White suits

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i'm guessing you were looking at the photos of new diplomats visiting the palacio nacional? it's a part of the diplomatic protocol that upon the presentation of diplomatic credentials everyone presented needs to wear white. there are few other occasions that require formal white dress code like swearing of the new cabinet and other political events that take place early in the day.
you can read a bit more here:
https://listindiario.com/las-social...-de-protocolo-rigen-las-actividades-de-estado
 
Sep 20, 2003
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"There is no society without hierarchy or civilization without ceremony."

That was an interesting news article. I asked about the origins of this tradition over a decade ago, and no one could really answer me. I know the white suits pre-dated Trujillo.

I have a photo of him wearing a white suit to his first presidential 'election' in 1931. I don't have that image in a digital format, but I found this one of El jefe meeting with the Haitian politician Elie Lescot on January 1, 1939.


president-of-the-dominican-republic-general-rafael-l-trujillo-making-picture-id50442252
 
Jun 18, 2007
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www.rentalmetrocountry.com
Los legisladores recibieron una circular de parte de la Dirección de Protocolo de la Institución, en donde se les recuerda que la indumentaria a utilizar debe ser blanca (traje blanco, camisa blanca, corbata negra, zapatos y medias negras)
https://www.listindiario.com/las-sociales/2017/08/17/478612/el-protocolo-de-los-16-de-agosto

In Panama the legislators also wear white for certain occasions, don't know the reason behind this but reckon that in the early days it had to do with the climate?
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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the white precedes trujillo. horacio vasquez was also fond of white suits:

here he is during military parade:
mm603k.jpg


with american mission:
qpjhvb.jpg


and with more american politicians:
k33vcj.jpg


i'm guessing the white had a lot to do with do-nothing appearance. a worker or low class citizen would have more practical clothing. white might have been a part of status symbol, so to speak.

as far as diplomatic and political dress code goes, i have read a booklet for polish diplomats and it's very specific when practical details are concerned. from dressing yourself to dressing the table for parties. some countries have specific sets of rules for particular countries/cultures to make sure the staff is behaving accordingly.

the same goes for politics and political/government acts. even the members of the public are forced to keep certain decorum (dress code in government offices is a good example here). when i toured palacio nacional with one of the staff there was also a lot of do's and don'ts during the visit.