Obama Steps Up Style at Democratic National Convention (DNC)

Presidential hopeful and Democratic nominee Barack Obama has at times ironically battled to preserve an everyman countenance in light of accusations that his styling has overshadowed the offerings of his predecessors. Obama has struggled to enforce his "street cred", reiterating his preference for off-the-rack suits and often taking pause to hearken back to when he first met wife, Michelle, and how he wooed her with but one dress ensemble in his closet. In recent months Obama has referenced owning only five suits, all off-the-rack affairs, typically smooth and solid gray and black choices which, although high in quality, were modest in cut.

Consider the Democratic National Convention the Senator's coming out party. Originally attempting to connect with Middle America as much as feasibly possible with his dress, the Chicago resident took the podium with confident style, sporting a Hart Schaffner Marx suit, a $1,500 dollar piece from one of Chicago's most seasoned high end designers. 97% wool and 3% cashmere, the navy blue two-button jacket was custom made for the Senator's thin frame, breaking with his tradition - and it shows. The Italian cut is anything but conventional, fitting snug to the Democratic nominee's frame and emphasizing his comparative youthfulness to rival and Republican nominee Senator John McCain.

This embrace of exuberant style was most assuredly intentional. Instead of fighting a losing battle for "street cred", Obama has distanced himself from the undoubtedly more traditional dress of McCain, in so doing furthering the divide between himself and the proceedings of the last eight years. Even his tie makes a statement; its purple tone rejects the tired hues presented by those jostling for the nation's highest office, while in the same breath representing a unity for a country historically divided by "red" and "blue". It's a choice that smacks almost of royalty, as if a king was accepting his coronation - and in many ways, that's exactly what occurred at the convention that night.

Political statements aside, Obama's dress on Thursday night - from the luxurious purple tie to the custom tailoring of the suit - ignored his credibility issues with older voters and instead played to his strengths, providing the pop necessary to impress a younger, college-bound crowd that was more likely to tune in and notice in the first place. Some voters have their minds set in the proverbial stone; instead of wasting time and effort on them, Obama seems to have decided to embrace his sense of youthful style - as well as the admiration of his supporters.

In sum: A bold step toward sartorial excellence.