North Korean leader Kim Jong-il has recently gone from man of mystery to international fashion icon. While the North Korean media frequently spit out unintentionally comedic headlines, it seemed oddly appropriate when the country’s state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun boasted in April that Kim’s trademark khaki jumpsuit was now “chic.” What inspires his wardrobe choices? Turns out his fashion sense has more to do with function than form. Apparently, the often paunchy-looking ecru garment conceals a bullet-proof vest, while the hairdo and the shoes are height enhancers for the diminutive dictator. What about other dictators? As this slide show from Foreignpolicy.com indicates, Muammar Qaddafi wears robes representative of his hometown and Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez is trying to invoke Simón Bolívar when he dons red.
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