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Dress Presidentially

Men’s Health magazine - June 2009

Look commanding by following Barack Obama’s model: traditional, clean and impressive. Here’s how he does it.

1. Look modest and still stand out
In sober times, there's one smart way to look: "He's modern, but without appearing too fashion-forward," says Clinton Kelly, cohost of TLC's What Not To Wear. Whether you’re at your job or in the White House, you want to show confidence but not cockiness.

2. Start at the top
When you buy a suit jacket, make sure the shoulder pads sit securely on your shoulders. If they dip or droop, the jacket is too big. That will affect the chest and waist of the jacket, which should outline your frame without hugging it.

3. The suit fits the man
Buy for your body type: American-made suits typically cut bigger and boxier than their European counterparts. Find an affordable suit, and then spend some of your savings on a trip to a tailor - as Obama clearly does. It matters! "If you don't have fit, you don't have style. End of story," Kelly says.

4. Button it right
A two-button jacket, like the one shown here, creates a V shape that elongates the torso; a three-button can make you look stocky.

5. Extend the sleeves
Shirt sleeves should protrude half an inch past the jacket sleeves. “That touch of white at the wrist pulls a look together,” Kelly says. It can be hard to find shirts that work perfectly with your jacket, so reverse engineer it: Bring your own dress shirt to the tailor so he can make sure they work together.

6. Show some color
A black suit should be accented with something with something bright, such as a red tie like Obama's. Color shows optimism, says political consultant Brian Kirwin - something you always want to embody, regardless of your job.

7. Fit your Knot
The wider the opening between collar points on a dress shirt, the larger the tie knot between them should be. Obama's Windsor knot fill out that space, and his tie's clean dimple shows attention to detail.