Ah, Presidents’ Day. A day of car sales, no school, and … oh yeah! Presidents!
Of course you’ve checked out Peek’s nod to this holiday – but if you haven’t, they’re really great: Football-style jerseys for Washington and Lincoln, with big, bold numbers celebrating their place in line. Fun for boys or girls, if you ask us.
Researching these prezzies, we found some fun sartorial facts. Turns out Washington was more than just the man who would be king (but turned down the crown). He was also a Tim Gunn-worthy fashion plate. When he was in charge of the Virginia militia in the 1750s, he designed his soldiers’ uniforms himself, and was known for long, involved notes to his own tailors. First in war, first in peace — and first down the runway! Fierce!
Lincoln wasn’t as natty a dresser – come on, stovepipe hat? But we uncovered a neat story you might want to try out on your little historians: He didn’t grow his trademark beard until he got a letter from an 11-year-old girl named Grace Bedell, asking if he had any daughters and advising him to “let your whisker grow” because “your face is so thin.” He wrote back, worrying that he’d look silly suddenly growing a beard, but sure enough – the face-fuzz, it sprouted. Wonder if Obama would respond to a letter-writing campaign demanding a goatee?
Speaking of Presidential facial hair… We thought it’d be fun to come up with something you and the little Gipper can do together. The Internet is rife with homespun projects like make-your-own-stovepipe-hat or color-in-the-cherry-tree. So boring. We like this slideshow, hat-tip to Huffington Post. You can rate the ones you like best, use cotton balls to replicate your favorite looks, or Photoshop Chester A. Arthur’s muttonchops onto your kid’s school portrait!* ‘Stachetastic!
Of course, our favorite reference to every President except the current one is this song, by nerd-hero Jonathan Coulton. But we warn you: Preview it before you share it with anyone impressionable, because it’s a little blue (“James Monroe told Europe they could suck it…”). But it’s fun even if it’s for your ears only.
*If you really do this, will you please, please email us a copy?