The Bad Fashion Advice JD Vance Clearly Takes From Trump

Donald Trump has spent decades perfecting his brand, and when he settles on a certain style choice, he sometimes finds that changing it is not a recipe for success. For instance, when Trump debuted a new, slicked-back hairstyle, it was surprisingly worse than his typical deep side part. However, when it comes to fashion, Trump might be better served if he reconsidered his long-held notions regarding tie length. Trump has been flouting conventional wisdom by opting for a too-long presentation that hangs well below his belt. After wearing ties this way for decades, it's become his signature look. To make matters worse, JD Vance appears to have been influenced by the president's tie style.

While the vice president's tie sometimes hovers around his belt, there are many times when he deviates from this gold standard for tie length.  When Vance's tie is way too long, a la Trump, it leads to awkward looks, particularly when he's sitting with his suit jacket open and his legs apart. On some occasions, Vance has twinned with Trump, like when they both stepped out in matching navy suits and red ties.

Unfortunately for Vance, his appears to be experimenting with tie lengths. Sometimes he overcorrects and ends up with a tie that's too short, creating a look that's unflattering and cartoonish. Besides this length debacle, Vance has also gotten flak for his aesthetic choices, like his weird fashion fail when he wore a pink-hued tie for an 2024 campaign debate. 

While it's not known whether or not Donald Trump specifically gave tie-length advice to JD Vance, he has reportedly tried to persuade others, including former Governor Chris Christie. Trump is often self-conscious about his weight, and he believes these extra inches are flattering, similar to an enduring notion about vertical stripes. However, that idea has been debunked, and horizontal stripes are actually a more strategic choice (per Psychology Today). Trump's also made other adjustments, like wearing shoulder pads, in the pursuit of a svelte appearance.

Regardless of how he developed his hypothesis, Trump appears to be in the minority with his tie opinion. Even so, many people have derived entertainment from his unconventional style. The parody account "Trump's Ties" has been going strong since 2017, first on X, and then on Blue Sky. Most of the time, Trump's neckwear is Photoshopped to even more incredible lengths, although on at least one occasion, his tie was comically shortened.

If JD Vance takes a more consistent approach and fully jumps on the long-tie bandwagon, he hopefully won't follow one of Trump's style hacks. Trump's quest for extra inches has made it difficult for the short end of his tie to stay tucked in underneath. As a solution, he has sometimes resorted to using scotch tape to try to hold it in place. Since Trump's company sells its own tie line, it's surprising that he doesn't offer a lengthier variety to make things easier.