barackobama

Obama's First Fashion Faux Pas

While we're all rejoicing at the fact that Barack Obama is our new president, we did have some reservations about the tuxedo he wore to the inauguration ball (above). Simply put, the combination of a notched-lapel dinner jacket (by Hart Schaffner Marx) and a big, shiny white bow tie was not quite the thing for a commander-in-chief. We asked our old friend Alan Flusser, the world's leading authority on men's style who's been interviewed several times about Obama's dress sense, for his thoughts on the matter. Flusser is a renowned designer and author of several seminal works on men's style including Dressing the Man: Mastering The Art of Permanent Fashion. You can check out his interview with Charlie Rose here.

In Dressing the Man, Flusser writes, "The whole idea of a formal suit [i.e. tuxedo] is to distinguish itself from the notch-lapel business suit, not replicate it." Flusser declares that a dinner jacket with notched lapels is nothing short of a "sartorial oxymoron, convoluting both the form's aesthetic logic and its promise of timeless elegance." A proper dinner jacket should have peaked lapels, or, for slightly less formal occasions, a shawl collar. As for the white bow tie, that should only ever be worn with tails - hence the classic "white tie and tails" - and should never be satin. (For the record, George W. Bush was also fond of the notched lapel look - though thankfully not the white bow tie - which showed to his disadvantage when he met with stylish French President Nicolas Sarkozy.)

"I've been doing interviews about how purposeful and reasonably stylish Obama dresses and how he might just begin to set a new fashion bar for the congressional set," Flusser tells Luxist, "and then he goes and shows up in that hodgepodge of formalwear contrivance. In fact, although we make clothes for people he knows, I have been reluctant to reach out to him because he obviously has more on his plate than any one human is entitled to. However, after last night's display of sartorial naivety, I am now determined to throw my hat into the ring of potential fashion advisors/designers for his evolving Presidential wardrobe. Frankly I care less as to whether we make his clothes than teaching him what dressing in a statesman-like manner actually constitutes. I think he's just the greatest and I want nothing more for him than to succeed at everything."

That said, Flusser notes, "Talk about dressing green - this is a [sartorial] advisor kind of meltdown. I don't care if he chooses to wear mediocre or inexpensive clothes but that is no excuse for sporting a notch lapel (always peaked or shawl lapel) dinner jacket with an oversized white bow tie, making him look gift wrapped and therefore costumed. Although Obama tends to look as if he's comfortable and wearing the clothes, last night's ensemble made him look as if the clothes were wearing him, like he was taking his best shot trying to wear something he had little feel for, which obviously (as you have so correctly observed) he does not. Okay, sermon over."

Note - for more on the ins and outs of men's formal attire, see last week's Classicist column, "Ralph Lauren, Whit Stillman and Black Tie," and this post from Michael Williams' brilliant style blog A Continuous Lean.

Tags: Alan Flusser, AlanFlusser, Barack Obama, BarackObama, Black tie, BlackTie, inauguration, Tuxedo

Doing A Brisk Business in Obama Merchandise

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

The one thing that seems to be driving people into stores lately is Obama fever. Merchandise celebrating President Obama has been a big seller for makers of T-shirts, mugs, hats and more. The Runway to Change section from the Presidential Inaugural Committee sells tote bags, scarves, t-shirts and more from designers such as Diane von Furstenberg Tory Burch, Zac Posen, Narciso Rodriguez and Donna Karan. Proceeds go to defray the cost of the inauguration. These goods will be available for a few more weeks on the website. Other retailers and enterprising business people are hoping the Obama merchandise craze lasts long after the inauguration.

Another unique item of Obamorabilia is the official ballot from UncommonGoods shown above. The oversized ballot was printed specifically for the old-fashioned, pull-lever voting machines used in New York City which are slated to go into retirement this year. These unused ballots feature voting instructions and a full list of candidates and parties. It is framed in black ash wood and protected by plexiglass and sells for $350.

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Tags: ballot, barack obama, BarackObama, obamorabilia

Hennessy 44 Celebrates 44th President

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Hennessy Cognac gets in on the Obama hoopla with a limited edition cognac. The collector-edition, individually numbered bottle sells for around $30. A percentage of proceeds being donated to the Thurgood Marshall College Fund which awards scholarships to students attending historically Black colleges. A total of 180,000 bottles were produced and will be sold primarily in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Illinois, New York City, and Georgia. Like NY Magazine's Grub Street, we're pretty sure Barack Obama isn't a Hennessy man. Grub Street hopes he's a whisky man. If so, he's in luck, Scotland has extended an invitation for Barack Obama to attend a Burns Night supper in Washington D.C.

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, cognac, hennessy, inauguration

Barack Obama's Cars Then and Now

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Celebrity Shopping

President-elect Obama's new ride, the Cadillac Presidential Limousine was officially revealed just around the same time another Obama car his 2005 Chrysler 300C Hemi went back up on eBay. Obama leased the car in 2004 and traded it for a Ford Escape Hybrid in 2007. The car was bought by Tim O'Boyle who first tried to sell it on eBay in December. He took it off the site after his accountant told him it was wiser to own the car a year for tax purposes. Now it's back on eBay with a starting bid of $100,000 and a buy-it-now price of $1,000,000. The Kelley's Blue Book value for the car is $15,750. O'Boyle says he received a private offer of $150,000 the last time the car was up for auction and that he has a number in his head of what he wants. The 2005 330C has less than 21,000 miles on it and O'Boyle says it is in like-new condition.

Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, cadillac, chrysler, inauguration

Barack Obama Coffees For Inauguration Morning

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

If you want to drink in presidential style there are several cocktail options that have been created for the inauguration festivities, but you may want to start off your morning with a cup of coffee.

Thanksgiving Coffee, an artisan roaster in Northern California, has created the President's Blend, a coffee that honors Barack Obama with a three-part blend. The coffee combines beans from his father's homeland of East Africa (Uganda and Ethiopia, which is at least near his father's homeland of Kenya) and his childhood home of Indonesia. The coffee is fair trade and organic and sells for $11 for 12 ounces.

Another three-part harmony comes from Hawaii's Kona Joe Coffee which is releasing the Barack O Blend, a blend of Hawaiian, Kenyan and Indonesian beans that sells for $12.95 for seven ounces.

Bad Ass Coffee of Hawaii offers the Obama Blend, a blend of 100% Kona, Kenya AA and their Hawaiian blend, Volcanic Roast to honor Obama's heritage in both Africa and Hawaii. It sells for $14.95 for eight ounces.

Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, coffee

Obama's First Meal As President Has A Lincoln Theme

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Barack Obama may not be able to keep the trim physique he showed off in Hawaii recently for long based on some of the food he'll be served in the next couple of weeks. The menu for the Inaugural Luncheon has been announced. The luncheon traditionally features food from the home states of the new President and Vice President, as well as the theme of the Inauguration. The 2009 inaugural luncheon has been designed to commemorate the bicentennial of the birth of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12, 1809) and will feature foods Lincoln would have eaten or enjoyed. The first course will be served on replicas of the china from the Lincoln Presidency.

The menu for this year is:

First Course: Seafood Stew
Duckhorn Vineyards, 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley

Second Course: A Brace of American Birds (pheasant and duck), served with Sour Cherry Chutney and Molasses Sweet Potatoes
Goldeneye, 2005 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

Third Course: Apple Cinnamon Sponge Cake and Sweet Cream Glacé
Korbel Natural "Special Inaugural Cuvée,"
California Champagne

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, inauguration, joe biden, JoeBiden, president

Continue reading “Obama's First Meal As President Has A Lincoln Theme”

Diddy Demands Free Tickets to Inauguration

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

While he eagerly threw away $750,000 on an unsolicited James Bond movie audition last month, Sean "Diddy" Combs he has refused to cough up the $50,000 ticket price to President-Elect Barack Obama's inauguration in Washington on January 20.

The rap mogul has flatly refused to pay his way even though stars like Halle Berry and Sharon Stone have opened their wallets. "It's hilarious," an insider tells Vogue UK. "Sean Combs is trying to get four tickets. He's acting like it's a party at Bungalow 8 [a nightclub in New York], like they should just let him in. He's too cheap to pay and thinks he can just show up."

Tags: Barack Obama, BarackObama, inauguration, Sean Combs, SeanCombs

Barack Obama's Hotel Has A White House View

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

Barack Obama may not be able to move into the White House but at least he has a view of his new home. President-elect Barack Obama and his family will be moving to Washington D.C. this weekend and will be staying at the Hay-Adams hotel through January 15. After that they will move to Blair House, the traditional pre-inaugural home. Sasha and Malia Obama start school on Monday at Sidwell Friends School in Washington D.C. The Hay Adams penthouse presidential suite usually goes for between $2,500 and $5,000 per night according to CBS News. It only has one bedroom so it is likely the Obamas have rented more than one suite for the next two weeks. It does feature a living room overlooking the White House, Lafayette Park and St. John's Church and includes a large dining table as well as a gas-lit corner fireplace. The master bedroom features a spectacular view of the White House.

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, hay adams, HayAdams, white house, WhiteHouse

President Barack Obama To Receive Vulcain Anniversary Heart Watch

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style

Continuing with their long tradition of presenting each new US President with a watch, Swiss manufacture Vulcain will present Barack Obama with a custom Vulcain Anniversary Heart model. In 1953 Vulcain began this tradition by presenting a Vulcain Cricket watch to President Harry Truman. Vulcain watches have also been presented to other world leaders over the last 60 years.

Upon his inauguration in January, President Barack Obama will receive the Anniversary Heart, a new model from Vulcain meant to celebrate the manufacture's 150th Anniversary. Vulcain is modifying the watch it will present to Obama with a specially engraved presidential caseback. Vulcain watches are best known for their mechanical alarm movements often known as the Vulcain Cricket (due to the sound of the alarm). Inside the Anniversary heart is a 157 part Vulcain Cricket V-18, with it's 15-20 second alarm complication. The alarm is set using the top crown and the special alarm hand in the center of the watch face.

The dial is partially skeletonized revealing parts of the moving gear trains that power the hands. However, this aesthetic effect does not significantly effect legibility, as the Anniversary Heart offers beveled raised hour index markers as well as a minute scale on the edge of the dial - making it easy to read. The 42mm wide case is attached to a Louisiana crocodile leather strap (in black or brown) fitted with a buckle or deployment clasp. It is unclear exactly which version of the watch President Obama will receive as it is offered in steel or 18k rose gold with various color options. In any flavor, it is a fine presidential watch as it is handsome and unpretentious. Prices range from $6,500 - $23,000.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Vulcain Obama watch

Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, obama watch, ObamaWatch, us presient watch, UsPresientWatch, vulcain, vulcain anniversay heart, vulcain cricket v-18, VulcainAnniversayHeart, VulcainCricketV-18

Barack Obama's Holiday Vacation Rental

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Celebrity Shopping

President-elect Barack Obama is enjoying one last vacation in Hawaii, where he grew up, before his inauguration. The Obama family will be staying in a $9 million single-story oceanfront home fronting Kailua Beach. The home sits on a dead-end road with few other homes making it easier for the Secret Service to protect. The home was originally built in 1934 for Harold K.L. Castle, the landowner who developed much of Kailua after World War II and was renovated in 2005. The home is listed on a vacation rental directory, http://www.hawaiisbestrentals.com and given the description it appears to be this one which rents for $2500-$3500 a night. The home is less than a mile from another beach house where the Obama family stayed during August vacation. Given the weather in most of the U.S. it sounds like the best place to stay warm over the holidays.

Gallery: Michelle Obama - First Lady of Fashion?

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, hawaii, kailua, vacation rental, VacationRental

Barack Obama's New Tuxedo

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Celebrity Shopping

There's been a lot of talk about Michelle Obama's Inauguration Day outfits but what about the President-elect? Barack Obama has chosen Illinois-based Hart Schaffner Marx to create his tuxedo for the inauguration. MSNBC says this is Obama's first tuxedo in 15 years. It generally sells for $895 and will join Obama's many other Hart Schaffner Marx suits, He already picked up six suits from them earlier this year to wear on the campaign trail. The company is an American, union-made manufacturer.

[via Heard on the Runway]

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, hart schaffner marx, HartSchaffnerMarx, tuxedo

President Elect Barack Obama's Publicly Worn Watches

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Timepieces / Watches, Men's Style

Watches worn by politicians have always been a subject of interest and scrutiny. The prevailing conception is that a politician's timepiece communicates a distinct message. Former President Bill Clinton was known to wear a simple Timex Triathlon during his presidential campaign and while in office. Colleagues hailed the $50 watch as beneath a man of his stature, but the public appreciated his dedication to the lay person. The irony being that in his private life, Clinton is an avid watch collector.

President Elect Barack Obama has been seen wearing at least two different watches while on the campaign trail. He started with the popular light gray faced two-tone Tag Heuer 1500 series watch which he has owned for about 15 years. His model had a brown leather strap and contrasting gold plated sections on the bezel. Obama's Tag Heuer likely cost about $1,500 when it was purchased, and was among Tag Heuer's more popular entry-level sport luxury diver watches when it was made. Obama's longevity wearing this Tag Heuer might communicate his dedication to investments made.

More recently, Obama has been seen wearing a Jorg Gray JGC6500 with a Secret Service logo on the face. Jorg Gray watches are often used as promotional watches with customizable printed dials. The Secret Service gifted this watch to Obama who proudly wears it. The 47mm wide steel watch has a Miyota chronograph quartz movement with an Italian buffalo leather contrast stitched strap valued at about $325. The watches have been know to be publicly available in the United States Secret Service Employee Recreation Association's Employee store. Obama's message in wearing this watch is clear; respect for those people vested in his safety, as well a connection to the public by wearing a lower cost watch as he enters the presidential office.

Ariel Adams publishes the watch review site aBlogtoRead.com.

Images via Chronocentric.com.

Gallery: Barack Obama watch images

Tags: barack obama, barack obama watch, BarackObama, BarackObamaWatch, jorg gray jgc6500, jorg gray secret service watch, JorgGrayJgc6500, JorgGraySecretServiceWatch, obama timepiece, ObamaTimepiece, president obamas watch, PresidentObamasWatch, tag heuer 1500 watch, TagHeuer1500Watch

$1 Million 'People's Inauguration Ball' for the Disadvantaged

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Big Givers

When the JW Marriott in Washington D.C. offered a 'build-your-own-inaugural-ball' for $1 million, Earl W. Stafford jumped at the chance to host a cross-section of our country's disadvantaged during Barack Obama's inauguration. The Marriott's package includes 300 rooms, four suites, $200,000 worth of food and drink, and a view overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue's parade route. Stafford, a Virginia business man, wants to 'bless those who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity' including the terminally ill, wounded veterans, and both socially and economically distressed individuals. Funded through his family's non-profit, The Stafford Foundation, the festivities are planned for Jan. 18-20 with a breakfast, luncheon, three-night's-lodging, and two-balls to boot.

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, inauguration package, InaugurationPackage, JW Marriott, JwMarriott, obama inauguration, ObamaInauguration, peoples inauguration, PeoplesInauguration

Obama Means Money To DC Real Estate Agents

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Real estate in Washington DC is suddenly looking brighter and there is one reason: Barack Obama. The NY Times has an interesting piece on the pre-inaugural real estate forays of members of Obama's team who may be coming to Washington DC. While Republicans tended to favor McLean, Virginia. Obama's younger skewing team is more urban and headed to both upscale and gentrifying neighborhoods including U Street, Logan CIrcle and Adams Morgan as well as the typically swanky Georgetown and Kalorama. Last week saw the beginning of larger sales, including five houses in Georgetown priced from $1.5 million to $5 million according to Fred Kendrick, a broker for TTR Sotheby's .

Some of Obama's team are in Washington DC already but some are moving in from Chicago. Speechwriter Jon Favreau for example, bought a condominium in the Chastleton, an eight-story Gothic-style luxury building and Ben LaBolt, an Obama spokesman, moved into an apartment several blocks away also near the apartment shared by Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama, and her boyfriend, Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Mr. Obama. While many young Obama team members are renting there is still enough real estate excitement to give a needed boost to the market.

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Tags: barack obama, BarackObama, washington dc, WashingtonDc

A Pair of Seats to Inauguration Reach $62,500

by Tracy Chait (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Auctions, Events

Ever since Barack Obama was elected our 44th President, many Americans have been scrambling to make travel plans for Inauguration Day. At Charity Buzz, an auction that ends in just a few hours is offering not only two premium seats at the Inauguration ceremonies, but an almost-impossible-to-snag photo op with the new Prez, as well as tickets to various Inauguration Week balls, transport to said events and an autograph from President Obama.

The Obama meet and greet was up to $62,500 as of twenty-four hours before auction's end. The proceeds will go to the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation.

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Tags: auctions, barack obama, BarackObama, charity buzz, CharityBuzz, inauguration day, InaugurationDay

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