May 20, 2006
Clothes do indeed make the man, as the saying goes.
Mark Twain, who was known for wearing crisp, distinctive white suits, is credited with saying, “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society.”
Neither do “naked” politicians.
It has long been my opinion that blustering Congressmen on Capital Hill, who love to preen and posture, are really “naked as a Jaybird”, whatever the word “Jaybird” means exactly.
I am not speaking literally about clothes, at least, not yet.
I’ll get to that.
Right now, I am equating “naked” with their abhorrent lack of common sense.
In my way of thinking, such a pretentious sort of politician is just like the pompous ruler in the children’s book “The Emperor’s New Clothes.”
The portentous ones, not speaking here of the politicians who exhibit grace and humility, are the only ones who do not know that they are parading around without clothes.
The rest of us see their silly pontifications as just that—naked. If appearance counts, they apparently believe their own blustering.
Pardon me while I get off my soapbox about “naked” politicians who lack common sense, and let us return to Mark Twain’s theory about clothes defining the person. The two are connected.
Look no further than Simon Cowell of “American Idol” fame. His signature attire is a simple tee shirt worn with jeans, as if to say with honesty, “I am wealthy beyond belief and I can wear anything I want.”
The late actress Katharine Hepburn was never ever seen without a high-collared shirt or blouse and a silk scarf. Her personal dress code defined her, giving an air of elegance and refinement. Perhaps, she was simply trying to cover her long neck and hide wrinkles. We’ll never know, but it does not matter because we will always think of her as one classy lady.
Jackie Kennedy Onassis probably did more to create a signature look than most anyone with her pillbox hats and two-piece day dresses, the rage of the 60’s. Her attire shouted out, “I am loving this outfit,” and of course, every woman wanted one.
Dorothy Hamill, Olympic figure skater, wore a unique wedge haircut that now bears her name. All you have to say to your hairdresser is “I want a Dorothy Hamill”, and you will have it. Her defining look achieved immortality.
Most folks know and understand what an Indiana Jones hat looks like, and most anyone over 35, needs no explanation of a J. R. Ewing Stetson.
The Queen Mother and her hats need no explanation either.
Each signature look carries with it a mighty statement about the individual.
So, it appears that we do indeed, collectively, subscribe to the idea that “You are what you wear.” We may profess otherwise, but the truth is, we all pay attention to how others look.
More importantly, we are what we say.
We may believe what we say and what we wear do not matter, but we know better.
Erma Bombeck, beloved American humorist, is just grateful she lives in a society that wears clothes. Erma once observed, “I never leaf through a copy of National Geographic without realizing how lucky we are to live in a society where it is traditional to wear clothes.”
And I might add--in a society where it is traditional to champion common sense.
