Which U.S. president wore blue jeans during his 1970s “malaise” era image?

Jimmy Carter wore blue jeans during the informal image associated with his 1970s “malaise” era.

Carter, the 39th president of the United States, was often portrayed as more informal and down-to-earth than many earlier presidents. Photographs of him in casual clothing, including denim, contributed to that public image during his presidency from 1977 to 1981.

The word “malaise” is linked to a nationally televised 1979 address about the country’s crisis of confidence, although Carter did not repeatedly use it as the speech’s official title. The jeans association belongs to broader media imagery, not to a formal presidential dress code.

Carter’s use of denim also reflected the way jeans had moved beyond manual labor and youth rebellion into mainstream American life. Wearing them did not make him the inventor or first political adopter of blue jeans.