The midterms are upon us in early November, and the people get to decide on the House of Representatives and the Senate to support the lawmaking decisions of our federal government. Through watching campaigns and viewing candidates closely, I’ve started to take note of what makes a person look professional and what makes a fashionable political statement. In my opinion, the professional-political fashion look is what makes the people and media put a politician on a pedestal, whether the political party communally approves of the candidate or not. Â
In past midterm races, there has been a rising trajectory of POC politicians being elected. The rising Latino population in NYC and the need for a better understanding of the problems people of color go through led to the victory of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in 2018. At 29 years old, AOC (the acronym given to her by the media due to the newscasters’ inability to pronounce her name *eye roll*) was voted into office for the fourteenth district in the House of Representatives. Naturally, her fashion often reflected that of a young, outspoken professional.Â
Ocasio-Cortez is known to bring the working classes problems in front of some of the most powerful businessmen and high up government officials. In 2021, in a bold appearance at the Met Gala, she wore a white gown that read “Tax the Rich” in a brutal, startling red on the back. Designer and owner of Brother Veilles Aurora James helped assemble the look, pitching the idea to her upon hearing that AOC was looking for a designer that would bring the statement to life. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Aurora James’s willingness to be daring with her fashion choices embodies what she stands and fights for, delivering a clear message to new audiences.Â
On a more casual note, political campaigns often feature the standard attire of a politician. The most popular, “21st Century Look” is the blazer and pantsuit. Coined by women in the 70’s, the modern female pantsuit became normalized to give women a sophisticated look in the workplace as an alternative to skirts and dresses. When Kamala Harris was first running for senate in 2016, she was often seen in this popular ensemble. At the California Democratic National Convention of that same year, she addresses the audience with a hopeful future for the United States and denounces any regression in the rights of any group of people.Â
She wears a simple black pantsuit styled with a beaded wooden necklace and a brown blouse that compliments her complexion with shoes of the same color. One of the interesting things about how she is dressed is that it compliments her and not the trends circulating at the time. Although pantsuits have become very popular amongst female politicians, her style does not seem dictated by what others think she should wear. Harris and her stylist go out of their way to distinguish her from her white peers in politics, challenging the expectation that Eurocentric beauty standards should dictate how candidates of color present themselves. Together, they prove that doing what’s best for your natural features is what makes you come off authentic and relatable to people that might be watching that share the same traits. Â
Politicians are what makes the good (and atrociously bad) changes happen. Voting is something near and dear to me, as I also hope it is to you too. Being able to speak for yourself is a learned ability, but it should transcend the personal level. Speaking up for you and your community is the most selfless thing a person can do, and it is so easy.
Voting DOES make a difference and enables a more ideal and possibly easier life for you and what you stand for. When you are at the polls, mailing in a ballot, or thinking about your future voting plans, I urge you to consider what the United States has given you versus what you have given/done for the country. Understanding your part in the government is crucial for those in the country that cannot vote or have been disenfranchised by those opposed to hearing other people’s perspectives.Â
With the midterms coming up in less than two weeks, I urge everyone to vote liberally and think of the people that have been systemically and economically disadvantaged by the United States, historically and currently.