Like untold tens of millions of Americans today, I watched the inaugural speech by an incredibly gifted man who shares my love for ideas and, like me, knows that words and writing are magical. Unlike everyone else, I'll wager that I was one of the very few to notice that under that thin-looking black overcoat and dark suit, our new President's shirt was sans cuff-links. I think this speaks volumes about Barack Obama.I don't mean to knock men who like wearing cuff-links, but I think in this day and age, those who tend to wear them a lot might be more prone to having vanity issues, much more so than the rest of us who keep away from fancy, overpriced shirts that require cuffs connected by clasps of pretentious bling. In my mind, absence of cuff-links on my president's shirt during his inauguration day proves his humility.
I wonder what President Obama would prefer to wear if given the choice, a chunky Timex sports watch or a sleek, shimmery Rolex adorned with a few diamond chips? My money says he'd go for the former. This is a man not concerned with fancy stuff. This is a man who 
will route out the type of greed that has caused our economy to implode.
will route out the type of greed that has caused our economy to implode.***After-note*** I did see President Obama during the ball-hop wearing cuff-links with tux, but hey, it's a tux, not a business suit, so I understand!
humility? - for not wearing cufflinks? it really does depend on the occasion . i would have thought that the inauguration would have warranted them but perhaps his shirt didn't have the button holes for them. you would normally find these on double cuff shirts. hmmm now the rolex! are all rolex's shimmery - studded with diamonds? i'm a pretty liberal type bloke who owns a stainless steel model of this superbly designed and engineered watch - that's why i own one - not for any ostentatious reason - just that it's excellent and feels good.
ReplyDelete...with humility comes wisdom. (c:
ReplyDeleteEh. I'd rather measure a President by his competence rather than his sartorial tastes (or lack thereof).
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I wouldn't care less if Obama were to be dressed by the best tailors on Savile Row. What's more important is that he rule the nation well.
That said, I am still trying to wrap my mind around the fact that you somehow associated wearing cuff links with lack of humility.
I grew up in a family where my father and my grandfather wore good, bespoke clothing - and that included cuff links, which I've since inherited. To me, it is merely following a sartorial tradition in being well put together.
Humility does not enter the picture.
How apt this post of eight years remains.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Moishe. A simple observation over a 40-year career: guys with cuff links rarely roll up their sleeves.
ReplyDelete