Weekly Aesthetic Analysis: Possible Homage to Obama? Interpreting Subtle Meanings in Kamala Harris' Brown Suit
So, when Vice President Kamala Harris made an unexpected appearance at the Democratic National Convention donning a tan suit during the event on Monday evening, the United States' collective memory, or at least social media's, was instantly reminded of one of the most notable instances of criticism: Tan-gate.
Just about a decade ago, President Obama infuriated a few conservative pundits by giving a press briefing wearing a light-colored suit. Critics felt that his choice of attire was not suitable for the seriousness of the topic being discussed (regarding the US military's response to an emerging ISIS).
At the time, New York Rep. Peter King criticized the suit, stating to CNN that it symbolized Obama's "lack of seriousness." Meanwhile, late Fox News commentator and vocal birther Lou Dobbs slammed the attire as "unpresidential," suggesting during his live broadcast that it might be transmitting some kind of hidden message, possibly directed at American adversaries.
Whether Harris intended to evoke this now-infamous moment connected to GOP criticism is up for debate. Perhaps she was aiming for that exact outcome. But when Harris graced the stage while Beyoncé's "Freedom" played and donned a tan pantsuit while laughing, she appeared to be taunting critics to label her as "unpresidential."
Comedian John Fugelsang shared on X that the outfit would "trigger the right people," while former RNC spokesperson Tim Miller believed she was "baiting Fox News into an entire week of tan suit coverage." Novelist Michael Marshall Smith described the wardrobe choice as "deep cut trolling."
A less confrontational perspective is that the suit, matched with a white lavalier blouse, was a lighthearted reference to an insignificant piece of political history. Amid a slow August 2014 news cycle, media outlets embraced tan-gate with headlines like "Yes We Tan!" and "The Audacity of Taupe" (playing on Obama's famous slogan and memoir). If the DNC event had occurred a week later, Harris could have celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the incident and caused quite the uproar on social media.
Such a nod would be in line with a presidential campaign that has successfully benefited from culturally relevant, meme-worthy references, from Harris embracing Charli XCX's "Brat" green to campaign hats evidently inspired by pop star Chappell Roan.
Emerging Sartorial Credentials
Of course, the choice of color might just be coincidental. It was not the only time Harris wore a tan suit within a week, having done so during a Maryland appearance alongside President Biden, though she paired it with a black top and chunky gold necklace that time.
Various digital commentators also claimed Harris's DNC outfit was actually camel, not tan. French fashion house Chloe, whose creative director Chemena Kamali designed the custom wool two-piece, simply described the color as "brown."
Disregarding the color, there was plenty to analyze within Harris' choice of attire. For instance, it signaled the beginnings of a blossoming relationship between Harris and Chloe, with Kamali, who dressed the vice president in a floor-length gown and matching jacket cape at a White House state dinner in May, now working on her wardrobe.
This partnership may prove to be beneficial for both parties. Chloe is currently experiencing a cultural renaissance, with Kamali earning praise for revitalizing the codes of contemporary women's fashion after assuming her role in October. In many ways, Harris fits the bill as Chloe's ideal client: A powerful woman of color vying to dress for an office that, up until now, has only recognized menswear.
For Harris, aligning herself with the French label may aid her in subtly refuting her reputation for lacking in fashion sense. Since commencing her tenure in 2020, she has sported numerous iterations of the same pantsuit, all in muted colors, for various events. But whereas her DNC suit was a familiar cut in a safe, uncontroversial shade, Chloe's wide lapels and flared, floor-length trousers gave the outfit a less corporate feel.
This could be the limit of Harris' sartorial daring. And perhaps for good reason. Hillary Clinton, who graced the DNC stage that Monday wearing a similar shade of cream, wrote in her 2017 memoir that "as a woman running for president, I liked the visual cue that I was different from the men but also familiar." A uniform, she argued, would be a compelling distraction that might encourage people to focus on her words rather than her attire.
With Harris scheduled to deliver her keynote speech on Thursday, she may be hoping that her early cameo in a tan suit will appease fashion critics and let her politics take center stage.
The fashion choice of Vice President Harris, donning a tan suit at the Democratic National Convention, drew comparisons to the Tan-gate incident involving President Obama and his light-colored suit, sparking debates about style and seriousness in politics. In an attempt to elevate her sartorial credentials, Harris partnered with French fashion house Chloe for her DNC outfit, signaling a blossoming relationship between the two.
Following the criticism faced by President Obama for his choice of attire, Vice President Harris' decision to wear a tan suit could be seen as a bold move, aiming to challenge stereotypes and demonstrate her stylish prowess in the political arena, while simultaneously referencing an insignificant piece of political history.
