THE CONTEST FOR THE MOST PRESIDENTIAL LOOK, 3/3 : THE FRENCHIES

The French:

Decoding the gallic cock look

Having tasted the very British look of the Windsors and the sleight-of-hand/sleeve-tricks of the Americans, why not turn to our own leaders? Well known around the world, the French touch is a guarantee of elegance and unique style, combining simplicity and sobriety but with the charm of an originality about which we can boast. But do our presidents reflect this very popular note? Alas, the crowing is not always appropriate ...

Valéry Giscard D’Estaing: the knitted tie

When elected in 1974, Mr Giscard d'Estaing brought back into fashion a trend that was already well past: the knitted tie. Made of silk or wool, the knitted tie is both dressed-up and modern; its square end and its flexibility make its finishing look less conventional. In short, the perfect model for Mr Giscard D'Estaing, who because of his height, however, kept an elegant countenance and discretion, without hiding nonetheless a quirky sense of humour and a malicious intelligence.

Jacques Chirac: the too-long club tie

The club tie, also called regimental tie or college tie, characterised by the diagonal stripes that adorn it, was the delight of Mr. Chirac. But Mr. Chirac, wearing his pants rather high on his waist, tended to tie his tie-knot too high up, leaving his beautiful tie hanging down below his belt. But Mr Chirac had a remedy for this: his tie was almost always tucked into his pants ...French Chic, were we saying? 

Nicolas Sarkozy: navy blue grenadine silk tie

He made this a real uniform: simple and plain, silk grenadine combines an elegant fabric with the lightness of its texture. Despite tiny nuances of tones or colours (dark blue, navy blue, black, dark red or dark gray), Mr Sarkozy essentially opted for ties in dark tones on light shirts (white, sky blue, pale pink). Despite wearing accessories that were often considered "Bling-bling" and "Hey look at me", Mr. Sarkozy’s suit was always classic and formal.

François Hollande: blue tie at an angle

During the inauguration of the new President in May 2012, Mr. Hollande wore a tie which, ironically, "was leaning to the right." Using this funny detail, several users on Twitter and Facebook continued to identify the "leanings" of Mr. Hollande’s tie during subsequent public appearances or official celebrations. But besides this fashion faux pas, Mr. Hollande also attracted a lot of attention at the G8 for being the only one wearing a tie, his famous navy blue tie, in the midst of all the bare necks. Tie or no tie, that is the question, but if there is a tie, it must still be chosen correctly, and put on correctly ...

Finally, although the French presidential image has suffered from some missteps, French simplicity and elegance still remain current in the face of the sometimes overdone antics  of Americans with their flashy ties, and in the face of the false good-natured air of aristocratic British ties. But in this contest for the most presidential look, it is clear that French presidents do not exactly trounce their opponents: American creativity and English elegance make these latter players formidable. However, if the song of the bird were as good as his feathers, perhaps the French cocks should win after all?