Tieless Obama

[bobyoung7]

JFK killed the hat by appearing in public without one.

Is Obama trying to do the same thing to the necktie?

 

[Henkie]

Snopes said JFK didn't, and I doubt Obama has an active agenda on the future of menswear either.

 

[mlongano]

Obama certainly does not have the cachet or charisma of JFK, so, barring assassination, I doubt that his sartorial decisions will have much of an impact on American society.

 

[bourbonbasted]

I know there is a "JFK not being able to wear a hat these days" joke to be had here, but I'll take the high road... for once.

EDIT: Too soon?

 

[Joenobody0]

No. He's trying to look like a "common man." That's why you see him without a jacket so often. Common men don't wear jackets. They also seem to roll up their sleeves.

 

[Thin White Duke]

All politics aside I hate the way he dresses. Bland and boring, no doubt decided by focus groups to get the perfect balance between being businesslike, but not too overdressed, in case the plebs get angry that he's wasting time and money on frivolous clothes. (Paradoxically his missus seems to get a lot of credit and admiration for being well dressed). His dress sense is about as inspiring as his speeches, one note, bland and ineffective. God forbid he might wear a pocket square, or a patterned tie, or step out of the 'politician as everyman' look referenced above of tie off, sleeves rolled up, dress by numbers. I seriously doubt he will influence the death of the tie any more than has already been done by the epidemic of business casual.

Interesting about JFK - I recently read a book with loads of photos of him and while he looks effortlessly casual when dressed down on the yacht or beach in polo shirt, khakis and deck shoes, he is a real schlub in almost every other business dress photo, frequently with both buttons of a two button (not paddock) jacket fastened. Jacquie is given a lot of the credit for him sharpening up his look, but either way this hardly seems to merit Brooks Brothers naming a line of their suits after him!

 

[DerekS]



All politics aside I hate the way he dresses. Bland and boring, no doubt decided by focus groups to get the perfect balance between being businesslike, but not too overdressed, in case the plebs get angry that he's wasting time and money on frivolous clothes. (Paradoxically his missus seems to get a lot of credit and admiration for being well dressed). His dress sense is about as inspiring as his speeches, one note, bland and ineffective. God forbid he might wear a pocket square, or a patterned tie, or step out of the 'politician as everyman' look referenced above of tie off, sleeves rolled up, dress by numbers. I seriously doubt he will influence the death of the tie any more than has already been done by the epidemic of business casual.
Interesting about JFK - I recently read a book with loads of photos of him and while he looks effortlessly casual when dressed down on the yacht or beach in polo shirt, khakis and deck shoes, he is a real schlub in almost every other business dress photo, frequently with both buttons of a two button (not paddock) jacket fastened. Jacquie is given a lot of the credit for him sharpening up his look, but either way this hardly seems to merit Brooks Brothers naming a line of their suits after him!

tl/dr.....but im pretty sure whatever you said was racist.

 

[Thin White Duke]



tl/dr.....but im pretty sure whatever you said was racist.

Eh? I'm confused!

 

[DerekS]



Eh? I'm confused!

just making a joke.

 

[JayJay]



JFK killed the hat by appearing in public without one.
Is Obama trying to do the same thing to the necktie?

Bush did this, too.

 

[GoldenTribe]



Bland and boring, no doubt decided by focus groups to get the perfect balance between being businesslike, but not too overdressed, in case the plebs get angry that he's wasting time and money on frivolous clothes. (Paradoxically his missus seems to get a lot of credit and admiration for being well dressed).

Not quite.

She gets credit when she wears H&M and shops at Target; comments tend toward veiled criticism when it comes to designer items, e.g. "a beautiful Alexander McQueen gown on the First Lady last night, but it cost a lot more than most Americans can afford this season"

 

[ddonicht]

I don't think Obama is killing the tie anymore than JFK killed the hat. They are just a reflection of their time, that's all. In general people are wearing a tie less, myself included. Unless I have a meeting or something I leave it off.

As for being bland and neutral in his dressing, I don't think that is any different than most politicians or business leaders. They might wear suits but that doesn't mean they have any particular interest in how they dress. Since they don't put any effort into it, they purchase and wear very neutral clothes so they don't ever look out of place. Let's face it, by being on this board (and others like it) we are already showing ourselves to be more interested in what we wear and will look for something more.

Of course I just realized that by putting "Obama" and "killing" in the same thread we've probably just gotten ourselves on some list of the NSA's. lol

 

[MatthewJoe]

My sister is a Southern-Trad Preppie, and she takes it as a personal insult when Obama doesn't wear a tie in public.I'm ambivalent. JoeNobody is probably right about why he's doing it. I remember a skit (I think it aired on SNL) that parodied a presidential campaign ad with a president insisting he was common: rolling up his sleeves; drinking a beer atop bundles of hay--really funny. I'll keep looking for it so you guys don't have to take my word for it.

Whatever his intention is, it sure doesn't seem to be winning him a lot of praise. He does it seldom enough, and pulls it off well enough, that I don't think it's a mistake, though.

I don't understand why anybody in such a prestigious position would be condemned for buying quality things. A good suit and an Alexander McQueen dress doesn't exactly place the Obamas in Kim Jong-Il territory. Until the president doesn't go anywhere without a cigar and a Segway, I won't worry.

 

[swiego]



My sister is a Southern-Trad Preppie, and she takes it as a personal insult when Obama doesn't wear a tie in public.I'm ambivalent. JoeNobody is probably right about why he's doing it. I remember a skit (I think it aired on SNL) that parodied a presidential campaign ad with a president insisting he was common: rolling up his sleeves; drinking a beer atop bundles of hay--really funny. I'll keep looking for it so you guys don't have to take my word for it.

Whatever his intention is, it sure doesn't seem to be winning him a lot of praise. He does it seldom enough, and pulls it off well enough, that I don't think it's a mistake, though.

I don't understand why anybody in such a prestigious position would be condemned for buying quality things. A good suit and an Alexander McQueen dress doesn't exactly place the Obamas in Kim Jong-Il territory. Until the president doesn't go anywhere without a cigar and a Segway, I won't worry.

Uh, have you followed any of the Republican debates lately? If Obama wore a pocket square, the whole lot of them would talk about nothing other than how said pocket square is a symbol of big government, illegal immigration and high taxes. In our current political climate (where no one wants to work together and everyone is worried about the next election from Day 1 in their current office) I would not expect any politician to stand out in terms of dress, for fear of it being used against him/her.

 

[VLSI]

The tie is just a diversion; his real agenda is bringing dad jeans to style.