America’s Cultural Fabric at its Finest
Inaugural Fashion Gives a Glimpse of the US Under a Biden-Harris Administration
On January 20, America took a bold stance; one in the name of hope, healing and humanity.
And, if you can look past the meme-worthy allure of Bernie Sanders and his precious, oversized mittens, you’ll remember we also swore in a seriously stylish administration under our new president and VP.
As Joe Biden officially became the 46th President of the United States, Kamala Harris stood by him as — we’ll never get tired of saying it — the country’s first female, first Black and first Asian American vice president.
If you thought Kamala’s Converse were iconic, tie yourself in. Even with limited attendance, a swath of symbolically significant fashion statements made up for Capitol Hill’s empty seats. We witnessed an exquisite display of the country’s evolving cultural threads and, with nods to traditional American values, it looks like we’re finally gearing up to turn the pages of progress.
Joe Biden goes all-American
Image Courtesy: The New Yorker
Inauguration may have seen Joe Biden step into a role that comes paired with a list of challenges as big as a foghorn, but he looked the part. President Biden donned a classic look, realized entirely by Ralph Lauren. His gray overcoat, navy suit and mask, baby blue tie and wool scarf can all be credited to the iconic American designer.
Beyond just serving as beautiful basics, the outfit choice can’t be wholly appreciated without addressing Lauren’s archetypal American practices and roots. Biden’s set was created in Rochester, New York, at the city’s Hickey Freeman plant, where suits have been made since 1912. The designer was born to a Jewish-immigrant family in the Bronx and “wanted to be bigger and better than where he came from,” according to his son. As he took office, Biden propped up a direct product of the American dream. The local selection is especially notable as a shift from Donald Trump’s affinity for wearing suits designed by Brioni, a European label.
Donning domestic isn’t a surprising move from Biden. He built his “Average Joe” image by leaning into his middle-class roots and being open about the hardships he’s experienced, like his father’s financial troubles, and the death of his wife and child in 1972. The man is known to be a mediator and, by keeping his closet close to home, he’s sending a clear message to citizens on either side: it’s all of America first. It doesn’t get much more patriotic than that, folks.
Kamala Harris — In-sync with voguish innovators
Image Courtesy: People
Keeping consistent with her nickname, ‘Momala’ brought warm, thoughtful and forward-facing energy in every inch of her dress. Taking full advantage of her presidential counterpart’s aisle-bridging status, Harris went for purple provisions that represent bipartisanship and a bridge to connect a polarized, Blue and Red nation. She also chose the color as a callback to Shirley Chisholm — the first Black woman elected to Congress and to run for U.S. President with a major party, as well as a frequent purple wearer — and as a nod to the banners of the women’s suffrage movement. As if she wasn’t pushing for solidarity and sisterhood enough, she wore a custom Wilfredo Rosado pearl necklace to shout out her sorority sisters in Alpha Kappa Alpha. And that’s barely scratching the fabric.
Whereas President Biden preserved a historic sentiment with his designer-of-choice, Vice President Harris proved she has a hand on the future of the nation’s cultural pulse with her selection, Christopher John Rogers. If you haven’t heard about him, you’ve probably been living under a rock, through a global pandemic or an attempted coup; Rogers is one of fashion’s freshest frontrunners. The Baton Rouge-born, SoHo-based superstar made a name for himself with bold, bright designs planted on dramatic statement pieces. As a CJR wearer, Harris joined the likes of Zendaya, Lizzo, Rihanna and Michelle Obama — good company, if you ask us.
The vibrance of Harris’ coat is a staple of the label, and it breathed the same life Rogers brings to the runway into the inauguration. Both figures have expressed the importance of diversity in either of their specialties, be it political or posh, and they are emblematic of the fruits of inclusion. Rogers started designing out of his apartment living room, faced the afflictions of tokenism and fashion-industry racism, and ended up winning the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s top prize in 2019. Harris lived through the pains of integration and is now Vice President of the United States. Both are brutally aware of the discriminatory obstacles they met along the way, yet neither appear to be finished.
Did we mention Madam VP went off the night before, too?
Image Courtesy: Essence
Just hours before the landmark swearing-in ceremony, Harris stood side-by-side with the Second Gentleman and the Bidens as they honored the more than 400,000 Americans lost to COVID-19 at a solemn ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial.
For the ceremony, Harris chose a Pyer Moss coat constructed of camel-colored cashmere by Kerby Jean-Raymond, a Haitian-American Brooklyn native who’s spearheading a celebration of Black culture in fashion as creative director at Reebok and founder of the coat’s label. The structured overcoat represented Harris’ stature and strength as a progressive pioneer in the Senate, and the United States’ position as the once-great global superpower she and Biden are now tasked with stabilizing. The coat’s knife pleat and wave symbol — both Pyer Moss signatures — were representative of “a new wave,” per Jean-Raymond. Mirrored on the Lincoln Memorial’s reflecting pool, Harris’ wardrobe choice acknowledged ongoing tragedy but championed optimistic progressivism.
Harris’ selection of prominent Black designers the night before and the day of her historic inauguration foreshadows decisive action against systemic racism, an issue Harris has spoken openly on. She will not be lectured, but she’s not done serving looks and lessons of her own.
Jill Biden reinforces renewability
Image Courtesy: Grazia Magazine
*Ahem* That’s Dr. Jill Biden. Like Madam VP, her spot-on style seeped into the previous night’s ceremony. Opting for purple to symbolize Joe’s message of bipartisan unity for the country, Dr. Biden selected a matching set from NYC-based designer Jonathan Cohen. Cohen is a first-generation descendant of Mexican immigrants. The first lady’s selection of the small-business owner gave him a stately platform, representing a full realization of Americana being brought to life.
Image Courtesy: E! News
Dr. Biden failed to disappoint for the Inauguration Day festivities. Giving a nod to her husband’s plan to address the mounting climate crisis, Dr. Biden sported Markarian. Constructed of tweed with a Swarovski pearl and crystal neckline, her coat and dress’s ocean blue hue symbolizes strength, stability and serenity — all things that have been seemingly absent from American politics. Founded by Alexandra O’Neill in 2017, the outfit’s label also boasts a made-to-order, environmentally conscious and minimal waste model.
With this message in mind, it wasn’t surprising when her husband rejoined the Paris Climate Accords on the nation’s behalf and canceled the Keystone XL pipeline later that day. Jill’s hubbie may be the oldest sitting president in U.S. history but, judging the clear intent behind both their actions and wardrobe selections, neither seem “sleepy” in the slightest.
Michelle Obama — Does she ever disappoint?
Image Courtesy: The Cut
Hey Michelle! Girl, you have done it again. Constantly raising the bar for us all and doing it flawlessly.
The former first lady showed up and showed out in a monochromatic plum Sergio Hudson look. Completely designed and produced in New York City, Obama’s outfit was made up of an alpaca sweater, paired with a cashmere overcoat and high-waisted, wide-leg power pants. A signature belt from the label’s FW20 collection brings the look together. Topping off the look was Obama’s bouncing, bodacious curls. Yene Damtew, owner of Aesthetics in Arlington, Virginia, conjured up the simple but sophisticated look. Damtew has been working with the Obamas since they were in the White House; however, the former first lady approached her a little more than a year ago to work with her full-time. Don’t we all wish we were Damtew right about now?
The former first lady is no stranger to using fashion to make a political statement. As her husband was running for president, Obama realized the media would be watching her every move. “Optics [govern] more or less everything in the political world, and I [factor] this into every outfit,” she told New York Times in 2018. She saw this as the opportunity to elevate smaller, emerging designers through these selections. As demonstrated through her inaugural styling choices, it’s apparent the former first lady hasn’t forgotten this sentiment.
Fashionable Mentions
In addition to watching some of our most powerful political figures pull off breathtaking, history-defining moments in fashion, there were other guests who dressed the part. Who would we be if we didn’t mention the tantalizing Schiaparelli gown Lady Gaga wore as she gave one of the best renditions of “The Star-Spangled Banner” we’ve seen in recent history? Daniel Roseberry, a U.S. native and creative director of Schiaparelli based in Paris, told Harper’s Bazaar the gown served as “a love letter to the country I miss so dearly.” Gaga wore a fitted jacket made of navy cashmere on top of a billowing skirt in red silk. Perhaps the most notable part of the pop star’s ensemble was the gilded peace dove that pulled everything together — we’re looking at you, Ms. Everdeen.
Jennifer Lopez also served us her interpretations of “This Land Is Your Land” and “America, The Beautiful” while serving in head-to-toe Chanel. Opting for suffragette white, Jenny from the block came to send a message of gender equality to America, and she looked exquisite while doing it.
Image Courtesy: NBC News
Just as jaw-dropping, it was tough to focus on youth poet laureate Amanda Gorman’s outfit during her powerful delivery of “The Hill We Climb.” The poem was somehow more entrancing than the Prada-branded red headband, yellow coat and special accessories she wore while reciting it. Oprah Winfrey, a friend and fan of Gorman, gifted the poet a pair of sustainable Nikos Koulis gold hoop earrings and an Of Rare Origin ring in order to keep her tradition of supporting poets before inauguration readings. The ring’s caged bird design was a tribute to “I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou, Gorman’s idol. It was also a nod to when Winfrey gifted Angelou a Chanel coat and gloves before her poetry reading at Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993. Even as an elegant image of America’s youth and future, Gorman paid respect to its past.
Kamala Harris stole stares on her own, but she also brought good company. Her husband and America’s first-ever Second Gentleman, Doug Emhoff, wore Ralph Lauren along with President Biden. His black ensemble kept him looking dapper without taking up much limelight.
Like Oprah and giving gifts, Hillary Clinton and the pantsuit go hand in hand. Coordinating with Harris and Obama, the former first lady and secretary of state also opted for a purple number from Ralph Lauren to, again, drive home the message of unity and bipartisanship needed to heal a divided nation. Clinton tied the look together with a matching ruffled scarf from Ralph Lauren and a deep burgundy-colored overcoat.
The same can’t be said about his daughter, Ella, who set the internet ablaze in her ornate Miu Miu coat (and landed a modeling deal after her appearance). Nikolas Ajagu, husband to Meena, the VP’s niece, also made headlines in his Dior Air Jordan 1 “Air Diors,” which retail for over $2,000 and resell near the $25,000 mark — as if the First and Second Families weren’t already flexing hard enough.
Steps taken by Biden and co. might not make up a novel yet, but they’ve already left us with much more than a page’s worth of Pinterest material. Through purposeful priorities and the headway we’ve already witnessed throughout the administration’s first days in office (Biden signed more executive orders in his first week than any of his predecessors), they’re at least indicating that they intend to make up for any missteps on their track records.
America’s far from amended. It’ll all have been for show if Biden and Harris don’t honor the subtle significance of their inauguration outfits through administrative action. But the country’s in good hands if they can deliver on their promises half as well as they dress.
Strike Out,
Writers: AJ Bafer and Jacob McLean
Editor: Hannah Shelton
Gainesville