Harry S. Truman's Fashion - The 5th Best Dressed President

5th Best Dressed President of All Time: Harry S. Truman

A lot of people who study political history consider Harry S. Truman to have had one of the most interesting presidencies of all time. Having been up against a variety of both foreign and domestic issues, opinions about the president’s performance were highly divided at the time and remain so today. There’s no getting around the fact that Truman was one of the best-dressed presidents of all time, however, and anyone who has a penchant for fashion and style is likely to agree. Indeed, Truman went to great lengths to embrace an appearance that would turn heads for all the right reasons, and never once found himself in the public eye in anything but his best clothing. The following are just a couple aspects of Truman’s appearance that makes him stand apart from the crowd, as well as how you might be able to incorporate them into your own look.

The Suits
Before Harry S. Truman found himself in The White House, he had owned a haberdashery in Kansas City. As a result, it should come as no surprise that he had a good eye for the perfect suit. Truman’s suits featured peaked lapels that were larger than average in size, as well as a double-breasted cut. As his presidency progressed, however, he transitioned into the slimmer, single-breasted suits that became popular at the time; this was perhaps due to the fact that the president came under fire from British tailors for not being completely up to date with the way he dressed. Nevertheless, the president never looked out of place in his clothing, as his ensembles always seemed to embody a sense of elegance and perfectionism.

Bold Patterned Ties
It doesn’t matter how well-designed a suit is; it simply won’t get the job done unless it’s paired with the right tie. While the “right” tie is different in every situation, Truman stuck with those which featured rather bold patterns, which had a lot to do with his overall look. The president was especially fond of tight geometric patterns in deep blues and reds, which helped to add a great deal of contrast to the suits that he wore (especially in the days where he wore double-breasted pieces). While the president occasionally wore ties that were solid in color, the majority of time he chose to embrace patterned ties, and the end result was a look that was difficult to measure up against.

Takeaways for the Modern Man
One of the major reasons why Truman is considered to be one of the best-dressed presidents of all time is that his appearance never once looked as if it was wrong for his figure. Indeed, Truman is an excellent example of what it means to dress for one’s body type; something that can make all the difference in the world when it comes to an attractive ensemble. Those who are used to wearing solid ties may also wish to experiment with patterns, which can add contrast to a suit and take one’s appearance to the next level.

Other Well Dressed Presidents:
John F Kennedy's Fashion
Obama's Fashion Choices

Your Ties-Necktie.com Team