Great Moments in Presidential History
'Put not off your Cloths in the presence of Others, nor go out your Chamber half Dressed.' ~ George Washington
Manolo says, ayyyy! The President Dude is showing us his toes!
Historians agreed it was the first time they could remember seeing the leader of the free world snapped in a public setting, wearing nothing more than a flimsy strip of rubber on his feet.
[…]
Capping off his Hawaiian vacation, President Obama earlier this week sports an uber-casual look finished with a pair of flipflops, favored by his core demographic: college kids.
“I can’t say I’ve seen a president’s toes before. This could be a very usual thing,” said presidential historian Jane Hampton Cook, author of an upcoming children’s book “What Does the President Look Like?”
“But I don’t think this is a big deal. Your footwear belongs to the occasion. If you’re on the beach buying your daughter snow cones, I don’t think you can beat him up for this. Now if he’s wearing flip-flops to the State of the Union, that’d be different.”
Presidential historian Doug Wead concurred.
“In public, no. I haven’t seen the president’s toes,” he deadpanned.
And while most historians couldn’t think of an example of presidential appendages being on such display, most agreed it wasn’t necessarily the worst thing in the world.
Unless you one of those old-fashioned, fuddy-duddy persons who seeks to uphold the standards of dress and decorum.
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Comments
Buttercup 14 years ago
This reminds me of the blog the Manolo wrote about the sports team of young ladies who visited the White House shod in flip flops.
Manolo the Shoeblogger 14 years ago
Yes, the peoples who wore the flip-flops to the White House…
http://shoeblogs.com/2005/07/19/flipping-and-flopping-in-the-house-of-whiteness/
It is also similar to the time the Manolo called for the impeachment of the President Bush for the high crime of wearing the Crocs.
And noted that the Ron Paul had terrible shoes…
http://shoeblogs.com/2007/06/30/the-ron-paul-and-his-disgraceful-shoes/
Jane2 14 years ago
Ever mindful of the distinctions in singfulness, wearing flip-flops to the White House…cardinal sin. Wearing the black socks with the sandals on vacation at the beach at the Snow Cone Hut…cardinal sin. Wearing the flip-flops during the slow news week…venial at most.
Manolo the Shoeblogger 14 years ago
Yes, the Manolo would likely have the stroke if the President appeared on the back porch of the White House so attired.
Buttercup 14 years ago
This entry reminds me of this: http://shoeblogs.com/2005/07/19/flipping-and-flopping-in-the-house-of-whiteness/
Though wearing flip flops to a ceremony at the White House is more egregious than the POTUS wearing flip flops on vacation, I think.
Buttercup 14 years ago
Ayyy! I didn’t mean to double post, but when I came back to this all comments were blank and I thought my original had not gone through. Please excuse me!
La Petite Acadienne 14 years ago
As much as I agree with the Manolo about flip-flops being inappropriate in 99.999% of public settings, they ARE acceptable footwear for the beach.
And if he is visiting the beach, I would not expect him to change his footwear to go in and get an ice cream.
William O. B'Livion 14 years ago
In these benighted times a vast majority of people (in Europe and Australia from personal observation, not just Americans) feel that flip flops are appropriate *ANYWHERE*.
In my opinion the ONLY TIME an adult should be wearing these is when one is preparing to get wet–either public showers (or private showers if you feel necessary) or a body of water larger than a bath tub. Meaning if you’re planning on getting in the water, ok. Swimming pools, lakes, oceans–but you have to be wearing swimming attire with the intent of getting wet.
Azulao 14 years ago
I LOVE IT. LOVE it. Mr. Obama, I hope you had a totally aloha vacation and will come back to the White House refreshed and ready to put on your steel-toed dress shoes to deal with what awaits! Manolo, thanks for sharing, this made my day.
WastinTime 14 years ago
As a local Mr. Obama is almost overdressed with his collared shirt. This is the state in which obituaries specify funeral attire as either “aloha” or “casual”. The difference is known only to locals.
Manolo the Shoeblogger 14 years ago
This is the first time the Manolo has ever heard of “aloha” vs “casual”
It requires further investigation (preferably on the beach at Waikiki) and reminds the Manolo of the previous debate over the “California Black Tie”…
http://shoeblogs.com/2007/08/30/california-black-tie-report/
ChaChaheels 14 years ago
I think flip flops are appropriate attire only for the beach–so in this case, President Obama is appropriately attired. Now, you can make a point about just how public the president chooses to be with his private life, if you like; it might just be “slow news week news” or it might just be the way a President makes himself media-predominant. I wonder myself why we have to “see” him out of public life at all, but he seems to take all the steps to look like he knows what he’s doing when he knows he’ll be photographed.
If he’s not taking those steps, then what would be the proper footwear to wear on the beach? I don’t think socks and brogues would be the answer.
The Cranky Professor 14 years ago
Really – flip flops between the lanai and the waterline – one thing. Flip flops with a collared shirt, another. Obama needs espadrilles!
Jones 14 years ago
This is just wrong on multiple levels (in no particular order)
1 unpresidential
2 flipflops are for kids
3 guys, nobody wants to see your stinky feet
angelhair 14 years ago
I agree with the commenter who said that flip flops are for the shower, the pool, the beach and the privacy of one’s home. He could have put on a nice pair of sandals (even Tevas – shudder) and been appropriate without resorting to this.
And speaking of presidential fashion, how about the pic of him with his jacket buttoned incorrectly? He’s on quite a sartorial roll…
john b 14 years ago
I could be wrong, but I seem to recall a picture of JFK strolling on the beach barefoot.
Manolo the Shoeblogger 14 years ago
The picture of which you speak is here..
http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1869111_1820066,00.html
In the opinion of the Manolo, the barefeeted on the beach is vastly different from be-flip-flopped in the sno-cone shop
mere citizen 14 years ago
It’s not a sno-cone, its called Hawaiian shave ice, and yes it is different. At one time I lived in Hawaii while my dad was stationed there in the Navy, shave ice is a treat that is a near cultural event. And no I don’t mean shaved ice, it is shave ice. Please google if necessary.
mere citizen 14 years ago
Oh yea, flip flops in Hawaii are not flip flops, they are slippers, and part of the oriental culture that was brought to Hawaii. Again google if necessary.
Tom H 14 years ago
by the photo, it looks like his flip flops are at least one size too small, so at first I thought he was wearing Michelles, but realized since she wears the pants, her feet also are probably bigger than his…so he is probably wearing the daughters, unless of course he stays in character, and mugged a poor old guy out front for them….
Paul A'Barge 14 years ago
Care about his footwear? Not. It’s his politics and policies that suck.
I would take a President Sarah Palin in flip flops any day.
Capn Rusty 14 years ago
Mr. Obama expresses his disdain for our culture in many ways.
Chron 14 years ago
Whether the flipflops are appropriate or not, The Man looks like a dork. I’m sure the terrorists see it and start quaking in their boots, flipflops, sandals, whatever.
JM Hanes 14 years ago
“[M]ost agreed it wasn’t necessarily the worst thing in the world.”
Better than Nixon wearing dress shoes and suit for a stroll on the sand, no? Obama’s own recent difficulty with a suit is emblematic of a more consequential problem with buttoning up in general. A man who is truly comfortable in his own clothes unbuttons his jacket when he sits down and doesn’t pick at his perfect creases or his cuffs. For more subtle indignities, one might also consider his choice of fabrics.
All of which is infinitely better than FLOTUS in cut-offs! The all-too-frequent images of Michelle in slob chic array being accompanied by POTUS in suited safe mode are particularly jarring. For a President who apparently shares the media obsession with “looking Presidential” one would think he might prevail upon the First Lady to avoid such unfortunate juxtapositions.
On the other hand, Michelle is the one who complained to the world about having to pick up Barack’s “stinky socks,” which strikes me as a much more serious breach of decorum (not to mention a possible explanation for his choice of vacation footwear) than any flip-flop faux pas.
This too shall pass, of course. I can remember back when the scandal du jour was Jackie Kennedy licking an ice cream cone from Schrafft’s on a public sidewalk. Alas, I much prefer seeing the President’s feet from a reasonable distance than having to watch him eat on film. Is there really anything less palatable than that?
14 years ago
Can any of you run well in flip flops? I can’t. I must struggle to keep them on. Can the President, I wonder? So this looks like a Secret Service failure to me.
Christy 14 years ago
Looks like a Secret Service failure to me. I can’t run well in flip flops. Can you? Can the president?
Pikalaina 14 years ago
It is awesome in the instance that is now a will attain stuff like this situation