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Polos & Khakis & the Uniform of the American Hero
Does this picture bother you?
American guys in polos and khakis, getting an award from the French president. They’re dressed for golf; he’s dressed for a formal occasion. Doesn’t bother me, really, but I’m not sure I’d make a big style thing about it. From the Washington Post:
It is rare when a polo shirt and a pair of khakis make such a graceful statement about style. But as worn by the three young American men who foiled an alleged terrorist attack, the informal uniform of vacationers and Friday businessmen never looked more elegant.
But then, maybe we should take patriotism from unlikely places wherever we can find it:
The trio of friends, however, wore flat-front khakis and polo shirts in green, red and gray. As a group, they looked tidy but informal. Young but polished. Their clothes said so much about happenstance and understatement, which in turn spoke eloquently about what unfolded on the train and how they have responded to it. These are the clothes of a casual holiday, not one focused on fancy dinners, formal gatherings or a bit of business on the side. They are clothes that tend to pinpoint Americans in a crowd: tourist fare that is often amiably mocked, sometimes derided. They are the sort of ensembles that young men wear when they are expected to dress up but can’t really see themselves putting on a suit because, really, is all that fuss necessary?
And what I love about this story is that it’s sort of the reverse of what usually happens, which is that as we learn more about this or that “hero” of the moment, the glitter turns to tarnish. These dudes just keep getting more bro awesome:
As [French President François] Hollande noted in his remarks, “There were over 500 passengers on that train. Ayoub el-Khazzani possessed over 300 bullets. And we realize now how close we were to a tragedy and a massacre.” But they have not thrown their shoulders back and thrust their chests out. They have simply absorbed it all with a slight hint of wonder.
Plus, they’re clearly all three light packers:
One can also imagine that a group of young men, sightseeing through Europe, wouldn’t be bothered with packing a suit or a sports jacket, a dress shirt or a tie. At a news conference Sunday at the ambassador’s residence, they were again informally dressed — in a different set of polo shirts. Indeed, it appears that they mostly just packed stacks of polo shirts.
So, maybe we should make a big Style Section thing about these guys. Simple, clean, efficient — they look nice and young and respectable. They pack light but can look presentable at the Élysée Palace. And if they happen upon a terrorist on a train, they’ll beat him senseless.
Were I in the men’s fashion business — which is to say, the polos and khakis business — these are exactly the kinds of guys I’d want wearing my clothes.
Published in Culture
Slightly off-topic, but who is the woman in the photograph? Is it Mrs. Hollande?
I think she’s our Ambassador.
I have not read all the comments.
I think what the photo tells me is they turned down the cash or suits that people wanted to give them.
The same line is said by people who help in the moment. “I just did what anyone would do. How could I not?”
They look like heroes to me! What else should they wear?
In a way, these were men out of uniform, but in the American uniform – not the clothes, the uniform of the citizen, and so was the Frenchman who also decided it’s better to beat then be beaten, and perhaps save a life other than one’s own.
No one’s asking what the people wore on United Flight 93, because it doesn’t matter. What matters are their actions, reminding us what’s been given to us by others has to be defended, and not taken for granted.
Bitchin’ polos, by the way. Standard Issue Guy Wear.
It takes my breath away when I think of the pain these men spared us.
We can remark on their attire – how trivial – because they kept the disaster at bay!
Wasn’t that the best? I tuned in just in time to catch the embrace of Skarlatos, and described the expression on his face to my dad, later as reading (in a very subtle way, mind you, he was a gentleman about it) – – – “Thank you sir, I . . . oh, oooookay, yep, here we go again . . . all right. But that’s the last time we do that, okay?
They’re American military personnel, being given high awards from the President of France. They should have been in uniform, even if that meant their commands getting dress uniforms to them via FedEx overnight.
These were my thoughts, too. Of course they didn’t pack a suit and tie. They are 3 young men on vacation.
They also should have never gotten involved on the train I bet too. This was not from the military side but the private side of their lives.
Genuine recognition is appropriate certainly. Being trotted out for political appearances and to boost ratings for morning television shows is not genuine recognition. It bothers me that we don’t differentiate.
I’d like to see (not just from these guys but from everyone) a little Clint Eastwood, John Wayne tip of the cap and a “Sorry, mayor. I gotta be going.”
Not that I’m saying anything negative about the guys. I only mean to be negative about everyone else who wants to nibble a bit of their heroism.
This is a formal award by the President, which seems quite appropriate… I’m sure the motivation may be political to some degree, as with all these things, but that’s beside the point.
I was talking to an American in Europe recently who said something like “all the news media are saying good things about the American military. It’s kind of weird.”
Because there’s just a bit of symbolism involved — because, at a time when relations haven’t been as we’d like them for a while, this story reminds Europe about the best side of Americans and American strength — those high ratings on morning television shows and political appearances serve the country well. Whereas, intended or not, refusing recognition would come across as somewhat rude.
I don’t know whether anyone in these young men’s positions would pack suits for a vacation, but I suspect that if I were to receive the highest honor that the French Republic (a great nation in many ways despite all the jokes that could be made), I would procure a suit for the occasion. Certainly mean no disrespect for their brave deeds, but since we’re on this sartorial topic…
Young men don’t think that way, and perhaps nobody suggested it. Or maybe they didn’t have the funds and wouldn’t ask. Or if someone had suggested it, they would think it was “charity” so I think they were just right. I’m proud of them.
Leigh, I know what you’re saying but it’s exactly that I’m fed up with. Dignified ceremony has become utilitarian showmanship.
Just look at Mr Wavey in that picture.
If they hadn’t gotten involved they would probably be dead, so what are you suggesting? One man had already been shot when the boy got involved, took the guy out with the help of another and then saved the shot man.
Upthread, Claire said this was unplanned -so the protocol officers likely didn’t have time to procure suits.
I think it is fine -would you prefer they show up in “Ugly American Tourist” garb?
Today, we celebrate being Amis with the French. Tomorrow, they go back to insulting our loutish tourists and we go back to insulting their manhood. As it should be.
I am just saying that military protocol might have been to not get involved. I am not suggesting they should not have done what they did. Rules are usually made by people in air conditioned offices that do not relate to the real world.
Stone might “look American” in France because he’s a big guy, but people might also think he was German or British or from many parts of Eastern Europe. And … doesn’t anyone remember who the best-known designer of polo shirts is?
Claire, Ralph Lauren’s real name is Ralph Lipschiz – he’s from the Bronx and went to high school with Calvin Klein.
Yes, that’s Ambassador Hartley.
Seriously? (Looks like it — I just looked up his bio!) He’s so totally passed himself off as French. The French think he’s French. I thought he was French. How did I not know this?
Did anyone else realize Ralph Lauren was from the Bronx?
Brigitte Bardot is really French at least, right? Don’t tell me she’s originally Brigitte Leibowitz from Newark …
Well certainly, if you were planning for it in advance, but they didn’t plan any of this! Stone had just had his finger reattached — he was in the hospital, he couldn’t have been preparing his wardrobe!
Brigitte Bardot is really French at least, right? Don’t tell me she’s originally Brigitte Leibowitz from Newark …
I think you’re right on this one, but Betty Perske from Brooklyn changed her name to Lauren Bacall so maybe we should double check.
Next thing, y’all will be telling me Guy Lombardo is Canadian. Oh wait…
Not that I would know, but somehow I don’t think a suit would be particularly pleasant under those circumstances anyway.
It’s not like they’re in jeans and a t-shirt — that would be more awkward. I’m the kind of person that finds excessively casual dress in such situations to be disrespectful, and I don’t find this so at all. They’re clearly not thoughtless about their dress — tucked in, with belts, not remotely sloppy — and everyone knows the circumstances.
Was there any comment in France, one way or the other? If they don’t care, I don’t see why we would.
Me too.
I haven’t spoken to everyone in France, of course, but overwhelmingly, France loves these men. I haven’t heard a single word about how they were dressed.
I saw a comment that said they had apologized for not having suits. Can’t find it now.
I think Hollande wanted to have them in casual vacation dress.
If they had wanted these guys in suits, this event could have waited. It seems to me to be an unnecessary rush. I bet they pay to have these guys return to Paris for the trial, and this event could have waited until then.
But, it seems fitting that Hollande recognized the value of elevating their heroism and seizing the moment. This is a good occasion to broadcast a message of “be prepared.”
I think a lot of men, young or old, on vacation in the summer would have been hard pressed to come up with a pair of long pants that weren’t jeans.