Who has good fashion sense among our political leaders?

In our image-conscious society, how do our leaders in politics, business and other sectors dress up and how does this impact the nation? Can we discern our leaders’ character, personalities and future acts by the way they wear clothes, or are those qualities unrelated to their fashion sense?

At a recent luncheon hosted by the Philippine Cancer Society (PCS) and its Sept. 22 Best-Dressed Women of the Philippines event organizers at Makati Shangri-La Hotel, I asked several Philippine STAR columnists and others their assessments of the fashion sense of our top political and business leaders.

The PCS is led by chairman Roberto M. Paterno, vice chairman Antonio Ma. J. Guerrero, board member Betty Chua and executive director Dr. Rachel Rosario, while event honorary chairman is Imelda O. Cojuangco, Best-Dressed Women event chairperson is Helen Ong and the Men of Influence event chairperson is Ma. Agnes T. Huibonhua.

During the luncheon, it took the beautiful fashion photographer Sara Black one hour to think of the Philippines’ best-dressed male leaders, finally telling me: “Washington SyCip! He must be 99 years old now, but I admire his fashion sense because he doesn’t conform. He has his own individuality that appeals to me.”

For the best-dressed women, Sara Black replied without hesitation: “Hindy Weber Tantoco. I like her being very authentic, eclectic and not afraid to be herself. I also admire Dawn Zulueta Lagdameo, for her elegance and simple classic style.”

Philanthropist businesswoman Betty L. Chua, wife of Peru Honorary Consul General Francis Chua, said: “Who among our political leaders has good fashion sense? Of course, the best in fashion is Senator Grace Poe. She’s young, has good complexion and is very simple.”

A businesswoman (who prefers not to be named) cut short Betty Chua from proceeding to describe the fashion sense of Vice President Jojo Binay and DILG Secretary Mar Roxas by saying: “Binay and Mar Roxas should both visit the clinics of Dr. Vicky Belo! They badly need facials and other treatments.” Then she laughed.

Carmen Pedrosa said: “Secretary Mar Roxas is a politician who likes to ride the tricycle in public, but he’s wearing Louis Vuitton shoes. (Laughs) Among the two best-dressed women in the Philippines are my nieces Sara Black and Solenn Heussaff!”

Biographer Nelson Navarro commented: “Mar Roxas looks like an aging bagets na pa-poor (youngster trying to look poor). He should just naturally look rich. On VP Binay, the simpler his look the better, because he can never look rich or coño even if he wants to... Grace Poe, I think there’s something... there’s no longer the ‘tweetums’ look.”

Philippine STAR columnist Sara Soliven de Guzman said: “Mar Roxas is still young and vibrant, but he needs to color his hair because he looks lousy, even his pants. He is trying to be pa-bagets, pa-poor (look young, look poor). Mar seems to have no fashion sense. What a waste, ang guwapo pa naman niya sana (he actually has handsome looks). He should improve his fashion sense, go to the gym and add some muscles too. Among leaders, we like Bongbong. I think Senator Bongbong Marcos has kept the tradition of leaders wearing well-ironed clothes, while Mar doesn’t seem to iron his clothes!”

Sara Black said: “It is important for leaders to dress well, because fashion is a representation of one’s self-esteem.”

What about former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo? Nelson Navarro said: “GMA is not consistent, sometimes she’s baduy (has bad fashion sense), sometimes she looks like Nora Aunor. When she took her oath as vice president, Pitoy Moreno played around with her look; she was wearing this waling-waling hair, this white and violet thing, it was so baduy (tacky)!”

What about Vice President Binay and vice presidential bet Senator Chiz Escudero? Sara Soliven de Guzman said: “Binay, I’m okay with the way he dresses, he wears the barong Tagalog if needed, a suit sometimes, and his T-shirt is always tucked in. He always looks well groomed and with his fingernails well cut. I guess it’s because he belongs to the old school. Chiz, I can’t forget when he went to the STAR offices wearing only a T-shirt with folded short sleeves, as if he had muscles! (Laughs) I touched his arms to check, but I felt no muscles.”

Nelson Navarro added: “Our senators shouldn’t wear clothes the Iskul Bukol style, like in a student council. No, the way some of them dress is actually an insult to student councils!”

What about the fashion sense of President Noynoy C. Aquino, who once had a top stylist at the start of his term? A lady at the luncheon whispered: “The President needs to improve his fashion sense, please.” Nelson Navarro agreed and hastened to add: “Noy looks like Mr. Bean, but not cute at all!”

Last but not least, I believe leaders should not only have common sense, moral sense, humility, basic emotional and intellectual maturity, but also a minimum standard of fashion sense too, in order to inspire respect, also to showcase their psychological sense of order and aura of self-confidence. If they’re too busy to analyze and improve their looks, then please use the taxpayers’ money to hire good stylists!

Our leaders also represent us to the world, so I believe they must always look good, or at least look neat, in public. After all, we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover… but most of us do!

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