Look, I know it’s just the fashion section of the Wall Street Journal extolling the virtues of gingham, but isn’t this just a bit off?

…Saadi Gadhafi, the former footballer son of the Libyan dictator, showed sartorial cool in the heat of his country’s upheaval, sitting for an interview with Christiane Armanpour sporting a blue-and-white gingham blazer.

I mean, really, a blue-and-white gingham blazer? What was Mr Gadhafi thinking? That blazer will look absurd in a few years, while the image will be archived forever. Dictators should really go with outfits that will stand the test of time, such as the sharp business suit of Omar al-Bashir:

Kim Jong-Il sports a Bond-villainesque safari shirt with the insouciant irony to match his Supreme Leader title:

Robert Mugabe draws attention with Ray Charles-inspired eyewear:

“Big bucks! No Whammies!” Hugo Chavez broadcasts charisma as he channels his inner game show host:

Captain Moussa Dadis Camara shows that being out of power is no reason to abandon the Guevara Guerrilla:

If you want to make a statement, whether it be “I prefer fifty thousand rifles to five million votes” or a mean skinny black tie, go with the classics.

Tags: dictatorial fashion