Not one to follow suit

Looks as if Michelle Obama isn’t the only one with an eye on fashion.

President Obama is shaking things up by challenging the supremacy of the business suit in the one town in America where a suit still equals power. According to several reports, casual-Friday style is becoming everyday style in the Obama White House, with the president encouraging staffers to take off their jackets, even in the Oval Office. (Lord knows they have enough work to do; they need to get comfortable and roll up their sleeves, even though that won’t do much to help suit sales.)

In an interview with Matt Lauer on “Today,” Obama broke with the suit-and-tie uniform again and wore a casual button-down shirt sans tie. It was a Sunday afternoon and Obama was hanging at home before the Super Bowl, but it was yet another indicator of the dawn of a more relaxed Washington wardrobe.

Besides reflecting Obama’s easygoing nature, the casual approach to dressing sets him apart visually from the corrupt “suits,” the CEOs and Wall Street opportunists that he’s trying to bring down to earth.

Obama’s look harks back to Bobby Kennedy and President Carter. It’s of the people. But as one of my blog commenters so eloquently posted, “He could wear a pink robe and bunny slippers so long as he gets the job done.” And how.

-- Booth Moore