Let’s Talk About It: What Fashion Insiders Expect From The Democratic National Convention – Essence

On August 19th, the 2024 Democratic National Convention will commence its historic week of events, signaling a shift in partisan power. All of this takes place against the backdrop of the Windy City, influencing the fashion choices of attendees, especially Black politicians and public figures who understand the impact of visual presentation. Chicago, which has long been a crucible for Black thought and cultural production, is bracing for a seismic moment in the nexus of policy, coalition-building, and styling across disciplines.

The speaker schedule is still being confirmed, but that does not halt the expectation for high-adrenaline moments soon taking place in the same iconic home arena of the Chicago Bulls. A similar fervor will be mirrored during the convention, where sportsmanship will take a different ideological and stylistic form. Every address and every vote cast will be a moment to demonstrate the directional tide of the Democratic party and the 2024 Presidential Election. Furthermore, the DNC will reflect a niche embodiment of Chicago’s rich legacy within the broader Black Renaissance.

For candidates and their affiliates, public opinion on fashion design and styling is not superficial but deeply connected to perceptions of credibility and electability. In the case of the 2024 Presidential Election, where Biden’s unprecedented decision to step aside has opened the door for a candidate with multiple “firsts” in identity, fashion will play a crucial role in shaping public perception. Often, DNC and RNC fashion moments are helmed by politics’ stylish plus-ones, and this year, particular attention will be paid to the woman at the center — Democratic Presidential nominee Kamala Harris. 

This DNC, fashion for Harris and contemporary women politicians at large, is not merely about aesthetics; it is a communication vessel about and for a woman with power. There is pressure to communicate strength with concern and not to veer too close to the now-cliche Girlboss archetype. Harris’ clothes—like every political leader’s—are imbued with meaning, signaling her values and political viability despite the comparative superfluousness of apparel against action items. 

In 2016, the country watched mass scrutiny of a different female presidential candidate’s fashion choices, which were conflated with other parts of her campaign. Vice President Harris, no doubt, is preparing for a version of the same but with additional layers of misogynoir and other prejudices. Writer and fashion analyst Jessica Wagstaff addresses this tension, noting its parallels with the contemporary moment. “In 2016, Hillary Clinton was heavily encouraged to update her look,” Wagstaff tells ESSENCE, “and she responded with beautifully constructed, albeit boring suits by Ralph Lauren.”

Writer and fashion analyst Jessica Wagstaff articulates this convergence of expectations, noting that Harris may already have a fashion profile capable of carrying her through this convention and beyond. Wagstaff tells ESSENCE, “I think {Vice President Harris} has an incredibly discernable fashion profile – as a matter of fact, I would argue she has a keen awareness of fashion and knows how to smartly employ it.” 

A historic potential nominee for multiple reasons, Vice President Kamala Harris embodies a dynamic connection to diverse constituencies that comes across in her styling decisions. Wagstaff continues, “We have seen her swap out her customary pearls for the Tiffany & Co HardWear necklace, meant to signify the power of love; she routinely incorporates the pussy bow blouse with her suits as a nod to very recent feminist history; and she incorporates the Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars, which have an incredibly storied, quintessentially American story of their own. We determine authenticity through one’s style, accessories, and body language, so it is imperative for her personal tastes to shine through.”

Womenswear’s expansiveness, with its variety in color, silhouette, and texture, offers a broader palette for conveying political messages compared to the more constrained options traditionally available to men. Fashion challenges for Harris manifest not only in general misogyny and scrutiny that comes from working in the public eye but also in particular pointedness through aesthetic expectations of a certain age. 

As the nation gears up for a contentious election, the DNC will be a moment when fashion serves as both a personal and political statement. At the Republican National Convention (RNC), the fashion choices of women attendees and speakers were emblematic of the party’s increasingly covert cultural positioning towards domesticity and women’s roles. The post-2016 Trump Republican party takes on a blend of traditionalism with strategic nods to contemporary style.

Wagstaff describes a neo-romantic fashion ideal materializing in the influencer sphere of trad-wives and white women who signal feminism’s obsolescence. The “cottage-core” styling trend popular with famous bloggers such as Ballerina Farm‘s Hannah Neeleman exists as these women’s aestheticized romanticism of the role of an absolved woman, buttressed by traditional gender roles, limited access to birth control, and an overall embrace of paternalistic interpretation of Biblo-Christian traditions. In her Substack, Wagstaff writes that the flowy, puff sleeve cottage core aesthetic gaining traction in the mainstream “tacitly supported a growing subculture of seductive simplicity, glorifying traditional white womanhood and American fundamentalism.” 

The overall aesthetic at the RNC was a sharper, polished image of traditional femininity, which included tailored suits, high heels, and immaculate grooming. This more aspirational and controlled representation of women within a political context ultimately promoted the same pre-industrial lifestyles that favored women of protected classes, often shielded by whiteness and wealth. Though seemingly different, these styles communicate together, both reinforcing a conservative worldview. One is more personal and nostalgic, the other more polished and aspirational; they operate in different spheres of influence and cultural narratives while promoting the same policy outcomes. 

The clothing worn on the DNC stage in this election, as in past ones, will send powerful messages about who the candidates are and what they stand for. Fashion will not simply be a display, but a vivid expression of the party’s evolving ethos. One striking trend would be embracing sustainable and eco-friendly fashion, a testament to the party’s awareness of a younger, more environmentally conscious electorate more averse to conspicuous consumption. This growing focus on ethical fashion isn’t just a nod to the green revolution; it’s a deliberate balancing act that honors the sensibilities of an older, traditional voter base while steering clear of conspicuous consumption. Business-casual and smart-casual ensembles will likely dominate, characterized by sustainable fabrics that speak volumes without shouting—a sartorial nod to the urgency of environmental stewardship and the call for social equity.