Reader Ward clued me in on this article from the Wall Street Journal about the acceptability of jeans in previously unlikely places, like the White House.
It’s an interesting read though don’t form any conclusions based on the pictures. Photos of Nicolas Sarkozy in stone washed Levi’s, Medvedev in decent jeans but an ill-fitting sport coat (described as “fine” within the article), and Obama in dad jeans all send the wrong message. It appears as though whomever chose the photos didn’t bother to read the actual article.
I found this part interesting regarding the acceptability of jeans, and the shunning of a typical suit, for a job interview:
We have Steve Jobs to thank for today’s power jeans. His uniform of Levi’s 501s and a black turtleneck was synonymous with innovation in the ’90s; now, in the tech world, dressy pants can be viewed with suspicion. “When someone shows up to an interview or meeting in anything other than jeans, it shows inexperience and a lack of confidence,” says Andrew Dumont, vice president of marketing for text-messaging company Tatango.
Though jeans may be commonplace in a variety of work places, the author rightly points to this mantra for judging their acceptability:
Power jeans may best be left to the executives in mixed-rank groups. Being a junior person wearing jeans in a room full of pinstripes could spell “youthful blunder.” Perhaps the best rule is that of the high-priced boutique: If you have to ask, you can’t afford to wear them.
PG has always supported the notion that a pair of clean, slim, and dark modern jeans are suitable for a wide range of occasions. Though, truthfully I’ve never thought of it as a “power” item, perhaps I was wrong.