Fashion and Politics: A Sometimes Contentious Mix
Across cultures and around the world, clothing fashion is both a form of personal expression and a symbolic representation of society. Quoted in an article posted the ABC News Web site, Valerie Steele, Fashion Institute of Technology’s director and museum curator said,

“In a democracy, you have simple clothes. There is a sense that fashion is false and deceitful. But in countries like France and Italy, there is a historical feeling that you dress to present your best to the world like a mask, best foot forward. In the American heritage, clothing should be like a mirror instead of a mask, and should reflect the self. You shouldn’t be any better you really are.” (James, 2007).

Fashion can trickle down from the top – from high-end designers and wearers of haute couture to the populous via copies, or up – as when the street fashion worn by a small group becomes more widely adopted and eventually reflected on the fashion show catwalks. Where angst-ridden teens, motorcycle riders and punk rockers once wore skulls and death imagery, now high-end designers produce diamond skull rings and pricey tee shirts embellished with rhinestone skull and bones; tee shirts and belts imprinted with skulls can be found in Wal Mart.

The messages received by observers of one’s clothing can affect how one is perceived in society. Clothing can signify membership or identification with groups such as the Boy Scouts, Hell’s Angels, hippies, preppies, ancestral heritage, etc. The fashion representing a group may not be obvious to the casual observer. Gang colors, accessories or tattoos may be known to gang members and rival gangs, law enforcement, but not necessarily the general public, who may adopt elements of the “fashion.” Clothing can deliberately restrict one’s expression or strip individual identity and assign a new one, as with military recruits in identical uniforms or penal system inmates in uniforms stenciled with the name of the host accommodations.

Fashion In Political Arenas
Discussions of fashion and politics can involve facets of both the fashion industry and the political machine. In a Harper’s Bazaar article published in 2007, Arianna Huffington discussed the fashion and style of the 2008 political candidates and their spouses. Huffington wrote, “The focus on appearance is, of course, nothing new. Ever since JFK took the country by storm, with Jackie and her glamorous Oleg-Cassini-designed wardrobe by his side, personal style has been an important component of a candidate’s appeal.” (Huffington, 2007).

Fashion can be used for explicit political means. In August, 2008, it was announced that actor Sarah Jessica Parker and Vogue Magazine editor Anna Wintour would host a fashion show during New York’s Fashion Week in September to benefit Barak Obama’s presidential campaign.  (Odell, 2008). Political phrases and slogans “are becoming more prevalent on the backs of the public than the bumpers of cars.” (Amadan, 2006).

When an item bearing significance in one culture is worn by someone in another culture, fashion can take on unintended or unexpected political overtones. In 2007, retailer Urban Outfitters carried a stock of kaffiyeh, the trademark headwear of Yasir Arafat and symbol of Palestinian solidarity, which they marketed as an “anti-war woven scarf.”  What people bought and wore as a fashionable accessory became a topic of debate when photos of kaffiyeh-wearing terrorists were posted on the Internet and Urban Outfitters quickly pulled the scarves from store shelves and issued an apology on its Web site. (Kim, 2007).

Whether a political leader is wearing clothing from a domestic or a foreign designer can be cause for criticism or praise. First ladies Jacqueline Kennedy and Nancy Reagan dealt with the issue of who designs their clothing.  During the 1960 presidential election, Kennedy’s “personal style, however, soon became a focus of interest everywhere she went. In fact, her preference for French fashion drew some unwelcome media attention, spurring the opponent’s wife, Pat Nixon, to publicly defend American designers. This ultimately led the first lady to trust an American-based designer, Oleg Cassini, with coordinating much of her “official” wardrobe.” (Field Museum). Cassini is credited with making Kennedy “the most glamorous First Lady in history.” (Associated Press, 2006/Cassini). In the 1980s, Nancy Reagan “restored a Kennedy-esque glamour to the White House following years of lax formality, and her interest in high-end fashion garnered much attention, as well as criticism.” (Wikipedia).  While first lady, Reagan was criticized for replacing the White House china and “was both lauded and lambasted for her lavish, designer-donated wardrobe.” (West, 2007).

As seen with Cassini and Jackie Kennedy, a designer’s career can receive a major boost when he or she is chosen to dress a high-profile political figure.  “Designers donated their fashions to Nancy in exchange for the exposure she afforded them, but the public balked. The Reagans were accused of not caring that America was having trouble making ends meet, while they lived and entertained lavishly, surrounded by well-heeled friends.” (Wolf).  Nancy faced an inquiry into the source of her wardrobe when it was revealed that some borrowed designer items had never been returned. (West)

In the 2008 presidential election season, fashion commentary of the candidates and their spouses has become a popular topic. Huffington wrote,

“Because, despite the undeniable ascendance of gossip-magazine politics, the American people still have a schizophrenic attitude toward the subject. On the one hand, we want our politicians to look good: attractive, fashionable, well dressed, and perfectly groomed. But we definitely don’t want to think of their spending any time or money – or even any thought – on achieving the proper look.  We want the steak but we don’t want to hear about the slaughterhouse.” (Huffington, 2007).

While commentary of presidential nominee John McCain’s wardrobe and personal style has been minimal, coverage of his wife’s attire is plentiful. “Cindy McCain looks like a traditional first lady, with her brightly colored feminine suits …” (Givhan, 2008).  Vanity Fair editors estimated the cost of McCain’s de la Renta dress, diamond earrings, four-strand pearl necklace, Chanel watch and strappy shoes worn at the Republican National Convention at roughly $300,000. (2008, Vanity Fair). Sarah Palin’s eyeglasses, “model 704, No. 34 gray of the Kazuo Kawasaki eyewear collection – have sparked quite the craze among consumers who want to sport the Palin look, men and women alike.” (Cantu, 2008).  “Pundits probably spilled as much ink on [Barak] Obama’s tie, or lack thereof, as on his energy policy…” (Stein, 2008) and Michelle Obama is credited with having a “very personal style” and “a hint of Midwestern sensibility” with her coordinated ensembles (Critchell, 2008).

Fashion In the Courtroom
Fashion plays an overlooked role in political protest, according to Joshua Miller, and “Fashion and style can be subversive in that they can shock their audience. Politically, such shock can be helpful or harmful to the cause.” Miller argues that “Fashion is political because it has a psychological and ideological impact on both participants in, and on observers of, political protest. Fashion can be individualistic, but it also has a communal dimension that is frequently overlooked. When one joins a cause one often looks like the others.” (Miller, 2005).

In the United States, arguments over fashion reach all levels of society, including employees and school children who may be subjected to dress codes. Explicit and implied messages linked to the wearing of certain garments or accessories can lead to controversy surrounding fashion, social mores, acceptability and freedom of speech, and can even result in a lawsuit.

Often at issue is whether one’s rights are infringed upon when an employer, school district, or municipality enacts a dress code suggesting, restricting or even dictating what one can or cannot wear to work or school. In the business world, lawsuits by employees have alleged that a company’s dress code discriminates “on the basis of sex, religion or race under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. However, if a dress code is based on business needs and applied uniformly, it generally will not violate employee civil rights.” (Thomas).

Lawsuits filed against school systems over dress codes generally allege violations of a student’s First Amendment right to Free Speech. Supporters of student dress codes in public school districts argue that dress codes and uniforms promote a better learning environment and increase safety. Opponents maintain there is no safety benefit and that dress codes infringe upon both the student’s rights to free expression and parental freedom in child rearing. (Hudson).

The landmark U.S. Supreme Court Ruling in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District (1969) is cited by both opponents and supporters of dress codes. In the Tinker case, three students were suspended for wearing black armbands in protest of the Viet Nam War. The court ruled 7 to 2 that public school officials could not censor student expression unless they could reasonably anticipate interference with the work of the school or impingement upon the rights of other students. The decision stated that school authorities appeared to be motivated by a wish to avoid controversy surrounding Viet Nam and that other political expressions, including national campaign buttons and the Iron Cross traditionally associated with Nazism, were not prohibited. (Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, 393 U.S. 503(1969)).

Cases involving school dress codes have recently arisen in Tennessee. In Anderson County, Tom Defoe repeatedly and deliberately violated his school’s dress code by wearing a tee shirt and belt buckle imprinted with the Confederate Flag, which resulted in his being suspended from school 40 times. Dafoe’s lawsuit “alleges that school officials violated his civil rights by suspending him for clothing with the Confederate flag’s emblem” and that the dress code policy is “vague, overbroad, and gives school officials too much discretionary authority to decide what clothing is acceptable.” In United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, (Defoe v. Anderson County School Board No. 3:06-cv-450) a mistrial was declared by U.S. District Judge Tom Varlen when, after roughly 10 hours of deliberation the jury reported “that it was hopelessly deadlocked.”  (Balloch).

In Blount County, students challenged a system-wide dress code that included a ban on display of the Confederate flag (Barr v. LaFon, No. 07-5743). Enacted in 2003, the ban was subject to increased enforcement “in the wake of racially motivated threats of violence, a fight and a police lockdown over racial “hit lists”.”  The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that “legitimate safety concerns trump students’ free speech rights,” and upheld the decision by U.S. District Judge Tom Varlen to toss out the challenge by the three Blount County High School students. “[T]he appellate court found, as did Varlen, that the ban was not merely a politically response to the flag’s connotation as a symbol of racism and slavery, but rather a vital tool in keeping students at William Blount high School safe.” (Satterfield, 2008).

Some communities, including Pine Lawn, Missouri (a suburb of St. Louis) and Stratford, Connecticut, have considered enacting ordinances banning saggy-pants fashion, popularized in gangster rap videos and believed to have originated as an emulation of the beltless look of prison inmates. The Louisiana Senate rejected a proposed bill that would “make it a crime to wear one’s pants too low.” While Senators agreed they disliked the style, they felt “government should stay out of questions of fashion” and that the proposed bill was too much government intervention. (Associated Press, 2008/La. Senate).

Fashion is a matter of an individual’s personal taste, but one’s clothing choices can expose the wearer to potential, unexpected attention. High profile figures such as politicians are subjected to public scrutiny – from the press and the people they represent (or hope to represent).  Even when not a conscious statement of political protest, everyday clothing choices for ordinary citizens can lead to criticism, as when wearing a symbol of another culture. Punishment can occur, such as school suspension, when deliberately defying a known dress code.

Works Cited
Amadan, Kingston. (2006, February 10). The Politics of Fashion. Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-6-2006-88229.asp.

Associated Press. (2006, March 23). Fashion designer Oleg Cassini dead at 92. Retrieved September 7, 2008 from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/11888340/.

Associated Press. (2008, April 23). La. Senate panel block droopy-pants bill. Retrieved August 23, 2008 from http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/news.aspx?id=19950.

Balloch, Jim. (2008, August 16). Plaintiffs to seek retrial in flag case. Knoxville News Sentinel, Retrieved August 23, 2008 from http://wwwknoxnews.com/news/2008/aug/16/plaintiffs-to-seek-retrial-in-flag-case/.

Cantu, Blanca. (2008, September 9). Sarah Palin’s glasses spark a new fashion craze. The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved September 10, 2008 from http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/yahoolatestnews/stories/091008dnmetpalinglasses.5dda7182.html?npc

Critchell, Samantha. (2008, September 1). “Fashion Politics,” The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved September 8, 2008, from http://www.sltrib.com/portlet/article/html/fragments/print_article.jsp

The Field Museum (Chicago). “Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years, Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum.”  Retrieved September 7, 2008 from http://www.fieldmuseum.org/jkennedy/campaign.html.

Givhan, Robin (2008, May). Dressing Mrs. President. Harper’s Bazaar. Retrieved August 23, 2008 from http://www.harpersbazaar.com/print-this-/dressing-hilary-clinton-0508-2.

Hudson, David L., Jr. (Undated). Clothing, dress codes & uniforms. Retrieved August 23, 2008 from http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org.

Huffington, Arianna. (2007, October). “The Politics of Fashion,” Harper’s Bazaar. Retrieved August 23, 2008, from http://www.harpersbazaar.com/print-this/politics-of-fashion-1007.

James, Susan Donaldson. (2007, July 4). Argentina’s Fashionable Presidential Hopeful Christina Kirchner Makes Hillary Clinton Look Dowdy. ABC News Internet Ventures. Retrieved August 23, 2008 from http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=3343319.

Kim, Kibum. (2007, February 11). Where Some See Fashion, Others See Politics. New York times. Retrieved September 8, 2008 from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/11/fashion/shows/11KAFFIYEH.html.

Miller, J. I. (2005, September). Fashion as Political Action. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Marriott Wardman Park, Omni Shoreham, Washington Hilton, Washington, DC. Retrieved September 5, 2008 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p39896_index.html.

Odell, Amy. (2008, August 29). Barak Obama’s Fashion Week Fundraiser Is a Mini Fashion Week of Its Own! Nymag.com. Retrieved September 8, 2008 from http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2008/08/barak_obamas_fashion_week_fun.html.

Satterfield, Jamie (2008, August 21). Blount flag ban upheld. Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved August 25, 2008 from http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/aug/21/blount-flag-ban-upheld/.

Stein, Sadie. (2008, August 27). The Politics of Fashion: Do Clothes Have A Place In The Conversation? Retrieved September 8, 2008 from http://jezebel.com/5042674/the-politics-of-fashion-do-clothes-have-a-place-in-the-conversation.

Thomas, Robin. (Undated). Dress Code Legal Issues. Personnel Policy Service, Inc. Retrieved August 24, 2008 from http://www.ppspublishers.com/biz/dresscode.htm.

Tinker v. Des Moines Independent School District, 393 U.S. 503 (1969).  Retrieved August 24, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tinker_v._Des_Moines_Independent_Community_School_District.

Vanity Fair. (2008, September 4). Cindy McCain’s $300,000 Outfit. Vanity Fair. Retrieved September 10, 2008 from http://www.vanityfair.com/online/politics/2008/09/cindy-mccains-300000-outfit.html.

West, Kevin. (2007, November). “Nancy’s Closet,” W Magazine. Retrieved September 1, 2008 from http://www.wmagazine.com.

Wikipedia. “Nancy Reagan,” Retrieved on September 1, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nancy_Davis_Reagan.

Wolf, Julie. “Nancy Reagan,” American Experience. Retrieved on September 1, 2008 from http:// www.pbs.org.

In partial Fulfillment of POL109 – Political Science at Draughn’s Junior College, Clarksville, TN, September 11, 2008.