A menswear influencer has pointed out the fashion faux pas Donald Trump made with his courtroom outfit.
On Tuesday, the former president, 76, appeared in a Manhattan courtroom after being indicted on 34 felony counts for falsification of business records in connection to hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
For Trump’s court appearance, during which he pleaded not guilty, the real estate mogul wore a blue suit paired with a white button-down shirt and a red tie.
According to Derek Guy, who has become a viral source of menswear information on Twitter where he goes by the username @dieworkwear, the one-time president’s outfit was “okay”.
“Trump’s outfit is okay. He wore his signature red tie; good for politics but bold for court,” he said in a Twitter analysis of the outfit choice on Tuesday.
However, Guy says there was one glaring issue with Trump’s outfit: a stain from what appeared to be makeup on his collar. The influencer said the stain is a fashion red flag when it comes to court appearances.
“Trump’s collar appears to be stained from cosmetics. Cosmetics are oil-based stains, unlike juice or sweat, which are water-based stains. Suits should always be dry-cleaned, but oil-based stains will require careful removal,” he said in a follow-up tweet. “Don’t wear stained suit jackets when appearing in court.”
Guy also included three close-up photos of the stain in question, which could be seen on the collar of Trump’s jacket directly below his ear.
As of 6 April, the influencer’s critique of Trump’s outfit has been liked more than 700 times, with many of Guy’s followers amused and appreciative of the candid feedback.
“This is the analysis we want to see,” one person commented, while another said: “The only commentary I want to see.”
In a follow-up Twitter thread, Guy shared some tips for removing stains and said it is important to first start with some “basics,” such as the importance of consulting the garment care tag, as it “knows best,” and knowing which items to dry clean.
“Some items should always be dry-cleaned, such as suits, sport coats, and pants that aren’t jeans. These items have multiple layers of material that can shrink at diff rates if put in a wet wash,” Guy explained.
The writer then informed his followers that there are two types of stains: water-based stains, which are caused by things such as “sweat and coffee,” and oil-based stains, which are those that would be left by things such as “pizza or salad dressing”.
Guy claims that when you encounter a stain, it is helpful to know what type it is so you can remove it correctly.
For a water-based stain on a garment that can be put in a wet wash, he says “you may be able to get it out in the laundry”.
“If it’s a tough stain, pre-soak overnight in OxiClean. Stuff is magic,” he added.
Guy suggests pre-soaking in OxiClean for an oil-based stain on an item that can be put into a wet wash.
Oil-based stains typically require different care. Guy noted that, if you “wet-wash an oil-based stain, there’s a chance you can set the stain in, even with an OxiClean pre-soak” if the item is not meant to be wet washed.
He added that the best option would be to find a dry cleaner. If this isn’t an option, he said one trick that may work is to “sprinkle some diatomaceous earth or fine baby powder” on an oil-based stain.
“Leave overnight, and then brush it off with a garment brush. The powder can soak up stains without washing,” he explained.
As for garments with permanent stains, Guy also encouraged his followers to “salvage” the clothing items by “adding design elements, such as beading or appliques”.
Although he noted it is easier with womenswear and casualwear, he explained that the idea is to “be creative with how you can save garments”.
In addition to his analysis of Trump’s outfit choice, Guy, who has critiqued the outfits of everyone from Ronald Reagan to Justin Trudeau, also weighed in on the outfits worn by the former president’s legal team on Tuesday.
He said it was “worrisome” that the lawyer on Trump’s right wore a “spread collar and half-Windsor,” while the lawyer on Trump’s right should have shown more “shirt collar” at the back of his suit.
