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What the Shoes Say: Footwear experts discern images in choices of Obamas and McCains
AP Photos
John McCain wears his Salvatore Ferragamo loafers (top-left) during a campaign stop in Kansas City. At top-right, at a town-hall meeting in Albuquerque, Barack Obama wears his well-worn brown leather lace-ups. Cindy McCain (bottom-left) favors nude-color pumps that go with most colors. Michelle Obama (bottom-right) often wears ballet flats.
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Published: August 28, 2008
NEW YORK
John and Cindy McCain and Barack and Michelle Obama are doing their best to put their best foot forward every day on the campaign trail. But are they doing it in the right shoes?
The shoe may not make the man, but it is an important part of his appearance, which is an important part of his image, which can influence voters. So we asked shoe expert (and shoe fanatic) Meghan Cleary as well as Details magazine's fashion director, Michael Macko, to evaluate the footwear styles of the Obamas and McCains.
□ Barack Obama has been seen out and about in four basic styles -- polished black wing-tips, broken-in brown lace-ups, sneakers and flip-flops, Cleary says. He makes an effort to choose the right footwear for the right occasion.
"He knows when he needs to respect the pomp and circumstance -- and for that he has the wing-tips -- but a vacation is appropriate for flip-flops."
Macko likes that Obama veers from the dark suit-dark shoe standard of most Washington insiders, but the brown lace-ups -- while a good match for the khaki pant -- look a little too beat up.
It appears from photos that Obama's sneakers of choice are Asics, which is a brand favored by Midwesterners and runners. John Kerry's sneakers in 2004 were New Balances, a brand with deep New England roots.
□ John McCain consistently wears $520 Salvatore Ferragamo loafers that are brown with a metal buckle.
If his shoes have a long life, the price tag shouldn't be a concern, Cleary said. Macko added, "I am a firm believer in there are certain things men should spend as much as they can on, and shoes are one of them." McCain has made a commitment to a style and made it part of his "uniform," following the footsteps of most men who don't want to have to think too much about their wardrobes, Macko said. "If you find something that works, stick with it."
That said, Cleary, of MissMeghan.com, is bothered by the slip-on silhouette, which says to her that "he wants to get up and go."
□ Michelle Obama has a hint of Midwestern sensibility, coordinating her accessories and her clothes, Cleary said, noting one recent outfit that paired a melon-colored cardigan with color-blocked ballet flats that featured maroon, melon and brown.
She'll alternate between flats and stilettos. "She's also cognizant of the occasion. And, she likes shiny and metallic."
She also has a very personal style, Macko said. "It doesn't look like someone is putting her look together for her."
Michelle Obama knows fashion but she wears it in a practical way -- just look at the hidden wedge on her ballet flats or the patent leather riding boots she wore in Iowa early this year, Cleary says. "Patent leather is repellent to rain and snow. This was Des Moines in January. She could just wipe them off and look great, no polish."
□ Cindy McCain's nude-color pumps that have been a staple on seemingly every stop say that she's a smart and savvy shopper (and packer) since she can wear them with outfits in almost any color.
When you picture Cindy McCain, you see a woman with her blond hair pulled back, a tailored suit and standard heels, Macko said. "It's another uniform."
But the heels aren't completely basic, said Cleary, noting they are usually quite high. "The heel is solid, not a stiletto. The choice tells me she wants to be on stable ground.... She's always in heels. It must be the former beauty queen in her."
The few other shoe styles McCain has been spotted in other than those pumps include a cap-toe style with a nude-color base and black patent-leather trim, and a pair of peep-toe wedges in black patent leather.
"She's very classic -- dare I say conservative? -- with a hint of a stiletto girl," Cleary said.
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