US President Barack Obama looks like he's barely stifling a giggle in his last official APEC photo. Each year, APEC leaders dress up in the host country's traditional garb for a "family photo" -- it's also been called the "silly shirts" photo. At this year's event in Lima, Peru, leaders wore shawls made of fine wool from the South American vicuna (a relative of the llama). The shawls were widely considered an improvement on Peru's "baggy poncho" effort in 2008 (see the last slide in this gallery).
Silly shirts season —
US President Barack Obama looks like he's barely stifling a giggle in his last official APEC photo. Each year, APEC leaders dress up in the host country's traditional garb for a "family photo" -- it's also been called the "silly shirts" photo. At this year's event in Lima, Peru, leaders wore shawls made of fine wool from the South American vicuna (a relative of the llama). The shawls were widely considered an improvement on Peru's "baggy poncho" effort in 2008 (see the last slide in this gallery).
BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
In 2015, the meeting was hosted by the Philippines, which chose its barong tagalog, an embroidered white shirt made from pineapple fiber and silk. As far as embarrassing shirts go, it wasn't too bad... unlike previous years.
Silly shirts season —
In 2015, the meeting was hosted by the Philippines, which chose its barong tagalog, an embroidered white shirt made from pineapple fiber and silk. As far as embarrassing shirts go, it wasn't too bad... unlike previous years.
TED ALJIBE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Last year it was the turn of Beijing, which opted for Mao-style jackets in shades of burgundy, teal and brown. But many thought the leaders' outfits resembled those worn by Star Trek's Captain Kirk or Spock.
China, 2014: Star Trek convention? —
Last year it was the turn of Beijing, which opted for Mao-style jackets in shades of burgundy, teal and brown. But many thought the leaders' outfits resembled those worn by Star Trek's Captain Kirk or Spock.
GREG BAKER/AFP/Getty Images
For their get-together in Bali in 2013 APEC leaders and their partners were given clothing made from traditional Balinese woven endek, stitched together by a Chinese tailor in Jakarta.
Indonesia, 2013: Balinese shirts —
For their get-together in Bali in 2013 APEC leaders and their partners were given clothing made from traditional Balinese woven endek, stitched together by a Chinese tailor in Jakarta.
DITA ALANGKARA/AFP/Getty Images
From 2013, we go back in time also to Indonesia, but Bogor instead of Bali, for the second APEC meeting in 1994. Looking not at all stiff in his Javanese batik top, U.S. President Bill Clinton -- who started the funky photo tradition by passing out bomber jackets to participants at the inaugural APEC held near Seattle in 1993 -- stood front and center to celebrate the historic declaration.
Indonesia, 1994: Batik statement —
From 2013, we go back in time also to Indonesia, but Bogor instead of Bali, for the second APEC meeting in 1994. Looking not at all stiff in his Javanese batik top, U.S. President Bill Clinton -- who started the funky photo tradition by passing out bomber jackets to participants at the inaugural APEC held near Seattle in 1993 -- stood front and center to celebrate the historic declaration.
TORU YAMANAKA/AFP/Getty Images
"<a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.imdb.com%2Ftitle%2Ftt0070992%2F" target="_blank" target="_blank">Happy Days</a>" went off the air in 1984, but that didn't stop Team APEC from going with a Fonz motif for their big date in Vancouver in 1997.
Canada, 1997: Cool crew —
"Happy Days" went off the air in 1984, but that didn't stop Team APEC from going with a Fonz motif for their big date in Vancouver in 1997.
TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images
New Zealand can be a chilly place. Ever the gracious host, Kiwi Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Sir Tipene O'Regan bagged the only warm weather gear available at APEC 1999, held in Auckland.
New Zealand, 1999: Cold shoulders —
New Zealand can be a chilly place. Ever the gracious host, Kiwi Prime Minister Jenny Shipley and Sir Tipene O'Regan bagged the only warm weather gear available at APEC 1999, held in Auckland.
Phil Walter/Getty Images
Russian president Vladimir Putin effortlessly pulled off this updated version of the Chinese silk embroidered jacket worn by APEC attendees in Shanghai. George W. Bush seemed a little flummoxed by it all. (He would later gain sartorial revenge -- click on.)
China, 2001: Chinese style —
Russian president Vladimir Putin effortlessly pulled off this updated version of the Chinese silk embroidered jacket worn by APEC attendees in Shanghai. George W. Bush seemed a little flummoxed by it all. (He would later gain sartorial revenge -- click on.)
ERIKO SUGITA/AFP/Getty Images
While the fellas played it straight with pens in the pocket, only New Zealand's Helen Clark (standing admirably to attention here) got a splash of color at APEC 2002 in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Mexico, 2002: Fiestawear —
While the fellas played it straight with pens in the pocket, only New Zealand's Helen Clark (standing admirably to attention here) got a splash of color at APEC 2002 in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
You'd think wearing a shirt of <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftravel.cnn.com%2Fbangkok%2Fshop%2F5-best-bangkok-tailors-218990" target="_blank">Thai silk spun with pure gold yarn</a> would instantly make you a dashing figure. Yet only Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (center) seemed to truly live up to the fabric at APEC 2003 in Bangkok.
Thailand, 2003: Spun gold —
You'd think wearing a shirt of Thai silk spun with pure gold yarn would instantly make you a dashing figure. Yet only Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi (center) seemed to truly live up to the fabric at APEC 2003 in Bangkok.
Luis Enrique Ascui/Getty Images
With a jaunty nonchalance in Santiago (2004), George Bush showed a boxed-in Vladimir Putin how to properly fill out a poncho.
APEC 2004, Santiago, Chile —
With a jaunty nonchalance in Santiago (2004), George Bush showed a boxed-in Vladimir Putin how to properly fill out a poncho.
TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images
In Busan (2005), South Korea, APEC members <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.apec.org%2FAbout-Us%2FAbout-APEC%2FHistory.aspx" target="_blank" target="_blank">agreed to confront pandemic health threats</a>, such as bird flu, and to appear not at all uncomfortable with the high-waisted flair of traditional Korean hanbok.
South Korea, 2005: High drama —
In Busan (2005), South Korea, APEC members agreed to confront pandemic health threats, such as bird flu, and to appear not at all uncomfortable with the high-waisted flair of traditional Korean hanbok.
KENJI KONOHA/AFP/Getty Images
In Hanoi (2006), the gents rolled in <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lifeofguangzhou.com%2Fnode_10%2Fnode_37%2Fnode_251%2Fnode_473%2F2006%2F11%2F20%2F116399009511316.shtml" target="_blank" target="_blank">ao dai silk tunics</a>. But only the ladies (seen here, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark) got to top off their look with traditional headwear.
Vietnam, 2006: Robe ready —
In Hanoi (2006), the gents rolled in ao dai silk tunics. But only the ladies (seen here, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark) got to top off their look with traditional headwear.
Kenichi Murakami/AFP/Getty Images
In Sydney (2007), APEC member economies issued their first Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development. They did not, however, issue ultimatums on gratuitous kangaroo, Crocodile Dundee and Bloomin' Onion jokes.
Australia, 2007: Dryzabone does it —
In Sydney (2007), APEC member economies issued their first Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development. They did not, however, issue ultimatums on gratuitous kangaroo, Crocodile Dundee and Bloomin' Onion jokes.
WILL BURGESS/AFP/Getty Images
Say what you want, the man knew his way around a poncho. The Andean body drapes at APEC 2008 in Lima, Peru, were made from <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcnsnews.com%2Fnews%2Farticle%2Fapec-leaders-don-andean-ponchos-group-photo" target="_blank" target="_blank">baby alpaca shearings</a>.
Peru, 2008: Classic browns —
Say what you want, the man knew his way around a poncho. The Andean body drapes at APEC 2008 in Lima, Peru, were made from baby alpaca shearings.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images