Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
The Mayor Needs New Clothes?
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 30, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 30, 2005
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
So, the GQ story where Glenn "Style Guy" O'Brien accused Mayor Bloomberg of "dumbing down" his style in order to be Mayor for Joe and Jane New York has hit City Hall, thanks to probing press corps reporters. The Daily News reports:
[A] reporter mentioned the GQ column and asked Hizzoner, "Do you feel, as mayor of one of the fashion capitals of the world, you should bring more style and maybe jazz up your wardrobe?"
Gesturing to his dark suit, white shirt and red tie, Bloomberg modestly replied, "It sort of all goes together, I think."
"You know," he added, "I'm 63 years old, and I am what I am."
"Whether my dress is as sophisticated as others, I can't quite tell you that," Bloomberg concluded. "I buy my clothes off the rack here in the city, union made."
Snap! It just became another opportunity for the Mayor to show how he's really "normal" - just with a bank balance that has about six to nine more zeroes than most people's. And you know what? As much as Gothamist makes fun of how goofy the Mayor looks, we think overly stylish suits would be a distraction. We want our Mayor to "seem" like he could be a dude without the means to hire a fleet of stylists. Leave the French cuffs to Police Commissioner Ray Kelly (who gets our vote for best dressed person in the Bloomberg administration).
The Daily News spoke to O'Brien who did concede the Mayor Bloomberg "looks better than any mayor in recent memory." His analyses of Mayors Koch and Giuliani? Koch "wasn't much of a fashion plate" (ha!!) and Giuliani looked "Men's Wearhouse off-the-rack." But O'Brien did not seem to have any suggestions for skincare or haircare regimes. Maybe we need to get the Fab Five on this!
Photograph of Mayor Bloomberg sporting a leather jacket and rather pale jeans during the transit strike from the AP; and didn't the images of the Mayor crossing the Brooklyn Bridge remind you a little of Mark Romanek's 99 Problems video for Jay Z? "I got 99 problems and the strike is one"
Tagged
As
bloomberg
brooklyn
brooklyn bridge
city
City hall
commissioner ray kelly
daily news
Fab Five
fashion
fun
giuliani
gothamist
jay-z
jen chung
mark romanek
mayor
mayor bloomberg
Mayors Koch
new york
news
people
police
police commissioner
police commissioner ray kelly
Ray Kelly
strike
style
the city
the daily news
video
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
NYC music in October: The Strokes, a Blink-182 cover band, and Polish experimentalism
An excellent and diverse month of concerts are in store for October.
By
Hank Shteamer
Published Oct 2, 2026
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
There is now an (un)official verification process for those who can claim the title of city resident.
By
Hannah Frishberg
Arts & Entertainment
Are you a New Yorker? The Department of New Yorker Verification will now decide.
There is now an (un)official verification process for those who can claim the title of city resident.
By
Hannah Frishberg
In the mood for a pastoral autumn experience? Try Queens.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
October is spooky season at the movies in New York City
By
Emma Stefansky
At the Museum at FIT, an argument for dolls as the ultimate fashion influencers
By
Quinn Moreland
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .