Kamala Harris’ acceptance outfit

[HoxtHun]

Vanessa Friedman nicely outlines the motivations behind political dressing:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/23/style/kamala-harris-dnc-suit.html?unlocked_article_code=1.FU4.f8qP.a6qWBDwIq1Pt&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&sgrp=c-cb

I think she's planning to do an Angela Merkel - fairly uniform, functional, business-like style; all the variation and interest is in the colour. It served Merkel well. It needs little daily thought. It radiates stability and groundedness. Great choice.

I also adored Tim Walz’ acceptance outfit.

There was an interesting, if somewhat dispiriting, article along similar line on BOF earlier this week, Why Kamala Harris Isn’t Making Bold Fashion Choices – Yet. I loved Michelle Obama's outfit and style at the convention, agree with the NYT article that the white outfits were getting a bit repetitive.

May I speak frankly? For a split second I thought Harris was wearing a suit with a long-ish, straight skirt and I thought, 'Oooh, interesting.' Then my eyes adusted.

I am bored out of my tiny lady brain of seeing female politicians in trouser suits, however beautifully made they might be.

It's ok, I know, I know, we don't dissect Biden or Obama's suits and yada yada yada. I don't even wear dresses or skirts much myself. In fact I love trousers. But there you go, I am a bad person.

It's one reason why, despite my many differences with her, I still think quite fondly of Theresa May who loved clothes and wasn't ashamed to say so.

There was an interesting discussion on one of the podcasts about it, (possibly Trip US) - the thinking was that she wanted among other things to signal that she looked capable of being commander in chief of the military so went for something slightly uniform like.

And yes I take the point that Harris has more reason to be cautious than than a white female politician. But it still depresses me.

Oh me too. I thought it was a long straight skirt with a sharp jacket.

"Pant suit" boring.

Agree re Theresa May. And as much as I loathe her political views, Nicola Sturgeon didn't go down the "pant suit" route either.

Sorry to harp on but just google "Nicola Sturgeon clothes" or "Theresa May clothes" and even "Nicola Sturgeon and Theresa May clothes"

So far as being "a uniform" I don't understand why that has to be a pant suit.

Trouser suits are brilliant. Non defining as to sex. Can be jazzed up or down and are most of all as "easy" as a man choosing a shirt and tie to go with his navy blue/black/grey suit.

When I was a working girl it was my "uniform" too, at managerial level. Black or navy trousers, various shirts/tops and a variety of nice blazers/jackets and sometimes a blast of colour in a neck scarf (yikes!). And ALWAYS very good shoes.

I always said the best bloody thing about trousers was that a sudden gust of wind on my walk from the station wouldn't show my knickers to the world like it would in a looser dress/skirt. 😊

Go Kamala, I really like your style.

Non defining as to sex.

Even if this were true I don’t see why that would necessarily be a good thing. Why on earth should women have to … blur who they are in order to succeed?

I have nothing against trouser suits at all, but I don’t think disguise is a good reason to wear one. This isn’t the 80s, (which I remember all too well).

In an office environment, sometimes women are expected to wear the pencil skirt, heels, be made up to the nines, and make the tea.

I remember well that was the case when I started my first post grad job way back in the day, and I'm not joking about the dress code and the tea either!

I know we have come a long way, but there is still an expectation out there I think for women to show their femininity in some work environments, that's fine if a woman wants to comply, but I'm happier overall with a neutral dress code myself.

I hate what's happened to trouser suits. They used to be interesting but now they're just another corporate uniform, the 2020s equivalent of the shift dress and short matching jacket.

What's so dispiriting is the way male politicians fall over themselves to declare (or invent) their love of football, because they think it makes them look grounded and relatable, and yet it still feels like a woman in a serious job risks career suicide if she reveals any interest in clothes.

I like football by the way but the double standard does my head in.

I think it was Obama who said his wardrobe consisted mainly of multiple copies of the same suit, tie etc. That way his most important decisions of the day could focus on being President not worrying about people reading too much into his clothing. Mundane it may be. But practical it is definitely.

In an office environment, sometimes women are expected to wear the pencil skirt, heels, be made up to the nines, and make the tea.

Really? In every office I've worked in the person whose job it was to make the tea was the person employed to do that role.

As for "pencil skirts and heels" what century , let alone decade are you talking about?

Did you actually read what I wrote, and about what era, and how I didn't conform, and how I am delighted that things have moved on?

It was decades ago now, but not the War years either!

Sorry that I'm older than you now though.

I thought she looked great. Navy was definitely the colour of choice among the top speakers. Michelle Obama also looked amazing in navy. The other choice for women seemed to be suffragette white.

Politicians and political speeches aside, Kamala's little great-nieces were adorable, one in a pink trouser suit and the other in a blue dress.

I'm 65.

And you used the present tense.
"In an office environment, sometimes women are expected to wear the pencil skirt, heels, be made up to the nines, and make the tea"
Did you actually read what you wrote?

She's a half-Indian, half black woman with a Jewish husband and no children running against white supremacy. I don't think she has the option to be anything other than deeply cautious and boring in her dressing.

I don't blame women politicians going for the trouser suit. Far easier to wear flat shoes. It's still expected that women in prominent positions wear heels with skirts. If I knew I was going to be scrutinised over every outfit I wore, I'd also get a great suit made in a small range of colours. Then I wouldn't have to think about what I wore to work.

Just googled what shoes she wears - a lot of flat Converse. I suspect she's a heels wearer when she feels she should/it's expected. I'm almost exactly the same age as her and was pleased to see she looks down at the plane steps as she gets off the plane. Walking down stairs and looking ahead is a skill I've never mastered.

You remember the fuss when Michelle Obama wore a sleeveless dress in the White House? She could never have worn her hair natural back then either; I am glad she can now.

They really think we're complete fucking idiots don't they?

What makes you think she couldn't have if she'd wanted to?

Because she got enough racist abuse already.

I agree with this.

That notwithstanding, it is definitely a crying shame that this is the reality of her position. Expecting her to take a stand against it at this point is unrealistic and shortsighted. Unfortunately, she will be scrutinised more harshly and judged differently to a while male and she is wise to opt for outfits that don't feed into that by being stylish and noncontroversial. .