Twain debuted his new look at a Congressional hearing on copyright in December of 1906. Twain advocated for new copyright law in a white, light flannel suit, distracting the newspapers from the issue at hand. The New York Times quotes him as saying “I have found that when a man reaches the advanced age of 71 years as I have, the continual sight of dark clothing is likely to have a depressing effect upon him. Light-colored clothing is more pleasing to the eye and enlivens the spirit. Now, of course, I cannot compel every one to wear such clothing just for my especial benefit, so I do the next best thing and wear it myself.” The white flannel suit stole the show at the hearing and quickly became Twain’s usual wardrobe. The New York Herald reported that Twain had 15 of these suits, and that “He is obliged to send two of them to the cleaner every week.”
Despite the late-in-life start of Twain’s new wardrobe, his name is most often associated with the image of him in the white suit. While he was writing with his biographer, Albert Bigelow Paine, Twain had Paine take a series of seven photographs with him in the white suit. He is best remembered as a white-haired, white-suited old man, and represented as such by various Twain impersonators of today. Twain made sure to leave his mark everywhere, especially in the fashion world.

Images from Mark Twain in His Times