Bernanke Pick Not a Knotty One
- Associated Press
The federal-funds rate isn’t the only thing at zero these days. So was the the number of ties worn by the key players at Tuesday’s announcement of the re-nomination of Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.
Granted, President Obama was interrupting his vacation — and probably a golf game — on Martha’s Vineyard to re-nominate the country’s central banker to a second term. [And both he and Mr. Bernanke were still way overdressed compared with the usual Vineyard garb of shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops. --eds.]
But we wonder whether this is the first such business-casual reappointment presser in the history of presidents and Fed chairmen. Normally the men — and so far, they have always been men — occupying these offices have been so eager to convey gravitas, they have sometimes veered into downright stodginess.
For a full — and, we can now say, prophetic — examination of the growing acceptance of the no-tie look in business settings, using Mr. Obama as a prime example, we refer back to our colleague Ray Smith’s story published in June 2007. Ray wrote:
For Mr. Obama and other candidates like John Edwards who have gone tieless in public appearances, the look could help convey youthfulness and openness to change, says political consultant Chris Lehane, who advised Bill Clinton. “The downside is, does it reinforce any issues regarding whether he has enough experience or gravitas to be president?” he adds.
To successfully pull off the look, experts offer some general rules. Avoid pinstripe suits. The contrast between formal and casual can be stark. A better option: trim-fitting solid-colored suits, with one or two buttons on the jacket rather than more formal three-button styles.
Stylists recommend shirts with a stiff collar in a spread or pointed style. Undershirts shouldn’t show, which may mean opting for a V-neck undershirt instead of a crewneck. Lloyd Boston, a former executive at Tommy Hilfiger and now a commentator on NBC’s “Today” show, suggests shirts with high collars or double buttons at the collar that make them stand up.
Looks like both Messrs. Obama and Bernanke hewed pretty closely to the advice in Ray’s story during their appearance Tuesday.
Read more from the original source:
Bernanke Pick Not a Knotty One
