Fashion in politics is not a new sport. For centuries, rulers, rebellions, and individual citizens have used fashion as a tool for power, expression, and agency. During the French Revolution, the infamous Sans Culottes forged their name and group identity from their style of dress, whilst in eighteenth century India, the female noblewoman Begum Samrū was frequently pictured in both a turban and headscarf to mark her status as a woman with a man’s power. The versatility of fashion allows it to be used as a display of individuality and strength, and yet, also as a symbol of unity to hold a movement together.

The association between fashion and women cannot be ignored. Women have used fashion to their advantage for years as a means of expression when they were not granted a voice, for example, in early modern Europe, fans were often used as a political accessory. Women could flaunt their fans in public to display political propaganda, such as the eighteenth century Jacobite fan (shown below) which displayed the owner’s allegiance to the exiled Stuart dynasty in Britain. The flare of fashion was embraced yet again by women in the 1920s, as they began to get a taste of freedom and change with the new era of women’s rights in parts of Europe and The United States. This came to fruition most strongly in Germany during the Weimar government, where the notion of the “New Woman” came to express both the excitement and anxieties over the changing and modernising post-war society. The New Woman was both feminine and masculine, often wearing trousers whilst sporting a short-cropped bob. This new style and ideology also allowed for significant queer expression, particularly within the art scene. This change in women’s fashion both responded to and reflected the politics of the time.

The ability that fashion provides to unite and solidify a group of people is perhaps why so many political and social movements have also adopted uniforms, or dress styles, in their approach towards activism. In the United States, the Black Panther Party was founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale to fight against police brutality, and for social and racial justice. The Black Panther Party devised its own style of a black leather jacket, blue shirt, and black trousers – all brought together with the addition of a black beret, inspired by the French Resistance against Nazi forces in the second World War. This leather-beret ensemble became a uniform for party members, to unify the group and create a powerful visual statement to display to the world, which has since been replicated as a symbol of Black power and beauty – as seen in Beyoncé’s Super Bowl halftime show in 2016.

The Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace also used clothing to unify and signify their status as a group, and to create powerful visual dominance in masses. This group was formed in 2003 to protest the civil war in Liberia which was devastating the country, particularly due to its use of child soldiers. The women all wore white T-shirts and patterned skirts to unify their movement, gathering in Liberia’s capital to pressure politicians (notably, all male) to “pursue peace or lose physical intimacy with their wives.” Shortly after, during the peace talks in Ghana, two-hundred women staged a sit-in at the venue, again wearing their signature white shirts as they blocked every door, window, and exit until the male leaders came to a resolution. Their efforts led to the signing of the 2003 Comprehensive Peace Agreement and paved the way for the election of the first female President of Liberia in 2006.

Photo by Jane Hahn, via The New York Times

A very recent example of the use of fashion in political movements is in the women’s rights and abortion law protests in Poland. In 2016, thousands of women took to the streets of Poland to protest the government's planned removal of women’s fundamental reproductive health rights. The effect of the protests was felt strongly, as offices, schools, and universities had to temporarily close as they were missing half of their staff members. The women dressed in black to mourn the awaited loss of their reproductive rights and the freedom of their own bodies, some women also waved black flags or held up black umbrellas in the heavy rain; a testament to their resilience. It is painful for women everywhere to have recently watched these abortion laws put in place. In January, 2021, all abortions were banned in Poland – except in cases of rape, incest, or physical health risk. Polish women took to the streets in protest yet again, adorned in fresh symbols, but still choosing fashion to display their cause. Many wore green bandanas around their necks, echoing the symbol used by abortion rights activists in Argentina who had just recently gained legal access to abortion in December 2021.

In government, there are extreme double standards to judge female politicians for what they choose to wear, yet never placing the same guidelines upon their male counterparts. Today, we see some female politicians embracing their style and finding empowerment through fashion, regardless of these double standards, such as United States Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC). Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a role model for many young women like myself. She is the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress, and is undoubtedly a queen of power-dressing. AOC has quickly become a distinctive face in politics not just for her progressive policies, but also for her instantly-recognisable signature look: a middle part, bold red lipstick, and gold hoop earrings. AOC wears this look flawlessly, and has previously stated that she was inspired by Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, tweeting:

“Lip+hoops were inspired by Sonia Sotomayor, who was advised to wear neutral-colored nail polish to her confirmation hearings to avoid scrutiny. She kept her red. Next time someone tells Bronx girls to take off their hoops, they can just say they’re dressing like a Congresswoman.”

— AOC, via Twitter

It is refreshing to see female politicians be able to own their femininity and appearance, proving that women don’t need to be masculine to be taken seriously or display their power, nor do they have to squeeze themselves into the impossibly high standards of female beauty.

After Republican Congressman Ted Yoho verbally assaulted AOC, calling her “a fucking bitch” outside the Capitol Building steps (and in front of members of the press) in July of 2020, she delivered a speech on the House floor. Here, AOC condemned his actions and his pathetic and problematic apology, which tried to rationalise how he couldn’t be sexist because he had daughters and a wife. For this speech, AOC wore a bold bright red suit. Not only was it visually striking, but it overtly indicated a reclamation of power; she would fight to condemn violence towards all women.

On the other side of the coin, however, there are some examples of fashion with a much less empowering tone. A prime example is Melania Trump’s “I Don’t Really Care Do U?” jacket, which she wore on a trip to visit the child detention centres upheld by her husband’s infamous anti-immigrant laws. Despite the claims Melania later made that the jacket was in reference to the American media, and not related to the suffering children, the clothing choice was a political statement nonetheless – and a rather negative one, whether intentional or not.

Many celebrities over the years have also made statements with their fashion choices to fight against injustice. Serena Williams’ iconic tutu clapback at the U.S. Open, for example. During the 2018 U.S. Open, Williams was banned from wearing her black catsuit which she had worn during the French Open. The sports outfit was inspired by the costumes in the Marvel movie, Black Panther, but it was also made to prevent the blood clots which Williams had begun to seriously suffer from, following the recent birth of her daughter. After the U.S. Open banned her catsuit due to the strict dress rules for men and women in tennis, Serena fought back against the patriarchy, and arrived wearing tutus instead. Williams continued to play her matches fiercely whilst dressed like a powerful princess. Absolute girl boss.

Fashion has also been important in the political activism of none other than Jane Fonda, who frequently re-wears outfits on red carpets to publicise the importance of being sustainable in consuming fashion, particularly in Hollywood, which contributes significantly to the excessive waste of the fashion industry. During October of 2019, Fonda attended the Fire Drill Fridays climate protests, wearing the same bold red coat each time, and was arrested in this coat each week. Later that November, Fonda pledged to the protestors that her red coat will be the last piece of clothing she ever buys, both a symbolic act and creating a symbolic item of clothing, to make a strong statement about the effect of waste and consumerism on the planet.

Women are not the only celebrities, however, to make statements with their fashion. During his headline set at Glastonbury Festival, 2019, British rapper, Stormzy, wore a painted Union Jack stab-proof vest designed by the infamous graffiti or street artist, Banksy. Stormzy wore the vest as a continuation of the political message he often includes in his music, surrounding knife crime and racial inequality in the UK’s criminal justice system. Banksy’s creation of a visual political statement to be worn by Stormzy whilst performing his music on stage at one of the largest festivals in Europe is not just a powerful fashion statement, it is a collaboration of arts.

Photo by Richard Isaac, via the Guardian

Even during the pandemic, masks had a transformation into somewhat of a fashion accessory being almost immediately politicised. Despite being a medical accessory, masks were quickly stylised for people to express their personality, and match with their outfits. With this personalisation came the space for politicisation, as seen in Naomi Osaka’s Black Lives Matter masks. Osaka wore seven different masks during the course of the 2020 U.S. Open, each with the name of a Black person killed by racial injustice and police brutality, making a statement of support to the Black Lives Matter protests and highlighting the individuals who lost their lives.

We have also seen how masks have now become a political statement, “to wear or not wear,” due to the spread of misinformation about Covid-19 and polarising tactics used by mostly conservative governments.

Finally, let’s take a look at Amanda Gorman’s outfit at the recent United States Presidential Inauguration of Joe Biden, earlier in January, 2021. Amanda Gorman became the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, and recited her ingenious and compelling poem, The Hill We Climb, on the inauguration stage. Gorman’s outfit was as visually enthralling as her words: she wore a long, sunny, yellow coat which was contrasted with her red jeweled mask and a scarlet satin headband. These were also accompanied by a pair of gold hoop earrings with a hanging diamond, and a birdcage ring. The earrings and ring were both gifts from Oprah Winfrey, who sent gifts of clothing and accessories to Maya Angelou when she was invited to read a poem at Bill Clinton’s 1993 inauguration. The ring is particularly significant, as it honours Maya Angelou in its birdcage shape, which references her most influential work, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. There is even further symbolism at work, as Gorman chose to wear her bold red Prada headband in an unconventional manner, horizontally on top of her braids. She stated it was her mother who suggested this style, so it instead would become a crown, allowing her to stand tall. Amanda Gorman looked beautiful in her ensemble – that is clear – however, the outfit also conveyed such power and strength in its symbolism that it echoed the sentiments in her poem, of hope, struggle, and rising up; notions all fitting under the turbulent current social and political climate.

Despite the connotations of superficiality and excess which have been associated with high fashion or taking pride in one’s appearance, fashion has always served, and continues to serve, a further purpose than as proponents of a new trend. Clothes and accessories have multiple functions and meanings: they can be artistic, they can be utilitarian and uniform, they can be sentimental and expressive. We read the human body like we read the pages of a book, or rather and perhaps more accurately, like we judge its front cover. Therefore, fashion is a key mode of human self-expression, whether conscious or not, shaping how we understand or think about others. We might receive similar visual messages in the form of an image on social media, or a political sticker on a car window. What it is it about clothing in particular, though, that has such a visually profound effect? Whilst social media accounts and physical possessions are indeed personal, they do not move throughout our daily lives with us, and they are not the first things people see when they meet us. Fashion adorns the body, making the body a site of political activity and declaration. Using fashion to empower the body, politicise the body and aestheticize the body, simultaneously blends the most personal elements of the human psyche and physical self to create a statement which visually attracts the eye, and mind, upon immediate contact. Whether it be a Prada headband or a simple white T-shirt, fashion is both personal and political, and its power should not be underestimated.

Alexandra McDermott Brown is a fourth year student at the University of Edinburgh studying History of Art. She is the Co-Founder of Ensemble Magazine, as well as the Arts Section Editor and a Resident Illustrator.

Fashioning Power and Empowering Fashion