Gaddafi’s Ministry of Silly Outfits: a TIME Gallery

By Ishaan Tharoor | @ishaantharoor | February 28, 2011 | +

We mentioned in an earlier post that, yes, it has become a little cliche to gawk at Muammar Gaddafi’s sartorial decision-making. Unlike other publications, we even deliberately refrained from publishing our amassed photos of the now-isolated Libyan dictator’s wardrobe while security forces in his employ gunned down ordinary Libyans. But as Gaddafi continues to lose the plot, it’s becoming increasingly clear that his eye-catching manner of dress reflects a deeper megalomania — one shaped by his own vastly inflated sense of self as well as various nationalist myths that fed into his now collapsing cult of personality. Take a peak at the Emperor’s crazy clothes, compiled by Nicholas McClelland at TIME’s Photo department.

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