Fashion in the Capitol halls: The ultimate belief that the public should listen to congresswomen

Sometimes what we wear is a personal choice but for these women it's a strategy.

*This feature was written in May 2022 and has received minor updates.*

Maybe it's the way they walk. Or maybe it's the way they dress that gets the public's attention. Congresswomen are often under scrutiny and pressure through their political stances, tone, language, and even appearance.

They are revolutionizing the power of fashion from the dark pantsuits to a hot pink shirt reading "Dangerous Creature," and presiding over the Senate while doing so. In the new age of politics, congresswomen are taking the power of fashion and making waves of it, all while wearing the Congressional lapel pin. But that doesn't mean that the revolution comes without public criticism.

Congresswomen still face the opinion of the nation and media with their fashion appearance. Vanessa Friedman, chief fashion critic at the New York Times, points out that "any woman in the political public eye has to make a decision about her clothes," but "because she is a woman, her clothes will be used to diminish and define her." Is that argument also true for Congressmen and their uniformity suits?

Congressmen are expected, if not required, to wear a version of a suit. It is essentially tradition, an accepted norm, and an inherited moral value if you will. But congressmen are also revolutionizing the power of fashion with their own uniform. Whether, it is wearing a wacky-patterned tie, socks, or even basketball shorts and a hoodie. Accessories like a patterned tie can create just as much controversy as taking off a jacket in a committee hearing.

The fashion statement of Representative Jim Jordan (R-OH) removing his suit jacket remains a big controversy. Whether it's strategy or reaction to the moment. He sure makes it known.

Representative Jim Jordan appearing without a jacket at the 2019 Impeachment hearing. Alex Brandon / AP

In fact, Rep. Jordan stated “When I'm in committee, I get fired up at these witnesses who, I think, aren’t being square with me or my colleagues and, more important, the American people. I can’t really get fired up and get into it if you’ve got some jacket slowing you down.”

Yet, the only strategy that holds as much if not more controversy in Congress is congresswomen and their outfits.

In a telephone interview, when asked a question about the emphasis on congresswomen style choices in the media than congressmen style choices, Friedman said "women have a much broader array of choice in what they wear than men do. And that gives them a lot more opportunity for using their clothing as tools to send different messages." And that is exactly what the women did. They used not only clothing choices but color as well.

In the politics of it all, the 2018 State of the Union represented the utmost symbol: silence. Democratic women, and some Republican women, dressed down to the color of darkness, to be drowned out by the sea full of black suits, robes, and uniforms. The Democratic women, and even Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), sat in silence as President Trump gave his address to Congress and the nation. The idea of muteness and dressing black arrived from the Democratic Women's Working Group, to show solidarity with the #MeToo movement and the Time's Up organization.

Democratic women wearing black at the 2018 State of the Union. Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call

In an interview with Racked, Rep. Brenda Lawrence (D-MI) said “we’re wearing black in unison to show we’re speaking up.” “This is our time. Me too, time’s up.”

However, the symbolism of silence in their clothing turned into the symbolism of boldness. The Democratic Congresswomen made their appearance wearing white at the 2019 State of the Union. They showed up in unity to send a message of women's history of the past and the future. The strategy to dress white drew great contrast from the sea of dark suits. It brought the attention onto them, to show that their purpose was here to stay.

Democratic women wearing white at the 2019 State of the Union. Alex Wong/Getty Images

And while the Democratic congresswomen dress to make a statement to the nation and themselves, could that be creating a sense of competition with their Republican congresswomen colleagues? Could that strategy be accumulating attention and criticism onto the Democratic women at the same time?

In an interview, Dr. Jennifer Victor, a Political Science Professor at George Mason University, stated that "if you're inclined to identify with those women or to be sympathetic towards their sort of inclination to draw attention you might look at that and be like, [...] they're doing this cool thing that draws attention to an important issue. But if you see those Democratic women, as your outgroup, [...] you may look at all of them banded together, and feel even more threatened."

And though the strategy of fashion in Congress draws attention in all sorts. How accessible is to keep up with the expectation of fashion in the Capitol?

When asked the question about the impact of a congressional district's median income on the accessibility of formal fashion, Dr. Victor said "[Congressmembers] want to be seen as one of their community like the type that are stuff you would see people in your constituency wear. On the other hand, members of Congress are like the leaders of the community [...] And so I could see how even if you come from a very poor district, you might still want to present yourself very nicely."

In fact, Representative Cori Bush (D-MO) tweeted that "the reality of being a regular person going to Congress is that it’s really expensive to get the business clothes I need for the Hill. So I’m going thrift shopping tomorrow."

In truth, it gets expensive buying wardrobe for Congress, especially when there is a budget. And while congresswomen have a "broader array of choice," it becomes difficult for what is in-session clothing versus out-of-session clothing. Therefore, when a congresswomen begins to wear different clothing, it becomes attention-grabbing or untraditional. Even if it's strategy, or even just a dress, Congresswomen will have to defend their choices and become unapologetic about it. And it is to ultimately show that they know what they are doing.

Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) told Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) that she's "breaking the internet." And she responded "good."

Friedman stated that "her choosing not to wear that kind of boring navy suit is an absolutely conscious decision to say something about who she is and how her colleagues expect her to behave. She is talking to her constituents, she's talking to the rest of Congress, she's talking to everyone who sees her with her clothing. And there is nothing demeaning about acknowledging that."

The eccentricity of it all is that Congress has been, and is, a white, patriarchal institution. It is used to tradition. But will it always be?

From red lips to long acrylic nails to their natural hair, Black congresswomen are coming to the Capitol as themselves. They are bringing their own culture with them, to ultimately showcase to the nation of who they are. Unlike congressmen, there is no uniform for congresswomen, and even Black congresswomen, to adhere to. Instead, they are maximizing what they have minimal of, in reference to Rep. Cori Bush.

In a Zoom interview, Dr. Nadia E. Brown, Women and Gender Studies Director at Georgetown University, stated that "because there's more people of color, more black women being elected.  But on the other hand, the institution transforms people. The institution has changed, the tactics have changed. The institution is structured in a way that only allows people in on their terms, who engage in their tactics."

From strategy to accessibility of fashion, congresswomen will continue to revolutionize their fashion, as time progresses. It will come with media critics, public outcry, and even public laugh. And maybe the institution is changing. The question remains of how fast can the public change?