While presidents have more important things to attend to than looking cute, the fashion police is still always keeping an eye on them for any potential style-related scandals that might arise. While many first ladies were known for their stunning looks, what about the men who stand by their side as they run the country? Here are some of the worst presidential fashion fails over the years.
1. Jimmy Carter’s cardigans aged him
At a 1977 address he called a “Fireside Chat,” where he spoke on electricity conservation efforts, he wore a formal shirt and a light brown cardigan. Although some designers like Ralph Lauren enjoyed the fashion statement, which was intended to make him look more relatable in a casual look, many thought that this look aged him, and today, it wouldn’t be an approved presidential look!
2. Ronald Reagan’s cowboy outfit
Reagan wore a look that Trump would be proud of—he often wore a cowboy hat and appeared at rodeos wearing a complete outfit that looked more like a Halloween costume than a Western-chic. Was this the equivalent of wearing a MAGA hat with your suit back in the day?
3. Bill Clinton in jogging shorts
Fortunately, Clinton didn’t wear this look to any formal events, but he did wear some barely-there shorts to jog outside the White House grounds. This not only drove the Secret Service mad since they couldn’t keep a proper eye on him, but it also gave an unnecessary eyeful to anyone who saw him. In fact, it looked like he was jogging in just his underwear most of the time due to the baggy shirt he wore on top.
4. George W. Bush’s confusing tie
Making sure you look good on camera is a major responsibility of a president, and George W. Bush failed the test when he wore a patterned tie that caused bizarre, distracting shimmers on camera. He ignored this and proceeded to wear his printed tie during a news conference in 2024. Most people were distracted by the tie, which looked like it was on fire.
5. George W. Bush’s socks
Yup, this president ended up on our list twice because how could we not give a shoutout to George W. Bush wearing the ultimate fashion faux pas? Wearing Crocs with socks and cargo shorts, he was roasted by the public and the media, with one headline saying, “Bush suffers from foot-in-Crocs disease.”
6. Barack Obama in mom jeans
There wasn’t much that Barack couldn’t pull off, but if there was one look, this was it. He wore some baggy mom jeans at the 2009 All-Star Game, and even Sarah Palin called him out for it, saying that it made him look weak. Even Barack admitted that it made him look “a little frumpy.”
7. Barack Obama in a tan suit
A tan suit isn’t that bad compared to some of the other tragic fashion moments on this list, but it still remains a hot topic! He wore the outfit while making an address, and former New York Representative Peter King said that it made the former POTUS ”look like he was on his way to a party at the Hamptons.” Given that the topic was serious that day, it might have been better to opt for a darker suit or at least a matching tie rather than this striped one.
8. Donald Trump’s extra-long ties
Overcompensating much, Donald? We’re not quite sure why he wears such long ties that don’t seem proportional to his body. His usually red tie makes it look like he’s a little kid dressing up in an adult’s outfit, or resembles a leash. If he’s trying to make himself look taller, he’s actually doing the opposite, creating a disheveled aesthetic.
9. Donald Trump’s backward pants
Trump is far from our most stylish president, and as if the tie wasn’t enough, his pants have raised some eyebrows, too. They look as though he’s wearing them backwards, and Jimmy Fallon said it looked as though he was “wearing a fanny pack on the inside of his pants. It looks like he bumped into something, and his pants deployed an airbag.” Plus, they were wrinkled. Not a good combination.