I would like to get dressed without accidentally issuing a campaign statement.
That feels like a reasonable request. A little pink. Some skinny jeans. A crossbody bag that I will absolutely refuse to abandon. An outfit should be allowed to have a personality without needing a press secretary.
Then I read Caroline Bologna’s piece on BuzzFeed about fashion associated with Republican women, and apparently we need to talk about this.
Can we please let a cute outfit be a cute outfit?
I get the temptation to look for clues. Especially when you care deeply about where someone stands. There are things I want to know about a person, and how they feel about women making decisions about their own bodies is pretty high on that list.
But I would prefer to get that information from their actual words and actions. Having to interpret a stranger’s accessories sounds exhausting, and I do not trust myself to get it right.
Imagine finding a jacket you love, checking whether it fits, deciding whether you can justify the price, and then remembering you apparently need to check which congressional caucus it resembles.
Does it have pockets? Can I wash it? Am I going to spend the entire day adjusting the sleeves? These are the questions I am prepared to answer while shopping.
I don’t want a dress code for having opinions
I love pink. I love cute things. I also have very strong opinions. Those things fit together just fine.
I don’t want someone looking at a feminine outfit and deciding the woman wearing it must want a particular kind of life. Maybe she does. Maybe she absolutely does not. You could ask her. She is standing right there.
And I would hate to see someone give up a look she loves because she worries it will make people misunderstand her. Getting dressed is already enough work without adding a political disclaimer to the mirror.
Wear the thing that makes you feel good. Have the conversation that tells people what you believe. Neither one needs to do the other’s entire job.
Please judge me by something I actually said
If I tell you what I believe, take me seriously. If I support something, disagree with me about that. There is plenty to discuss without building a case around my shoes.
I am also allowed to think an outfit is gorgeous on someone whose politics I cannot stand. That is an observation about the outfit. It does not require a meeting.
My ideal arrangement is very simple: I pick the clothes, I explain my own opinions, and my crossbody bag stays out of it.
