PLANK AUGUST 16, 2012
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There are many, many, many, many sartorial critics who have agreed that the number one problem Paul Ryan poses as Mitt Romney’s running mate is not the cuts he hopes to make to the U.S. budget, but rather the cuts he has failed to allow a tailor to make. Like many American suit wearers, I think he suffers from the misconception that the size a guy wears directly correlates with his masculinity. In their minds, being a 42 is more manly than a 40,” T Magazine’s Bruce Pask’ told the Times’ Cathy Horyn. The Washington Post described him as “rumpled,” and wondered “How could a fitness buff with 6 to 8 percent body fat wear a suit that looked two sizes too big?” The Cut took it one step further. “Long story short, his clothes are too big, and he should get a good tailor so the world can ogle his abs more freely,” wrote Charlotte Cowles. In fact, that’s exactly what Ryan shouldn’t do, if he knows what’s good for him politically.
The Romney campaign has not exactly been known, to date, for its relatability. That’s not just a matter of Romney’s difficulty communicating with ordinary people on the trail; he also very much looks the part of a guy who was to the manor born. He is a bit too put-together to seem real. (I once decided to put together a slide show of Mitt Romney’s hair looking even vaguely disheveled. It took me hours upon hours, and I ended up with 11 slides.) Enter Paul Ryan, and suddenly, you’ve got people speculating over whether this is the handsomest presidential ticket ever. His eyes, his P90X workouts—all have been dissected with rather passionate interest, even on the left. One liberal journalist admitted to me her infatuation while writing something critical about his addition to the ticket. “He’s close to my ideal. Good looking, but not intimidating so.” And that is the key. Put the man in a GQ-approved slim-cut, and he intimidates. Gone is the relatability, gone is the illusion that this is just your slightly-better-looking buddy made good, or the cute guy who just might take an interest. He is no longer the Midwestern boy next door suddenly thrust into this crazy political world. He is a fierce, lean man out to slice your Medicare benefits to skinny-tie proportions.
Worst of all for him: the Randian roots of his self-interested abs become more apparent. We as a people might be able to ignore Ryan’s frightening policy predilections when they’re hidden under a billowing button-down, but I’m not so sure the American people are quite ready to stomach such a stomach.
9 comments
As for Ryan's suits being a couple sizes too big, does anyone know what it is like to find a long suit in any size narrower than 40, at least if you don't go custom?
- sighthnd
August 16, 2012 at 5:30pm
Finally, a insightful analysis worthy of TNR.
- Nicomachus
August 16, 2012 at 9:35pm
OFFS. I think the guy looks like a vampire. But maybe I'm prejudiced by his budget.
- Sophia
August 16, 2012 at 10:32pm
It's crap like this that is raising my doubts about this "journal of culture and politics."
- basman
August 17, 2012 at 6:28am
I'm not a fan of Ryan, but I can sympathize with him on this. Being 6'3" 165 lbs, it's not easy for me to find tighter fitting shirts and slacks that meet my length requirements. I could probably wear 30" waist, but I have to go with 32" because I cannot find off-the-shelf slacks in 30x36. Even 32x36 are rare. Leave the guy alone over this and attack his views on issues that matter, like women's reproductive rights.
- jm3245
August 17, 2012 at 9:36am
In fact, southern Republicans, I hear Paul and Mitt will make you all work out and sweat and stuff, starting every morning at 5:45 am at the convention. Get there early to sweat next to Paul Ryan. Their convention platform will require you to drop and give them 20 in order to qualify for your Medicare vouchers. They will take your salty chips and candy bars and give you carrots, or worse yet broccoli, making Nanny Bloomberg look like Ant'ny Scalia. Who will capture the libertarian eaters vote, the Gringrich/Christie/Scalia/Thomas/Trump/Rove Republicans? And please don't suggest form fitting clothes for those Republican idols.
- smabry03
August 17, 2012 at 10:32am
Malahat if you see this: Great minds etc. I've meant to ask you and Roi too something I'm not competent to know: can it be said that any of Marxian economic theory informs any part of mainstream economics and if so what and where might I read about it?
- basman
August 17, 2012 at 3:51pm
Thanks
- basman
August 18, 2012 at 8:05am
It is extremely difficult to get an 18 in neckline on a M or L button up. For some reason they just don't put large necklines on smaller shirts. Thing is, Ryan rarely wears a tie, so it shouldn't matter. A few M shirts in a 16.5 or 17 neck from Macys and he'd be fine. That and too: tuck the shirts into the underwear (just wear the belt tight). That's it, problem solved - no expensive tailor required! Ryan you can thank me by ... ahhhhh, forget it.
- dcwood10
August 20, 2012 at 3:32pm