in order to compete.

As Robin Givhan, fashion editor of the Washington Post, wrote, "The rules are different in politics. Campaigns are filled with an endless series of symbols and metaphors all meant to evoke common ground. Politicians: They're just like us! Even though they are not." Over the course of several essays I will attempt to report on how well some of them succeed.

This is a blog about men's dress but Hillary Clinton will be one of the candidates considered. I don't believe we can hold a candidate's sex against her, particularly since the current mode of Washington political dress is a jacket and trousers irrespective of the sex of the wearer. The John Edwards "I Feel Pretty" video on YouTube shows us that some formerly feminine wiles have crossed the sexual aisle, so welcome Hillary.

The coming series will have two primaries and an election. We'll select the best Republican in one essay, the best Democrat in another, and then choose as winner the person least likely to wear a parka, snow boots and a ski hat to represent his country at a ceremony to honor the dead at Auswitch as Vice President Cheney chose to do this past March. Fortunately for our sense of propriety, he's not running.