Much ado has been made of the new Greek government’s no-tie dress code with Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis showing up to meet British Chancellor George Osborne on Downing Street sporting a bright blue shirt and an early 1990’s leather coat. His shaved head and hands in pocket complemented the bouncer’s look.
Of course this is not the first time that politicians’ fashion styles have spoken as loudly as their politics:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s headline-making choice of attire has prompted headlines such as “Move aside Michelle Obama. The World has a new fashion icon.” His signature vest is paired with a paisley shawl. He also has a vast collection of hats and wears an iconic long tunic that has its own hashtag #ModiKurta.
Look carefully and you’ll notice that the pinstripes are actually prints with his name on them
#Modikurta
Jose Mujica, billed as the “world’s poorest president”, because he leads a life of humility and dresses like a farmer. He is loved by the people of Uruguay because he donates 90% of his 12,000-dollar monthly salary to charities that benefit poor people and SMEs. He battled for the rights of the country’s citizens as a guerilla fighter and was shot 5 times after an escape attempt. He prefers his farm to his country’s presidential mansion that he plans to convert to a museum. He drives a 1987 Volkswagen Beetle and has a 3-legged dog known as Manuela.
Australian politician Donald Dunstan brought profound change to South Australian society thanks to his socially progressive administration that saw Aboriginal land rights recognized, homosexuality legalized, the first female judge appointed and many more changes making Australian society a more egalitarian place to live in. What he is remembered for the most, however, is his flamboyand dress style and attending Parliament in 1972 with pink shorts.
U.S. Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro represents Connecticut’s third distrinct in the U.S. House of Representatives, a post she’s held for over two deaces. The 70-year-old liberal politician with the cropped hair and funky accessories champions the hipster feminist style as opposed to the skirt-suit uniform worn by many female politicians. She says that she’s always been drawn to interesting and colorful clothes since her childhood days as the daughter of a dressmaker who worked in the old sweatshops in New Haven. She states that it’s an expression of some worts but warns that it’s not who you are and what you’re about but what you accomplish that matters.
Hugo Chavez, the late president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, was famous for his three modes of fashion: his olive-colored uniform, his red-tied suits for formal signing ceremonies and his informal red shirt over red t-shirt civilian style worn at party rallies.
