Best dressed US president?

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by voxsartoria

Formal paintings of American presidents typically involve no idealizations at all.


- B

We're far from the good old times of Henry VIII, Charles I or Georges IV when it was an obligation to use some artistic licence or being beheaded.

 

[DocJones]

Reagan gets my vote......

[/IMG]

 

[iatrogenic]

reagan, bush 1, and JFk

 

[Metlin]

Kennedy wore his suits like a uniform, but he looked very comfortable in them. I don't think I've seen another president since him to look as much "at home" as he did in formal clothes.

Reagan, on the other hand, seemed much more eclectic to me. I'm unable to find it now, I remember seeing a picture of him somewhere (it could have been SF) wearing a rather garish looking red/green sport coat. On anyone else, it would have just looked unflattering, but even at an older age, he looked very regal in it. The same goes for his brown jackets and suits.

Bush Jr. also looked fairly well dressed to me. I remember liking his blue-tie selections. I felt that Bush Jr. had more style compared to both his predecessor and his successor.

Obama, on the other hand, seems more like a jeans and a t-shirt kinda guy (nothing wrong with that, of course).

And speaking of presidents of other countries, I've heard that Dmitry Medvedev is usually rather well dressed (and is a watch afficianado). Ditto for Sarkozy.

 

[vbuskirk]

 

[tshaw]

Best dressed US president? Nancy Reagan, hands down!

T

 

[bigasahouse]

Here's some younger Reagan pics before he was stuck in a dark navy suit constantly. Even has a little ascot action going on:

And one for SW&D:

 

[BPFT]

Might not agree with his politics, but the man has some style and charisma.

 

[Jay Gatsby]

 

[calvinloke]

He takes the cake

 

[coltboy75]

Reagan and JFK.

 

[cptjeff]

Originally Posted by DocHolliday

This thread is a testament to my beloved Tradly Americana. Both Kennedy and Bush Sr. rocked the Trad, and they both looked great for it.

Washington, it is worth noting, was inaugurated in a brown suit. Of course, he was a farmer.

I know it's an old post, but I do have to say that men back then were not nearly as afraid of color as they are today. In fact, men's fashion today allows for much less color selection, at least in suits, then pretty much ever before. It's down to grays, navy, black, and perhaps brown. Light colors are rare, even in the dead of summer.

Back then, colors like brown didn't have those connotations.

Another thing to note- When Ben Franklin was called before the British Parliament to answer for the American revolution, he wore his best suit- Which was made of royal blue velvet.

 

[Drydis Greis]

Originally Posted by Twotone

JFK hands down.

+1000. Great President, excellent dresser!

 

[Rufus]

Originally Posted by cptjeff

I know it's an old post, but I do have to say that men back then were not nearly as afraid of color as they are today. In fact, men's fashion today allows for much less color selection, at least in suits, then pretty much ever before. It's down to grays, navy, black, and perhaps brown. Light colors are rare, even in the dead of summer.

Back then, colors like brown didn't have those connotations.

Another thing to note- When Ben Franklin was called before the British Parliament to answer for the American revolution, he wore his best suit- Which was made of royal blue velvet.

Franklin was an absolute dandy and a bit of a playboy. I just read "John Adams" by Mcculough (spelling?) and it had some great detail on Ben Franklin's style. When Adams and Franklin went to France to negotiate during the revolutionary war Adams was ineffective in part because he was a dowdy farmer while Franklin was in his element with the stylish French court. Franklin also played on the French stereotype of Americans as Davy Crocket-type rugged outdoorsmen by wearing beaver pelt hats and the like even though he was not an outdoorsmen at all. The French love for Franklin was a big part of why they ended up assisting the colonies. Below is a painting of Franklin in the French court...surrounded by the ladies of course!

 

[Don Carlos]

Originally Posted by Rufus

Franklin was an absolute dandy and a bit of a playboy. I just read "John Adams" by Mcculough (spelling?) and it had some great detail on Ben Franklin's style. When Adams and Franklin went to France to negotiate during the revolutionary war Adams was ineffective in part because he was a dowdy farmer while Franklin was in his element with the stylish French court. Franklin also played on the French stereotype of Americans as Davy Crocket-type rugged outdoorsmen by wearing beaver pelt hats and the like even though he was not an outdoorsmen at all. The French love for Franklin was a big part of why they ended up assisting the colonies. Below is a painting of Franklin in the French court...surrounded by the ladies of course!

Franklin is portrayed hilariously, if probably accurately, in the HBO miniseries based on John Adams. I've never read the book, and much of the TV series is slow and forgettable. But Franklin is a highlight.

Dude was most certainly big pimpin' back in the day.