Etiquetteer did watch the latest debate of the record-size class of presidential candidates from the Democratic Party last night. Rather than look at position statements (which so many Qualified and Unqualified Pundits are doing anyway), Etiquetteer would rather look at the fashion statements the candidates made.
Turning first to the gentlemen, we saw plenty of evidence that the standard uniform for a (male) World Leader remains the dark suit with a necktie. Etiquetteer fears that a candidate will never capture the heartland while wearing a bow tie. But that also makes the omission of a necktie just a bit too cavalier for Etiquetteer’s taste. If Andrew Yang can’t even figure out how to put on a necktie, how can he figure out how to run a country?
Another standard piece of fashion advice is that your clothes are there to emphasize who you are, not vice versa. As Auntie Mame memorably said to Agnes Gooch, “Put down that lime green [dress] at once. You’re supposed to dominate it!” Etiquetteer personally had no problem with Tom Steyer’s red plaid necktie, but the fact that most mentions of him post-debate seem to be about his tie isn’t a good sign. The same goes for Andrew Yang’s MATH pin; more people are talking about (and buying) his pins than his positions.
Etiquetteer was amused to see on Twitter that a few people called out Pete Buttigieg and Beto O’Rourke for wearing the same outfit. Granted, their lighter-than-navy-blue neckties were one or two shades different, but to Etiquetteer it’s a sign that the Democratic Party needs to diversify its palette. (Of course, neither of these candidates would be the type to break out in “Paris Original” from How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying . . .)
Turning now to the ladies, Rep. Tulsi Gabbard made sure that everyone would notice her by wearing an all-white pantsuit. Now Etiquetteer understands the important place that the white pantsuit has as a feminist symbol, and if that was her reason for wearing it, Etiquetteer respects that. But it didn’t read that way. Instead it had the effect of a rather last-ditch ploy for attention from a candidate that hasn’t been able to get anywhere. Her entrance made Etiquetteer think about what happened to Bette Davis in Jezebel after wearing that ill-considered red dress. Was Gabbard’s white pantsuit improper? No, not really, but it put the focus on her fashion and not on her qualifications for office. What the other ladies wore on stage was unremarkable - and that’s a good thing.
One non-fashion Matter of Manners that Etiquetteer noted was the issue of shaking hands as the candidates entered befor the start of the debate. One of the difficulties of having a dozen candidates is that ordinary courtesy, like shaking hands, becomes difficult and drawn out. Rather than take up time unnecessarily by “working the line” to shake hands, as some candidates did, Etiquetteer would rather have seen them shake the hands of the two or three candidates nearest to them and then nod generally to everyone else. Just as dignified, looks less awkward, and takes less time. Tulsi Gabbard and Julian Castro got gold stars from Etiquetteer for how they handled this.
Lastly, Etiquetteer wants to give Cory Booker the Miss Congeniality Award for his brief admonitions for the assembly to play nicely together.