This Season’s Biggest Trend: Voting
By Kassidy Kelly
Business Writer
At its core, fashion is a form of self-expression. During the campaigning season of the 2020 election, many Americans have let fashion choices express their political stances. From sporting apparel, masks, T-shirts, totes, and accessories: every article of clothing worn by these political fashionistas incorporated the importance of voting in their outfit of the day. The propaganda must have worked looking at the quantity of this year’s voter turnouts.
As the 2020 presidential election comes to an end with a win for President-elect Joe Biden, America celebrates a record-high voter turnout of over 146 million and counting. With the COVID-19 pandemic standing as a huge obstacle this year, getting the right information out to eligible voters to encourage them to register and vote for their candidate has been nearly impossible. However, that was of the utmost important aspect– and what better way to spread the word than to wear what you believe. Thus, the rising trend of all these “Vote” clothing and accessories.
Every American: from celebrities, influencers to the girl next door, everyone has taken the opportunity to participate in the “vote fashion” trend. Fashion designer Christian Siriano encouraged eligible voters to participate in the election with pieces featured in his Spring 2021 runway show held at his home in Westport, Connecticut. The elegant black gown with “VOTE” written over and over in bold white letters graced the runway, styled with a mask and hat of the same print caught everyone’s attention in September. “As a designer, our clothes are our voice,” Siriano posted in an Instagram caption showcasing his dress, followed by “Yesterday we showed our collection with a message to VOTE VOTE VOTE!”
While both Joe Biden and Donald Trump have their range of election merchandise that supported their campaigns (“Biden-Harris” logo tees and “Make America Great Again” hats respectively.) “vote fashion” has a different bipartisan tone and meaning than these campaign merchandise. Celebrities such as Hailey Bieber’s “voting is hot” tee, Lady Gaga’s Swarovski crystal “Vote” mask, and Brie Larson’s colorful “vote” purse has been flooding everyone’s feed. Vote fashion is not red or blue, right nor left. It is a trend for all Americans to enjoy and express the nation’s right to vote.
The idea of sporting vote fashion is to raise overall voter awareness with the aid of social media platforms, provide information and education to eligible voters. Due to the pandemic, many people are keeping their social outings to a minimum so, posting pictures in this trend has been a successful way to express the good-old message of democracy.
Contact Kassidy at kellykas@shu.edu