Is 5'7" John McCain Dressing For Defeat? (PICTURES)
There has not been a President in The White House who has stood shorter than 5'8" since President McKinley took office in 1897. At 5'7" John McCain is up against more than just 6'3" Barack Obama, he's up against an American population that has consistently demanded that their guy be the bigger guy.
Does McCain seem to care that 10 of the last 15 elections were taken by a taller candidate? His dress sense indicates not. Instead of styling himself in a way that compliments his height, McCain repeatedly dresses for defeat, sporting styles and outfits that accentuate his short stature.
Had he been campaigning in the era before the ubiquity of television he might have better luck. 11 of our first 25 Presidents were under 5'8", whereas zero of the remaining 17 have stood shorter than 5'9". While the camera may be reputed to add 10lbs, McCain and his style team seems to be banking on the fact that it will also add several inches.
With his oversized suits, grandfatherly sweaters and shirts that swim around his sleeves McCain's sartorial blunders are often magnified by his impeccably styled wife Cindy, who does dress like she belongs in The White House. Look at any un-posed long shot of McCain and his entourage. Can you find him? No. Try looking for Cindy first, then for him in proximity.
In a world dominated by visual images, McCain has the fortunate opportunity to have what every shorter actor wants on camera... a female costar that can make him look taller. McCain can look at least 5'9" standing next to his lovely wife, if dressed in the right wardrobe. However, all too often it just looks like he's trying to ride her coattails into the White House.
With all that said, it's easy to criticize generalities, so below I have provided a spotters guide to McCain's fashion faux pas. Enjoy.
Most of his shirts fit like this--and they're all too big. The shoulders are too wide, the body is too big and the sleeves are too full. It makes him look smaller and sickly like he's lost too much weight.
John's McCain's jackets tend to be too big. It's unlikely it's because he needs it for his gut. They're just poor choices. The shoulders are too big and the sleeves are way too long. Look at how his sleeves are folded just to have it at the right length.
The shoulders on this suit are too wide, making him look smaller, and his sweaters make him look like a grandfather, not a presidential candidate. The sweater says "I need to keep my old bones warm, even in the dead heat of summer." If he's truly in need of a little warmth, a 3-piece suit would be a better choice. He can stay warm and still look more presidential. A vest is a much better option.
John McCain's suit jackets are too long. He clearly should be wearing a short size, not a regular size. The longer jacket and lower button stance is too low for his frame. Not to mention the jacket is still too wide in the shoulders.
A more suitable cut for his frame and stature would be more of a trimmer fit. It would elongate his body and make him look taller and a trimmer cut would also make him not look so stout. A man can be short and proportioned, but McCain's clothes currently do not reflect that.
John McCain can also find better fitting casual wear that won't make him look so wide. Beyond the fact that McCain eeds to dress sharper because he's the shorter candidate, he also needs to step it up because he has a beautiful slender wife. Until he dresses better, she steals every shot they are in together. After all, they should look like the first couple already. She already looks like the first lady.
Alan Au is Marketing Director & Vice President of Jimmy Au's for Men 5' 8" and Under in Beverly Hills, California.
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Funny thing, in the 2000 election, Bush's handlers listed his height at 6'1" same as Gore's, apparently believing in the tall man wins argument. Bush is no more 6'1" than I am
I just know he still has Member's Only jackets hanging in his closet.
You're right. He is dressing like a frump. But perhaps it is his way of looking like a common person even though he has seven houses. People in the midwest dress horribly so he is no doubt relating to them.
I take it this was a slow news day. Who cares what mccain is wearing. I am more concerned with what he is saying.
Farquaad Bush, Putin, McCain all have it. The Napoleon syndrome, short man syndrome, small man syndrome.
The second photo, in the green jacket; there is only one caption: "you kids get off my lawn, NOW!".
As Hillarys supporters were frustrated with Obamas making mockery at her,
and now it is time for John Mccain to suffer Obamas mockery.
McCain supporters,there is link for you to have little fun.
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=405287085
For Obama supporters it is not as good.
enjoy,while reading
I won't be clicking your link, ALMAL. To attempt to attribute all public mockery of any political candidate to the opposing candidate himself is ridiculous, and you know it. It's true that mockery does little to improve political discourse (though this piece reads more as an analysis, if completely unimportant.) Regardless, I would guess that the page you link to is probably nothing but mockery.
You know this mentality exists on both sides - and you're as guilty as anyone else who splatters pointless hatred across the internet.
Please stop adding noise to otherwise intelligent discourse.
You see this as OBAMA mocking McCain? Did you notice that it's written by some guy named Alan Au?
Could you post the link to where Obama mocked McCain?
Well we sure can't have a president who is short or dresses casual, another huff post waste of space story.
I'm a democrat and voting for Obama, but this is seriously one of the worst stories I've ever seen. We're judging candidates on their clothing? Really? This is not journalism.
McCain was wearing lifts at the the holy gabfest tonight.
He looks very sloppy to me.
Actually, I think he dresses very conservatively like an ex-military person. Button down shirts, safe colors. No big deal here
Republicans prefer substance over 'style'. That's something Democratics just can't grasp.
Too bad the reality of the last 8 years doesn't agree with you. It's obvious the republicans prefer war and deficit budget over substance and style.
The 666 at the end of your name gives us a clue as to your motivation.
To use "substance" in a sentence with either Bush or McSame is what is really hard to grasp.
My son served on an Aircraft Carrier and worked on the F-14 Fighter Jets. I cannot imagine that a Navy Pilot could get away with crashing not one or two planes, nor three planes, but War Planes? During an actual WAR? Why hasn't the MSM addressed this glaring puzzle in McCain's WAR RECORD. Was he an Incompetent Pilot to begin with, who only got into the US Naval Academy because DADDY was an Admiral bigshot, and then even though he graduated way near the BOTTOM of his class, he gets to be a Navy PILOT? Was that because DADDY pulled strings for him, just like Daddy BUSH pulled strings for his wastrel drunk of a son to get him in the TEXAS Champagne National Guard? And did DADDY's being an ADMIRAL protect McCain when he was clearly NOT the best PILOT? Did John McCain ENDANGER the lives of f ellow SAILORS on the Aircraft Carrier he served on? I would shudder with DREAD if the Pilot of the F-14 my SON worked on, were such a dangerous CRASH-Prone Pilot, because that would make him DANGEROUS to all the Crewmen on the FLIGHT DECK when he took off and landed!
Google The Forestal Fire.
The opposite is true.
He dresses to emphasize his war wounds. This is a recent development. Look back and his restricted mobility wasn't as noticeable. Excellent packaging idea; marketing the war hero status/ regular guy-ness by wearing ill fitting clothes (no reason to wear anything but the finest Italian leather footwear though.) Goes great with Cindy's campaign injury. NYT recently reported on a trend of people wearing bandages as fashion.
I can't help noticing where McCain's eyes are pointing in that first pic. One thing about being short is that it makes it easier to, uh, read the slogans on women's Tshirts.
Read his books, listen to his "manly" sense of humor, watch his hands when he's hugging female supporters, and it becomes rapidly apparent why Cindy seldom lets him out of her sight.
You're right. That's hilarious. And vote for what kind of experience?
Also, McCain likes to put one hand in his pocket while holding a microphone in the other. He probably thinks of this as a relaxed look, but it actually looks like he's lounging.
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