5 TOP WORLD'S BEST DRESSED LEADERS

 

 

 

 

LAURA CHINCHILLA

Laura Chinchilla, the first female president of Costa Rica, is a social conservative and progressive dresser. For her inauguration, Chinchilla wore a white skirt and white suit jacket featuring a built-in white cummerbund. Though she’s been in office for just under three years, she’s already experimented with a wide variety of suit shades and is often photographed wearing gem tones of green and blue. Poker-straight shoulder-length brown hair combats the aging effect that’s often a consequence of female politicians’ necessarily moderate outfits.

BARACK OBAMA

Though Barack Obama’s personal style is, quite understandably, often overshadowed by the sartorial slam dunks of his flawless wife, Michelle, the most powerful man in the world can wear the hell out of a suit. He favors the Chicago-based label Hartmarx; in turn, Hartmax wears its reciprocated affinity for the president (and the attendant publicity) on its wool-cashmere-blend sleeve. At one point an advertisement on the house’s Web site: “Dressing Presidential. Pick your power suit. President-elect Barack Obama found his at Hart Schaffner Marx.” See more after the cut.

KAMLA PERSAD-BISSESSAR

The first female prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago—and the second first female prime minister on this list—Kamla Persad-Bissessar chose a shiny, lime-green suit for her swearing-in and has not ceased experimenting with more adventurous fashion since. She pairs drop earrings with pearl necklaces, brooches with statement lapels, pink jackets with purple eye shadow, and, most notably, a punchy personal style with political appropriateness.

WERNER FAYMANN

Werner Faymann, the most famous grizzled Viennese since Sigmund Freud, wears dark suits, white or light-blue shirts, and thin striped ties. His style signature is not his outfit so much as it is his hair: 

that perfectly thick, perfectly polychromatic forest of gray most commonly found on men’s hair-dye boxes. Sometimes a suit is just a suit—but a full head of hair on a 52-year-old man is always a calling card.

JOYCE BANDA

Ranked as the most powerful woman in Africa by Forbes, Joyce Banda might also be the most delightfully attired. Her collection of floral, patterned, brightly colored, and ornate hats is like millenary Prozac: who could help but smile in a hat like that? Who could help but smile just looking at a hat like that? Princess Beatrice maybe, but it’s only because she’s jealous.