The Curiosity Chronicles

Kim Jong-il’s death this week may have dramatically altered the future of the political landscape, but there is an equally significant fashion loss as well. Who else can we rely on now for that signature look that combined teased curly perm with safari suits in various weights and textures and cuban-heeled ankle boots? His Dearest Leader did what many dictators do which is to create a look and stick with it, one that has vaguely militaristic overtones yet is easy to wear under many differing conditions: visiting peasants on the farms, signing important documents and threatening enemies. Time to investigate how many of the significant dictators of the last century worked it out.

Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi’s 41-year leadership of Libya prior to the uprising made him the fourth longest-serving non-royal leader since 1900 as well as the longest-serving Arab leader. He variously styled himself as “The Brother Leader,” and “Guide of the Revolution;” in 2008, a meeting of traditional African rulers bestowed on him the title: “King of Kings”. Dressing appropriately for these various incarnations made his style somewhat schizophrenic; some days favoring bespoke military uniforms (often in interesting untraditional shades of mint, duck-egg blue or even pink) complete with heavy military medalling and insignia (although it has been purported that many of the medals were not earned) and at other times, dressing in traditional African-themed robes, flamboyantly patterned with matching hats and shoes.

Gaddafi tended to struggle with his “everyday” ensembles, seemingly favoring a look that vacillated between Michael Jackson and Don Johnson’s “Miami Vice” period.

After Great Britain broke off all diplomatic relations with his regime in 1977, Ugandan dictator Idi Amin declared he had defeated the British and conferred on himself the decoration of CBE (Conqueror of the British Empire). His full self-bestowed title ultimately became “His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Seas and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular”, in addition to his officially stated claim of being the uncrowned King of Scotland.

Famous for owning hundreds of traditional tartan kilts, he sported them in combination with excessive military insignia, presumably to live up to his equally excessive title. Here is Forest Whittaker famously playing him in the movie “The Last King Of Scotland.”

And finally, we have not a political dictator, but perhaps a cultural one: Michael Jackson, who seemed to embody most of the excesses of many of the others mentioned here - huge military embellishments combined with metallic, cyber-futuristic and robotic elements, as well as homages to traditional African and multi-cultural garments. A fashion hybrid sitting somewhere between Ethiopian dictator Haile Selassie and a Vaudevillian performer, he brought dictator style to the masses, who emulated his medals, epaulets and braids in huge quantities at the local mall.

What Of It? Obviously there is something interesting in the overlap between fear and power - many dictators are in a somewhat precarious position politically so the need to express power in a very overt and somewhat threatening form is there: using heavy militaristic or cultural references to somehow reinforce their, in many cases, tenuous stranglehold. Dressing the part of a dictator requires commitment and confidence. Actor Sasha Baron Cohen obviously understands this - his new movie “The Dictator” is clearly on trend fashion-wise.

I Am Curious about the concept of ‘power dressing” and what it really means in the context of modern politics, of expressions of personal style and of how trends manifest, even in the highest circles.