Zara Rawoof- Politics are notoriously calculated. Every aspect of political leaders and their campaigns during the presidential election is rehearsed and thought out carefully. Some aspects of the race to the White House have been unpredictable, like attempts to assassinate Donald Trump or Joe Biden’s delayed decision to drop out of the election.
While roadblocks along the way challenge their political narratives, campaign managers and their key staffers work around the clock to ensure that candidates represent their stances and appeal to potential voters in everything they do. Fashion is no exception. Every outfit selected for both vice president and presidential candidates has been carefully thought out. Here’s what each candidate intends to emulate through their looks.
Throughout her campaign and as vice president, Kamala Harris has opted for the power pantsuit. She enlisted the help of NYC-based celebrity stylist Leslie Fremar to keep her campaign looks low-key yet chic.
Harris used the help of 16 American designers to design her campaign merchandise, but the VP’s style was often sourced from an international array of high-end designers. Harris wore designers like Chloé, Tom Ford, and Christian Siriano throughout her time in office and as she rallied across the country.
Other women in politics, such as Michelle Obama, often intentionally sourced American designers to approach the country’s stages. However, Hillary Clinton, the last Democrat presidential candidate, also wore legendary European designers throughout her campaign.
The looks stray from adventure, with the rare pink or purple suit making an appearance on the campaign trail. While Hillary Clinton also wore pantsuits during her campaign, Harris prefers a more relaxed version of the trouser suit. Harris blends the traditional formality of political fashion with more casual fitted pants and shoes. Kamala Harris has been working to gain the votes of more than just the typical democratic voter.
Many Americans claimed they did not see Harris active enough in her role as vice president. Others felt she failed to take proactive stances on conflict in the Middle East from both sides of the issue. This means that with every move Harris makes, she walks on a tightrope. For this reason, relaxed pantsuits have remained consistent in her wardrobe. The only daring fashion choices Harris can really afford to make are the seldom switch of colors from neutrals to bright pinks or lavenders.
Kamala Harris has remained basic with her style choices, but her pantsuits often embody an important feminine flare. Pussycat bow blouses have become a staple for Harris on the campaign trail. The floppy bowed shirt separates Harris from the typical pantsuits of the American female politician. It also reminds voters that Kamala Harris is on the way to becoming the first female president of the United States, and there is an empowerment that comes with embracing femininity.
At her rallies, Harris has sometimes stepped out in a suit jacket and jeans, appealing to the typical American voter. During events like the presidential debate and the Democratic National Convention, Harris would likely never stray away from her classic pantsuit. However, in some states, the easiest way to gain the trust of Americans is through denim.
Harris’s running mate, Tim Walz, has focused his style entirely on embodying the typical American dad. Walz usually sports a uniform suit and tie during his speeches. Sometimes, the vice presidential candidate leaves the tie at home and opts for a relaxed collar along with a suit jacket.
At their campaign rallies, Tim Walz even sports a red flannel and baseball cap. Walz, unlike his running mate, embraces the casual look. He shows his authenticity as a true typical American, not a buttoned-up politician with an agenda to control a society he cannot relate to. After his blunders during the vice presidential debate, Walz is using his style as a way to promote the fact he’s just a regular guy with working-class America’s best interests at heart.
As for the Republican camp, Donald Trump’s rigid shoulder pads and extra-long ties act as an attempt to assert dominance through his style. Trump’s dark, baggy suits are often criticized for being stuck in the ’80s, but the former president is attempting to do what Tim Walz has been doing in his own way. Trump’s appeal as a populist feeds into the reason he wears such ill-fitting suits. The look sets him apart from the average, polished politician. While it asserts power in a domineering manner, it also fits Trump’s personality, which lacks the refined nature most American leaders strive to uphold.
As for JD Vance, many have noted his change in style following his decision to run alongside Donald Trump. Before, the senator dressed what Politico.com considers “Silicon Valley”, and now opts for the same look of Trump. Instead of more casual suit jackets paired with jeans and leather boots, Vance has adopted the long suits and ties of his running mate.
As a senator, Vance opted for suits that were less buttoned up but better fitted. This newer look for JD Vane is arguably less professional than his former fashion choices, but the entire undisciplined nature of the Trump Vance campaign this year is evidently efficient for winning over American voters.
Ahead of Donald Trump’s second presidential inauguration, there are many important events in the upcoming election year where politicians will be heavily criticized for what they wear. As for Kamala Harris, it may be a while before Americans see the vice president publicly following the inauguration of the new administration.
Regardless of what lies ahead for the future of politics in the United States, Americans should stay informed on their constitutional rights of democracy as we are led under a new administration for the next four years.