Jimmy Carter: 3rd Worst Dressed US President

Jimmy Carter's Fashion Faux Pas

If you ask anyone who pays close attention to the history of politics, you shouldn’t be surprised to find that many people consider Jimmy Carter to be one of the worst presidents of all time. Not only was his effectiveness at his job more than debatable; his approach to fashion was an absolute wash. While other people who have stepped into the political sphere surely took all the time in the world in order to ensure that they were excellently-dressed for public appearances, Carter simply did not. Indeed, his approach to fashion gives Jimmy Carter a rather important spot on the list of worst-dressed presidents of all time; something that fashion-forward men of today should take to heart. Consider the following elements of Carter’s poor appearance, as well as how you might be able to avoid letting them infiltrate your own look.



Boxy Suits
Look around today, and there’s a good chance that the majority of fashion forward men you stumble upon will be wearing suits that are rather slim in cut. Indeed, the slim-cut suit is about as modern as they come. It makes it even worse, then, that Jimmy Carter almost always wore suits that were exceptionally boxy in appearance, as they truly affected his ability to look even the least-bit fashionable. Boxy suits are simply not in style anymore, and it’s a wonder as to why they ever truly were. Carter’s suits did nothing to highlight his figure (even though it’s not as if he was in fantastic shape to begin with), instead making it so that he appeared to be swimming in a sea of fabric. This is a fashion “red flag” if there ever was one, and should’ve been addressed during his time as president.

Cardigans and Pastels
When he wasn’t decked out in his boxiest suit, Carter was known to occasionally wear a combination of pastels and cardigans. The result was nothing short of looking like Mr. Rodgers, and did little to propel an air of professionalism over him. Indeed, this look made him appear as if he’d just woken up out of bed and thrown on whatever was handy at the moment, something that no president should ever strive for. While the cardigan can surely be an effective piece when properly worn, Jimmy Carter never seemed to find the right stride with this piece; no matter how hard he may have tried.

Takeaways for the Modern Man
The most important thing that modern men can learn about how Jimmy Carter dressed is to avoid boxy suits in all circumstances; slim-cut suits are always preferable. In addition, it’s best to approach wearing cardigans and pastels together with the utmost in care, as your chances of creating a drab, washed-out and kitschy ensemble are simply too high to take the risk. A fitted cardigan, on the other hand, can be very attractive, and often looks best when paired with earth-tones. Always remember to survey an ensemble for clashing before stepping out in it in order to avoid a disconnect.

Other Badly Dressed Presidents:
Worst Dressed: Bill Clinton
2nd Worst Dressed President: George W. Bush

Your Ties-Necktie.com Team