Why people stopped talking about what Kamala Harris is wearing
Confident and commanding, a fired-up Kamala Harris delivered her first campaign speech as a presidential candidate on Wednesday.
She took aim at Donald Trump’s criminal record and agenda, vowed to unite the Democrats and framed the election as a choice “between freedom and chaos”.
US Vice President Kamala Harris has found a uniform of relaxed, tailored pantsuits with collarless, silk blouses and simple jewellery.Credit: Getty
But while the content of her speech was scrutinised by political commentators, what was notably not a topic of discussion was her wardrobe.
Has Harris torn through the silk ceiling which has trapped other female politicians in a cycle of criticism focussing on their outfits, rather than their policies, demonstrating we are moving toward genuine gender political parity?
One significant indicator that public scrutiny of women politicians has moved from style to substance is found in the What Kamala Wore blog, founded in 2020 by US journalist Susan Kelley, following the success of her website What Kate Wore, devoted to the outfits of the Princess of Wales.
What Kate Wore was updated following Catherine’s appearance at Wimbledon this month but What Kamala Wore hasn’t been updated since March 2022.
Julie Bishop served as minister for foreign affairs from 2013 to 2018 and was renowned for her fashion choices.Credit: Brendon Thorne
A similar website, Kamala Harris’s Closet, established by New York fashion writer Vittoria Vignone, lost steam in 2021.
With a corporate rather than couture approach to clothing, Harris is avoiding the problem faced by stylish former Australian politician Julie Bishop when she was mocked by opponents as ‘minister of fashion’, and former US secretary of state Hillary Clinton encountered with her block colour pantsuits.
“Uniform is a perfect term for describing the vice president’s working wardrobe,” says Kelley.
“I felt the vice president’s style was well-established, and I didn’t expect her to deviate substantially from that style.”
The original version of US vice president Kamala Harris’s ‘Vogue’ cover from February, 2021 and the hastily arranged second cover following criticism of the original image.
Unlike Clinton, Harris doesn’t carry the baggage of having been First Lady, a role more traditionally associated with fashion thanks to the influence of Jackie Kennedy’s Chanel-style suits, Nancy Reagan’s Galanos gowns, Michelle Obama’s J Crew cardigans and Melania Trump’s $US51,000 Dolce & Gabbana jacket.
Rather than follow Clinton’s block colour approach, also used by Queen Elizabeth towards the end of her reign, Harris pairs her looser cut pantsuits with blouses in contrasting colours.
Corporate image consultant Caitlin Stewart says Harris is definitely playing it safe, but “her consistency is as much in the tradition of Barack Obama as Hillary Clinton.”
To declutter his decision-making, Obama wore mainly black and grey suits during his two terms in office. Harris regularly rotates suits from Italian label Dolce & Gabbana, Swiss brand Akris and US designer Michael Kors.
Former US president Barack Obama wore mostly dark suits during his presidency.Credit: AP
“That’s precisely what I tell my female corporate clients to do,” says Stewart.
“Unless you’re a fashion influencer you don’t want to be seen as though you’re thinking about shopping or the next thing to wear. Find a capsule wardrobe and rotate the pieces effectively.
“The suit is key. Structure will always promote authority, whether you’re a woman or a man.
“Harris makes the occasional statement with her Converse sneakers or wearing jeans on the cover of Vogue but you see her first and not the clothes. That’s the goal for women in charge.”
Ruth McGowan, author of Get Elected: A Step Campaign Guide to Winning Public Office, also points to the merit of neutral wardrobe choices for political candidates.
“The less people focus on what you have on, the more people can focus on what you’re saying,” she says. “You can’t be too feminine, your voice can’t be too high, and you can’t have people focusing on what you’re wearing.
“Men still get by with being considered a good bloke, often despite questionable actions. Women have to work harder to appear likeable, competent, capable and electable.”
Likeability was an issue for Clinton during her terms as a US senator. Observers such as former Project Runway judge Tim Gunn criticised her wardrobe.
“I think she’s confused about what her gender is,” Gunn told talk show host Conan O’Brien in 2008. “She’s so mannish in her dress.”
It was the reaction to Harris’ appearance on the cover of Vogue’s February 2021 issue in jeans, sneakers and a blazer, which was criticised for its lack of gravitas, which some believe prompted her team to encourage her to pivot to a more formal image and the favouring of pantsuits.
Another earlier outfit choice, a white Carolina Herrera worn by Harris when accepting the vice presidency in 2020, was interpreted as a nod to the suffragette movement, in the same tradition as Hillary Clinton’s white suit worn in 2016 to accept the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.
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