Should Fashion Speak Louder Than Words? The Controversy Surrounding Fashion in Politics
By: Talia Potters
It’s no secret that our society loves talking about fashion. It’s exciting and ever-so relevant in this contemporary climate. Recently, the lines between politics and fashion are blending as politicians express themselves and their values through what they wear. However, there are limits to when fashion should be discussed in the public sphere. Male politicians are almost never criticized for their boring suits, but the public has a fixation with what female politicians choose to wear. Screw the backhanded comments about how Elizabeth Warren dresses “comfortably” or how Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez wears designer clothes that are outside of her budget. Let’s criticize sexist writing about fashion by, well, writing about fashion.
Politicians should be able to express themselves just like everyone else. When they communicate their personality or beliefs through what they wear, it’s worth talking about. Female politicians deserve recognition for their use of fashion when it’s relevant, but should not only be recognized for what they’re wearing. Rather, they should be recognized for what they’re saying through the powerful vehicle of garments.
Take Hillary Clinton, queen of the pantsuit, correction, power-suit. Her uniform of vibrant suits, often with a bright shell underneath, is self-empowering. She said in her book, What Happened, that this outfit makes her feel professional and like she fits in with the male politicians surrounding her, but more importantly, the suits allow her to express herself as an individual and as a woman in a male-dominated environment. Whether or not the public is a fan of the pantsuit, it doesn’t matter. What really matters is the way these clothes make Clinton feel and what they represent in the political realm. Clinton’s power-suits are more than just a fashion statement: they are an expressive mode of professionalism and readiness to compete on the same playing field as men.
Similarly, at the San Francisco Pride week parade, Senator Kamala Harris turned heads in a Levi’s rainbow sequined jacket. Harris’s attention-grabbing garment clearly expressed her support for both the LGBTQ+ community and a locally-based company. This is the type of fashion we should talk about in regards to politics: the kind of fashion that speaks louder than words. She used her bold sense of style to send messages to voters about her personal beliefs, which can be way more powerful than using traditional forms of language. To this end, fashion becomes a new form of communication that evokes emotion in bold, unprecedented ways.
So during the next presidential debate, let’s focus on the important policy proposals made by female candidates and notice how their clothing choices help illustrate and reinforce their ideas. We, as active citizens, have the power to bolster the blending of fashion and politics in a way that is respectful towards all.