By Kate Vavra, Summer 2023 Collaborator at Power in Place
Image from: Harper's Bazaar
A white pantsuit may first appear as merely a sleek, professional choice of clothing, but when worn by a female politician, it conveys a different message. Historically, suffragists wore white as they fought for equality. Today, many female politicians have revived the color and placed it on the modern pantsuit to honor the work that women of the past undertook to bring about rights for women of the present and future. Contemporary women, such as Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Hillary Clinton have chosen to wear the white pantsuit during moments of great national celebration.
Harris repped the white pantsuit during her first speech as the first female vice president in United States history. Ocasio-Cortez wore her white pantsuit as she was sworn into the 116th Congress in January of 2019, becoming the youngest woman in history to be elected to the United States Congress. Clinton dressed up in a white pantsuit over a white crew neck as she accepted the presidential nomination for the 2016 election at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where she became the first major party female nominee for president.
In the male-dominated political realm, female politicians are often overly judged and criticized for their appearance, making it difficult to create a likable image for themselves. The pantsuit, with its more masculine frame, allows for women to match their male counterparts with a display of professionalism and leadership. The uniformity of the style allows for women to apply a personal touch and maintain a sense of femininity while conveying a sense of power. Clinton simply matched her pantsuit with nude heels and neat hair. Harris paired her pantsuit with a white pussy-bow blouse, which is not only a historic staple piece for women as they began to enter the professional domain, but also displays a sense of poise and style. Ocasio-Cortez accessorized her outfit with hoop earrings and a red lip inspired by Sonia Sotomayor, a current associate justice of the Supreme Court. These outfit additions, however small, have tremendous impact. They develop a new standard that a female politician does not need to show masculinity to deliver a rightful sense of strength and responsibility. Although Ocasio-Cortez chose to display her femininity, her actions break social norms for female politicians, creating potential space for future politicians whose appearance or expressions of identity do not meet traditional social norms.
However, the suffragette white has been used not just for celebratory events, but also for moments of solidarity. For instance, the House Democratic Women’s Working Group invited female members from both parties to wear white to President Donald Trump’s State of the Union Address in 2019 as a message of unity between women of all backgrounds. The group also led democratic women to wear white to Trump’s joint address to Congress. This time, the women wanted to not just represent the history of female efforts, but also the current women of America who struggle to find equality in their everyday lives. The white was used as a way to show Trump that the fight for equality of the sexes is not over, and issues such as reproductive rights, equal pay, misogyny, domestic violence, and affordable health care need to be addressed at the national level.
While the white pantsuit is a powerful statement piece that allows female politicians to express their femininity while matching their male counterparts, women in politics still receive negative commentary for their appearance, no matter how they choose to express themselves. However, if female politicians continue to break societal norms, there will be greater opportunities for politicians who do not adhere to outdated standards of appearance, and it will pave the way for a more accepting tomorrow.
References
[1] Friedman, Vanessa. "Kamala Harris in a White Suit, Dressing for History." The New York Times, Updated November 10, 2020. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/08/fashion/kamala-harris-speech-suffrage.html
[2] Friedman, Vanessa. "Why Hillary Wore White." The New York Times, July 29, 2016. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/07/30/fashion/hillary-clinton-democratic-national-convention.html
[3] Lang, Cady. "Here's Why the Women of Congress Wore White for the 2019 State of the Union Address." TIME, Updated February 6, 2019. https://time.com/5518859/state-of-the-union-2019-white/
[4] Schild, Darcy. "Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is changing the dress code of politics." Insider, December 22, 2022. https://www.insider.com/aoc-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-style-fashion-statements-2020-11
Kate Vavra is a rising sophomore at Mount Holyoke College and is double majoring in International Relations and French. On campus, Kate plays varsity tennis and serves as the Community Service Subcommittee Chair on the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. After graduation, Kate hopes to go to law school and become an attorney.