GARB
Clothing... the proper choice thereof... can make or break a man.
That seems to be true when you glance back at history. Think of a famous man or woman and you see them in a certain, characteristic garb.
The day before yesterday, and, no doubt next week, when you think of Yasher Arafat-head of the P.L.O. you will picture him wearing on of his fancy hats which have become his trademark even though thousands of other short, stubby, Arabic men wear the same type of hirsute hider on their head. Imagine Arafat without his headgear. Let's say and alien wind blew up suddenly and swissssshhh!...there he stood without his snood! Would you even recognizer him be his pate bald and shiny or curly-haired, or sleekly oiled down? No doubt about it, the hat makes the man in his case.
Do you find it difficult to picture Harry S. Truman dressed in anything other than a finely tailored, double-breasted suit? I do, maybe some casual clothing in a relaxed ,informal setting such as backyard barbecue with Bess and the neighbor from next door.He will have a hat handy, too.
Think back a bit more. Ben Franklin can only be envisioned wearing small-lensed, bi-focal eyeglasses and tight, knee-length breeches. His shirt will have fluffy collar and cuffs, too.
In France...Old Nappy is always seen in uniform. In his pre-St. Helena career as well as in the pre-Elba re-run, Bonaparte had more fancy dress uniforms than Imelda Marcus, of late Philippines fame, had shoes.. He had his portrait done with every change of underwear and, being new, and perhaps, overly starched by the royal laundress, it itched a bit and he is shown with his fingers inside the chest area - scratching. Some historians say he had a stomach ulcer and a bit of pressure in the bread-basket area brought him a moment of relief which enabled him to smile for the portrait taker or maker, as the case may have been.
George W. Bush looks natural in a work jacket or in sports shirt and slacks. Al Gore looked uncomfortable and even awkward when unsuited and in casual wear. Look over the increasing corps of candidates now forming in all sections of the country side. Pick and choose which clothing style you think would prove to be most suitable in an Oval Office or Air Force One settings.
Try to determine now which little, insignificant quirk of appearance will most likely be picked up by political cartoonists in the next twenty months or so which will become a parade mark for your favorite candidate.
A.L.M. January 6, 2003 [c442wds]
