National politics is not a place known for high fashion. Yet that’s exactly where fashion magazines and feminist media have found their new style icon, and in an even more unlikely choice: Hillary Clinton.
Yes, really.
After she emerged “from the woods” to speak before a women's entrepreneur conference in San Francisco Tuesday, the media have been raving for more public appearances from the losing presidential candidate. Feminist and fashion magazines were particularly impressed by Clinton’s outfit at the conference, proclaiming it’s “bold” and “edgy” look, as a sign of a renewed Clinton “with attitude.”
Vanity Fair magazine devoted a whole style profile to Clinton, gushing the black leather jacket and floral blouse combo was “one of her edgiest looks yet”. Apparently donning a leather jacket immediately turned Clinton into “the Fonz.”
Writer Erika Harwood hyped, “she’s back,” “with a new style that fits her bolder, even more confrontational attitude toward the man she squared off against last year.”
Harwood goes on to give examples of how she saw Clinton’s recent fashion choices as a step in a new direction for Clinton. “Clinton seems to have found a renewed, bolder approach to public service—and style,” she touted.
Vanity Fair wasn’t the only one obsessing that this outfit was some sign of a more outspoken, Trump-bashing Clinton.
Feminist website Bustle, the Huffington Post and Vogue also got excited over Clinton's leather jacket. Bustle writer Melanie Richtman actually claimed in her headline that Clinton has “always had incredible style.” What?!
"During her campaign to be President of the United States, Hillary Clinton favored simple, elegant pantsuits that looked powerful, but weren't too threatening to people (read: men). Those days are over."
Richtman goes on to explain how Clinton’s fashion sense in the past few months has been the epitome of “perfection” expressing “her true self.” Like Vanity Fair, Bustle includes several pictures of Clinton’s fashion in the past 6 months as evidence that Clinton was taking a more “bold” approach to politics.
“Rock on Hillary, we will support you!” Richtman wrote.
Over at the Huffington Post, writer Jamie Feldman touted, “Well played, Hillz!”
She praised, “[T]his new look has a welcome dose of attitude.” Feldman took the same approach as the rest of the media, hoping this new outfit was a signal of Clinton’s increased presence in the political sphere.
"[A]ll you have to do is look to the white pantsuit she wore to the inauguration in solidarity with the women’s movement to know that she does use fashion to send messages, both to her supporters and opponents. We can’t wait to see what comes next."
At Vogue, writer Edward Barsamian praised the “cool” and “bold” new look, with “biker influence” and “subtle sophistication.”
Clinton, whose pantsuits and other strange fashion choices has always been a point of mockery, now being hailed as a style icon for wearing a leather jacket and “statement jewelry” is quite something. Can you imagine a conservative woman getting this same kind of treatment (particularly after they lost an election?)
