The art of political dressing: As Michelle Obama’s new book will highlight, fashion choices can make political statements

It’s an experience that’s not unique to the former US first lady: politics and fashion go hand in hand. While some may think fashion is frivolous, getting dressed is a conscious act and one that can have even more weight when you’re on the public stage. That’s the reason world leaders often wear something from the country they are visiting when on official trips: think of Queen Elizabeth’s shamrock-adorned dress for her historic state dinner in Dublin in 2011. But more often, it’s a subtle form of communication that the best political movers know how to use to their advantage.

Take the focus on Michelle Obama herself, for example. While she was criticised for having her arms on show or being too sexy in some of her looks, she championed designers from diverse backgrounds such as Jason Wu and Naeem Khan. Khan is the epitome of the American dream. Having grown up in Mumbai, he moved to America to pursue a career in fashion at 20. Barack Obama’s campaign poster had ‘hope’ written in bold lettering, and what is more hopeful than the tale of a young immigrant who went on to dress the first lady?

While fashion can display an important message, it’s not always a positive one. Current US First Lady Melania Trump has had a plethora of well-deserved critiques on her fashion choices. The most notable was in 2018 when she visited a shelter in Texas where children of suspected illegal immigrants were housed. She chose to wear a Zara jacket that had ‘I really don’t care, do u?’ written on the back. Though initially her representatives dismissed any significance to the message, saying it was “just a jacket”, she later claimed that she had been sending a message to the “left-wing media” who criticised her.

There seems to have been no lasting damage done – in the eyes of the fashion world at least. Where during their first term in office many designers refused to dress the Trumps and their wider circle, this time they have been embraced by big names such as Oscar de la Renta.

It’s not only women who are critiqued on their fashion choices: when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky showed up to meet President Donald Trump at the White House wearing his signature sweatshirt in February, he was met with hostility. Trump remarked “You’re all dressed up today”, to which Zelensky replied he would wear a suit when the war is over — his wardrobe is a deliberate nod to his countrymen who are fighting on the front lines.

Interestingly, Trump doesn’t seem to expect the same standard of dress from ex-bestie-turned-enemy Elon Musk, who has been pictured in the Oval Office wearing slogan T-shirts and baseball caps. Proof that dressing down can also be a power play.

As Michelle Obama put it when writing about her forthcoming book: “The Look is about more than fashion. It’s about confidence. It’s about identity. It’s about the power of authenticity.”

What your Trump victory sneakers say about you…

You don’t exist. No really, does anyone actually own these gold, American flag-adorned ‘Never Surrender’ high-tops? For a mere $399 you too can be on the wrong side of history!

Putting politics aside for one minute, who on earth is trusting Donald Trump with fashion choices? Presumably the same people who bought the $199 Fight Fight Fight desert boots, the $249 America’s Superhero low-top trainers, and the $499 Trump golf shoes – limited to 1,000 pairs and available for both men and women from gettrumpsneakers.com.

These sneakers are gaudy and cheap looking. In fact, if you bought these sneakers, I’m glad you’re down $399, you don’t deserve the cash.