You’ve been working toward this moment for months. The moment you will step on stage and make history. From backstage, you see your face flashing across a massive screen as your loved ones and coworkers tell the whole world how great you are.
There are thousands of people on the other side of the thick black curtain waiting to cheer you on. This moment is one of the most important moments of your career, possibly your whole life. If this was your moment, what would you be wearing?
For Hillary Clinton, the answer to that question was both simple and significant: an all-white Ralph Lauren pantsuit. When she appeared on stage at the Democratic National Convention to accept her nomination as the first female presidential candidate for a major party, not only did Clinton look fashionable; she looked presidential. Her choice of pants put her on par with every male candidate who ever came before her and, in the case of Obama, ran alongside her.
Her choice of white as opposed to red or blue fit nicely with her acceptance speech theme of uniting Americans across party lines while giving a shout out to feminist movements which embraced the color more than one hundred years ago.
As a seasoned politician, surely Mrs. Clinton considered a number of criteria when deciding on a nomination-acceptance-appropriate outfit, but I would hope that the primary aspect she considered was comfort. For someone who has been mocked and teased for years about her choice of attire, Clinton donned a classic from her fashion repertoire to address the Democratic delegates.
Though she has experimented with her look over the years (possibly feeling the pressure from critics in the media and in the political arena), I for one was happy to see Mrs. Clinton wearing a pantsuit. Some suggest she was making a statement by wearing white, and this may be true, but aside from that she wore an outfit that speaks to the truth of who she is.
She looked so happy and true to herself, and that’s what makes her sleek white pantsuit so perfect. It symbolized feminism, it symbolized unity, and most importantly, it symbolized Hillary Clinton.
Kayla Beard is a senior studying journalism at Ohio University. What are some of your favorite fashions? Let Kayla know by emailing her at kb851412@ohio.edu.
