Where Public Service Meets Style
Image courtesy: Finance Yahoo
Clothes have the power to reflect an individual’s beliefs and style, and this is even more apparent through the looks donned on Capitol Hill. Although most politicians are notorious for dressing in classic black-and-white ensembles, some look to statement pieces to convey their personal and political style as a public servant. Not only does fashion reflect one’s personal identity, but it also can express solidarity with issues related to class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and more.
Under every powerful piece is an ambitious, creative designer. With the growing emphasis on and accessibility to garments in politics, fashion designers and stylists have made it their mission to integrate their political beliefs into their creations. For example, Marine Serre creates lines of which 50% of the collections are upcycled; Maria Grazia Chiuri integrated Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s essay and TedTalk, “We Should All be Feminists,” into Dior’s Spring 2017 collection; and Aurora James, the founder of Brother Vellies, pledged to reserve 15% of shelf space to Black-owned businesses.
With these designers’ efforts and advocacy, politicians are further able to convey their personal identity and political beliefs. Not to mention, they shine a bit of color and life to the political sector. A particular icon who has made waves in the political and fashionable realms is New York’s 14th congressional district representative, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, better known as AOC. As the youngest U.S. representative to serve in Congress in 2018, AOC had much to prove to her peers, district and country. She did just that—and looked remarkable in doing so.
From her suits to her spirit, AOC is empowering. Her tenacious loyalty to public service, her cunning ability to counter her opposers, her fervor in fighting climate change. AOC’s unwavering fierceness also radiates from her iconic look, which consists of a slicked middle-part, red lipstick and gold hoop earrings. Her signature red lip is simple, bold, and you can learn how to do it here.
With every statement piece and tailored suit, AOC doesn’t merely stick out, she inspires. During her swearing-in ceremony, alongside her gold hoops and red lip, AOC donned an all-white Aliétte suit which she wore, “to honor the women who paved the path before me, and for all the women yet to come. From suffragettes to Shirley Chisholm, I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for the mothers of the movement.” With a similar intent, AOC also wore a white cape blazer to the State of the Union address, honouring suffragettes with her coworkers who were also adorned in white. This is the AOC we look up to on the runway and in life, as she utilizes her outfits to convey her personal beliefs and universal inspiration. With each elegant power-suit she wears, AOC proves fashion is more than the mere clothes we put on our backs— it’s a vessel to deliver a message we are passionate about sharing.
Similar to AOC, Kamala Harris is an iconic politician who can be found shattering glass ceilings with an influential fit and character. Formerly the Attorney General and Senator of California, Harris will become the first female, Black and South-Asian Vice President to serve in the White House on Jan. 20, 2021. When women push through boundaries, as Harris did in winning the 2020 Presidential Election alongside President-elect Joe Biden, the perfect outfit is essential to reinforce the central message: no matter what others tell you, your dream is achievable—it is yours, yet it is one shared by many. The perfect outfit, however, doesn’t necessarily require heels— but what kind of politician wears sneakers on stage? Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, that’s who.
While on the campaign trail, Harris could be found strutting around in Chuck Taylor All-Star Converse. Whether they be low-rise, high-rise, black, white or even symbolic of the grief and growth of 2020, Harris’s Converse offer an untraditional, stylish comfort that reflects a sense of nostalgia and her personal identity. Moreover, the choice to opt for casual Converse humanizes Harris to be both a working woman and trailblazing leader. Her Converse are fashionable, functional and a closet staple even for non-Vice-President-Elects, but these sneakers aren’t the only gems hiding in Harris’s dazzling shoe collection. Harris has also recently shown off a pair of her Timberlands, proving her style’s versatility ranges from campaign-converse chic, trendy Timbs, to the perfectly professional Madame Vice President. Regardless of what she’s gracing the ground with, Harris is always staying true to herself and is "laced up and ready to win."
When Biden and Harris delivered their victory speeches on November 7, Harris further showcased her wardrobe’s ambidexterity. Harris’s outfit, alongside her moving speech, honored the women who blazed the democratic trail Harris now leads, such as Shirley Chisholm, Hillary Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro. Elegantly dressed in a white suit with a cream bow blouse underneath, Harris’s symbolic outfit highlighted the same message as that donned by AOC during her swearing-in ceremony. Transforming the “empowered women empower women” belief, politicians like AOC and Harris are changing the game for the women representing the U.S. government.
Female politicians aren’t the only ones who are merging the forces of fashion and politics. Former President Barack Obama was a politician and style icon adored by congresspeople and fashion enthusiasts alike. While commanding the Oval Office with his graceful confidence, entertaining state dinners or delivering an inspiring speech at any given event, Obama was often seen in a grey or dark blue suit. But as a man known for his duality within and beyond the White House, Obama’s fits changed to meet the most challenging and chillest occasions. On his “days off,” he could be found fashioning dad jeans with a sophisticated button-up. The former Commander-in-Chief would also cozy up with a leather jacket, which usually completed an all-black ensemble everso chicly. In serving in private and public life, and from head to toe, Obama was also notorious for sporting stylish sunglasses, which elevated his position as fashionable president and “cool dad.”
From Kamala Harris rocking Timberland boots, to AOC clutching a Telfar bag, to Obama’s strutting an embroidered “44” Rag&Bone bomber jacket, politicians hold an influence beyond their seats in Congress and the White House. Politicians, through the way they dress themselves, are expressing facets of their beliefs that they might not be able to explicitly convey within their chambers and to their colleagues. Moreover, they are reflecting their personal character and philosophies, while also humanizing themselves as not only fashionable figures, but as approachable, expressive and dazzling public servants.
Strike Out,
Writer: Ghaya Abubakar
Editors: Hannah Shelton and Jolie Freedman
Gainesville