Mitt Romney likes skinny jeans. President Obama does not.

Ahead of his expected 2012 presidential bid, Mitt Romney has been ever so slyly tweaking his image in an effort to appear more like an everyday guy rather than your run-of-the-mill politician.

Last month, the former Massachusetts governor randomly showed up at the Daytona 500 in a Bass Pro Shops shirt. And as The Ticket noted on Monday, Romney has recently been spotted in Gap skinny jeans at campaign events.

Per the Los Angeles Times, Romney's sudden embrace of trendy jeans came at the suggestion of his wife, Ann, who is clearly in touch with America's hipster vote.

But as National Journal's Julie Sobel notes today, Romney has a long complicated history with denim, dating back to 2008 when he was the subject of ridicule for (gasp!) ironing his jeans before campaign events.

Of course, he's not the only one who's had issues with denim. President Obama was widely mocked for showing up in a baggy pair of "dad jeans" to throw at the first pitch at the 2009 Major League Baseball all-star game.

Obama later owned up to his "frumpy" look, but defended his choice of attire. "The jeans are comfortable," the president insisted to NBC's Meredith Viera. "For those of you who, you know, want your president to, you know, look great in his tight jeans, I'm sorry, I'm not the guy."

Asked if he would ever embrace trendy denim looks, like low cut jeans, Obama replied, "It doesn't fit me. I'm not 20."

(Photo of Romney washing dishes in his jeans via the ex-governor's TwitPic)