https://twitter.com/dieworkwear/status/1821587300238897348
I wrote something for @politico about how Tim Walz is one of the few politicians who looks normal in casualwear. And this is partly why Harris choose him for her campaign.
Politicians often look bad outside of a coat-and-tie because they typically wear business casual (e.g., polo with chinos). If they wear something else, they can look odd (e.g., DeSantis in his cowboy boots and fishing shirt).
Worst case, a politician can look like they’re pandering when they dress down. Lamar Alexander looked natural in 1978 when he went across Tennessee in a buffalo plaid shirt for his gubernatorial run. But Bill Clinton here looks contrived and out of place.
For a politician to pull off a stylish casual outfit, they need to look authentic. Mark Kelly, who served in the military, looks great in a bomber jacket; Bush looked natural in Westernwear; and Kerry and Romney, who grew up in New England, look at home in barn coats. https://t.co/r7T5DEnFgU
The one exception is Reagan, who looked great in everything. Some in the press lacerated him for his cowboy get-ups, but he undeniably looked stylish.
Walz is interesting because he wears things like Carhartt utility pants, LL Bean barn coats, Filson Mackinaws, and Red Wing work boots—stuff that menswear writers have swooned over for decades. And he looks pretty natural in them because of his background.
He’s an unusual politician in that he didn’t go to an Ivy League college or work as a lawyer before entering politics. It has been remarked that he’s the first person on the Democratic ticket to not have a law degree since Jimmy Carter.
The Harris campaign is clearly aware of this. They believe his “naturalness” in casualwear is part of his blue collar appeal, which is why they put him in casualwear during the scripted VP roll out video. And then quickly released the woody camo hat.
Politicians have dressed down for decades in an effort to relate more to an increasingly dressed-down America. What we’re seeing is the first major politician to look at home in something as simple as t-shirts and utility pants.
Will be interesting to see how voters respond. You can read my article by clicking the link below. Meanwhile, I just want to say that ever Walz outfit reminds me of this dog.
(But please click the link)
