BY MATT BERG
& CROOKED MEDIA |
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A divorced man who looks like a villain in a cartoon.”
— Menswear expert Derek Guy, describing Jeff Bezos’s style.
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To get to the bottom of this burning mystery, I spoke with Derek Guy, the internet-famous menswear influencer known for critiquing politicians’ fits on social media. Here’s our conversation, edited for brevity and clarity.
MATT BERG: What is the MAGA fashion aesthetic?
DEREK GUY: When I was growing up, the Republican aesthetic was suit and tie, conservative Brooks Brothers button-down type of guy. That is still a portion of the conservative movement and aesthetic, but dress norms have shifted.
The article of clothing attached to the Trump movement, most obviously, is the red MAGA hat. You have the Never Surrender t-shirts. You have Trump's gold sneakers. There’s this shift toward a more Mixed Martial Arts-populist aesthetic. At Reagan's inauguration, you could not imagine them handing out gold sneakers, because they would be considered gauche. It’s a move away from Reaganism to Trumpism.
MATT BERG: What do you think of Ukrainian President Vlodymyr Zelenskyy not wearing a suit to the White House?
DEREK GUY: If you judge someone's deeper, more important qualities based on their clothes, I think you're a bad person. You're a superficial, bad person. I don't know how else to say it. Zelenskyy has decided to wear a certain kind of set of clothes to communicate his solidarity with his soldiers on the front line, and to remind people that his country is at war.
Zelenskyy has explained that he's wearing this black outfit to honor his soldiers on the front line and to remind people that his country’s at war, and he'll return to the suit once there’s peace. He's explained it, and it's incumbent on you to understand that there are more important things than a suit or whatever you think it's a dress code.
MATT BERG: We don’t often talk about Democrats’ style. What do you think about that?
DEREK GUY: There are some liberal politicians that embody a certain kind of progressive aesthetic — the most obvious to me is Bernie Sanders. He wears this very frumpy tailoring, there's something about his look that is very Upper East Side, New York style. The guy who has a button-down collar, mustard-stained shirt, jacket that's too big, but for some reason looks charming on him? He might be wearing comfort sneakers and they're ugly… but it works. It’s very weird!
When you see that kind of character, this is the type of person who goes to independent bookstores, they drive an old car, the back of their car has that “ Coexist” sticker. It’s very authentic. It's like, the guy knows a lot about archeology and anthropology.
MATT BERG: Who’s the best dressed broligarch — Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg?
DEREK GUY: Elon's the worst dressed. He looks like someone who had the help of the stylist 12 years ago, has a couple of nice things in their wardrobe, didn't necessarily learn how to dress well, and is now just just grabbing stuff in their closet and doesn't necessarily care.
Bezos and Zuckerberg are tied. Bezos looks exactly like what he is: a billionaire who recently got divorced and went through this huge makeover, a divorced man who looks like a villain in a cartoon. He kind of has that vibe, he's worn these black velvet suits, that Casablanca shirt. He certainly dresses much better than Musk. But to me, the style is not very appealing.
Zuckerberg has a style that is not as polished as Bezos, but he has certainly improved his wardrobe. His t-shirts have dropped shoulder seams, a boxier fit. He's gotten these custom gold chains made. It's a little bit more toned down. Is Zuckerberg going to make it on the cover of GQ? No. But he doesn't look like Jordan Peterson, which is a big plus.
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A federal judge decided today that Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist detained by ICE over the weekend, will continue being held in Louisiana for at least a week. The Trump administration wants to deport Khalili, a green card holder and permanent resident whose wife is eight months pregnant with their first child, for his views against Israel’s war in Gaza. “Free speech defenders” are at it again!
Environmental Protection Agency head Lee Zeldin announced a sweeping roll back on landmark environmental protections, scrapping rules on pollution, electric vehicles, climate change and others. “We are driving a dagger through the heart of climate-change religion and ushering in America’s Golden Age,” he wrote in a Wall Street Journal op-ed. Well…fuck.
The Trump administration is ending a $1 billion program to maintain older affordable housing units for tens of thousands of low-income people, the Associated Press reports. Scores of apartments are in desperate need of repair, and the program is a core part of addressing the U.S. housing crisis. The administration’s campaign to hurt the most vulnerable Americans is really going gangbusters.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) announced that she’s not seeking re-election next year. Last month, she dodged questions about her political future: “Name three” people who would run for her seat, Shaheen told a reporter. She’s currently the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, a powerful position that influences American foreign policy. New Hampshire Democratic Party: You better pick a successor to run QUICK. |
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THERE'S MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM
Global headlines are moving fast: Russia and Ukraine may agree to a 30-day ceasefire, Canada has a new Prime Minister stepping into a full-blown trade war with the U.S., and USAID is on its last breath. On this week's episode of Pod Save The World, Tommy and Ben break it all down, plus the Trump administration’s direct talks with Hamas, the ADL’s shocking stance on campus protests, and the latest violence in Syria. To catch up on the latest foreign policy news, listen to Pod Save the World now wherever you get your podcasts, or on YouTube!
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A California Maine coon named Aggie was recently reunited with her 82-year-old after the cat was feared dead following the Los Angeles wildfires two months ago. Aggie was in rough shape when an animal shelter found her, but is now being cared for at a hospital and will officially be returned to her family this week. “Don’t underestimate cats,” the owner said.
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