What's the deal with Esquire and Bill Clinton?
I can't quite figure out the love affair the editors of Esquire seem to have with Bill Clinton. A couple of months back, they put Clinton on the cover and named him "the world's most influential man." This month they have him listed as one of the three most stylish presidents ever. I admit, I have never been a big fan of Mr. Clinton, but then I hold most anyone that enters into the demonic world of politics with a high level of disdain. I suppose an ex-U.S. president does have some influence, but the most influential man in the world seems a bit much. I tend to think the truly influential people are people with an extremely low public profile. I can't imagine any politician being all that influential, relatively speaking, of course.
I take even more exception to Esquire naming Clinton one of the three most stylish presidents, though. (JFK and FDR were the other two.) Although one cannot necessarily tell by looking at me, I think I have a very good sense (at least higher than average) for men's style and fashion, and I never thought Clinton was particularly stylish. Some people know how to wear clothes, and some don't. Clinton never struck me as one who did. I'm sure his clothes are expensive, but I can assure you based on my own personal experience, spending a lot of money on clothes does not make one stylish. When Clinton was president, some of his suits had that full-cut, Italian designer look that was popular at the time, but he looked no better or worse than thousands of other white collar working stiffs.
Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, was a stylish dresser. He always had a timeless look, which is one of the hallmarks of being a truly stylish individual. It was not so much the type of suits he wore -- he almost always wore the standard two-button, two-piece suit -- but everything was always impeccably tailored.
The fashion sense of politicians is, of course, irrelevant to pretty much anything, but then so is most of their political ideology.
I take even more exception to Esquire naming Clinton one of the three most stylish presidents, though. (JFK and FDR were the other two.) Although one cannot necessarily tell by looking at me, I think I have a very good sense (at least higher than average) for men's style and fashion, and I never thought Clinton was particularly stylish. Some people know how to wear clothes, and some don't. Clinton never struck me as one who did. I'm sure his clothes are expensive, but I can assure you based on my own personal experience, spending a lot of money on clothes does not make one stylish. When Clinton was president, some of his suits had that full-cut, Italian designer look that was popular at the time, but he looked no better or worse than thousands of other white collar working stiffs.
Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, was a stylish dresser. He always had a timeless look, which is one of the hallmarks of being a truly stylish individual. It was not so much the type of suits he wore -- he almost always wore the standard two-button, two-piece suit -- but everything was always impeccably tailored.
The fashion sense of politicians is, of course, irrelevant to pretty much anything, but then so is most of their political ideology.