Opinion | Trump Wasn’t at the Debate — But His Outfit Was

There were precisely zero Donald Trumps on the GOP debate stage at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California tonight, but if you squinted, there appeared to be four of him. With the exception of former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, all the men donned the former president’s uniform of a navy worsted suit, a white spread-collar shirt and the signature, power-red tie.

It was a not-so-subtle indication of just how Trumpified the GOP has become. (Sure, many Republicans wear red ties, but the variety has really taken a nosedive since the rise of MAGA.) It was also a reminder that fashion can send powerful political messages. 

Ever since the first televised presidential debate — when Richard Nixon’s mid-gray suit faded into the background of black-and-white TV screens, while John F. Kennedy’s dark worsted suit cut a winning silhouette — politicians have paid special attention to how their clothes make them look on-screen.

But some haven’t paid quite as much attention as others. Here’s everything the candidates got right — and what they desperately need to improve — to pop on the debate stage like President Kennedy did: 

Ron DeSantis Dressed Better Than Ever

DeSantis looked better than usual on the debate stage. His suit was classically proportioned: The lapel ended about halfway between the collar and the shoulder joint, the tie echoed the width of the lapel, and the points of the shirt collar were long enough to neatly tuck underneath the jacket. The gorge, which is the tailoring term for the seam that connects the jacket’s collar to the lapel, was also positioned in such a way that the lapel’s notch sat roughly horizontally with the shirt collar. These proportions made for a classic look, and when historians look back on this debate, DeSantis’ outfit won’t look too out of touch. There is one way DeSantis could brush up his look: Because he has a somewhat stocky build, much of his tailoring would benefit from having a slightly lower buttoning point, which would lengthen the lapel line and give him a more elongated silhouette.

Vivek Ramaswamy Dressed Just Like DeSantis

At the first debate, Ramaswamy was plagued by a bad collar gap — the tailoring term for when the jacket’s collar floats away from the neck. In the second debate, he still could have tightened his collar a bit, but he looked better than some of the other male candidates fighting with floating jacket collars. Much like DeSantis, Ramaswamy’s suit featured good proportions: a lapel that ends about halfway from the collar to the shoulder, a tie that echoed the lapel width and a shirt with collar points long enough to neatly hide under the jacket’s lapels. In this way, the suit framed his face nicely. Unfortunately for Ramaswamy, DeSantis wore almost the exact same outfit, but better. He might have struck a better chord by going with a different tie and standing out as his own person.

Nikki Haley Looked Patriotic

Although I’m a menswear writer, and not a womenswear expert, I’ll say that Haley’s presentation looked well tailored. During the first debate, she went with a sparkling white dress — famously the color of the women’s suffrage movement. In the second debate, she wore a deep red dress made from a satin-like fabric. Time will tell if she decides on blue for the third debate — a move that Hillary Clinton made during the 2016 debates, signaling her patriotism. You can see the hallmarks of good tailoring: Her clothes moved with her, not against her, unlike some of the male candidates tonight. The somewhat lustrous fabric gave her a stronger presence on stage. But one wonders if her outfit would have supported her more as a speaker, rather than taking attention away from her message, if it were made from something more matte.

Doug Burgum Nailed the Classic Silhouette

Burgum’s outfit tonight was similar to Ramaswamy’s, which is to say that he nailed many of the proportions of a classic silhouette. Unfortunately, he suffered from a bad collar gap whenever he moved. The coat’s sleeves also looked poorly tailored, such that they rode up on his arms, revealing more shirt cuff than they should have. A small point that will perhaps go unnoticed by most viewers: While Ramaswamy wore a half-Windsor knot tonight, Burgum wore a four-in-hand. The fights between supporters of these two knots are almost as fierce as tonight’s primary debate.

Chris Christie’s Mauve Tie Refuted Trump

Once again, Christie was one of the few male candidates who didn’t look like a simulacrum of Trump. Tonight he wore a patterned mauve tie with a poplin button-down — a professional look with a hint of American conservatism that doesn’t try to follow in Trump’s footsteps. Like many of the other candidates, Christie’s suit suffered from a collar gap. A visit to a good custom tailor would have fixed this. There was also a glint of something in his jacket’s breast pocket — possibly eyewear — which was a tad distracting.

Mike Pence Was Drowning in His Jacket

Pence is known for wearing a slightly extended shoulder, which, on some men, can lend a more flattering proportion. But in Pence’s case, it makes his jackets look too big on him (even his dress shirt collar tonight looked too large for his neck). Tonight, the slightly narrower lapel left a lot of open space between the end of the lapel and the shoulder joint, emphasizing the broadness of the chest. As a whole, his coat looked like it was swallowing him. His tailoring could be improved by wearing a slightly narrower shoulder and a more classically proportioned lapel. And while a few of the male candidates wore solid red ties — Trump’s signature move — it was particularly striking on Pence, who would seem to have more of an incentive than most to move out of the former president’s shadow.

Nice Tie, Tim Scott, But Fix Your Collar

Most of the candidates wore dark-colored outfits fit for a conservative occasion. But this sort of ensemble leaves little room for expression. Scott successfully went for something bolder, choosing a striped tie that combined blue and red — much like Reagan’s tie in this 1991 portrait by Everett Raymond Kinstler.

However, Scott’s coat could have been improved. Whenever he moved one of his arms, the opposing lapel buckled away from the chest. A well-tailored jacket should have lapels that sit relatively flat on your body, even as you move. Scott’s shirt collar was also too small for this suit. These stingy collars come out of early 2000s menswear trends, when designers shrank the male silhouette: a short suit jacket, narrower shoulder and razor-thin lapel. It looked out of place on the debate stage.

One thing’s for sure: On the stage at the Reagan Library, nobody could rival the Gipper on style.