No one calls it nerd prom anymore. Like other events involving a red carpet these days, the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner has become yet another opportunity to use an image-making opportunity to generate conversation and influence opinion. in public. It only stands to reason.
After all, who understands the point of the photo op and the way it draws eyeballs to the chaos of the mass social media-sphere better than those who helped create it and the politicians they cover? They know that although we come for celebrities who want the warm glow of power and substance – last year, Kim Kardashian and Pete Davidson made their official debut as a couple; this year, it’s Chrissy Teigen and John Legend — what remains is how the real stars of the night use their moment in the spotlight. The most interesting options are more than beautiful clothes.
(See, for example, the decision by Tamara Keith, the president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, to use her dress to pay tribute to the polka-dot dress worn by Holly Hunter’s character on WHCD in ” Broadcast News,” a film. which sparked his own desire to go into journalism.)
Who is the best this time? The answers may surprise you.
John Fetterman
The senator from Pennsylvania continues his streak as one of Washington’s most famous dressers. Since he recently returned to the capital after being treated for depression, joining the WHCD red carpet bash with his wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, is a deliberate statement about his recovery, his willingness to be open about his experience and his strength. “Get him a tux,” his wife Tweetreferring to the passion of Mr. Fetterman in shorts, Dickies and Carhartt hoodies — and the way, since he was sworn in the capital, he played by the rules of the institution.
However, he did not completely abandon a regular wardrobe that helped him get elected and that became part of his signature even in Washington. Notice the black sneakers on his feet. This is a sign that he knows what he stands for – and on. That’s why his style is so important. Her clothes are not very elegant. But they are true.
Karine Jean-Pierre
The White House press secretary chose a white dress by Emily Adams Bode for the dinner, showing her facility in the game of fashion diplomacy. Ms. Bode is not only an independent designer in New York, but also one who has made her name working with upcycled textiles and other castoff materials, allowing Ms. Jean-Pierre to emphasize the efforts of the Biden administration towards local manufacturing and sustainability.
Not to mention the American fashion industry, which does not have the same love from the current West and East Wing regimes as from some previous administrations. (Ms. Bode is a poster child for American fashion success, having won the Council of Fashion Designers of America award for best American menswear designer for the past three years and new only recently began to dress women, which he expressed to great admiration. in Paris.)
All of which suggests that this could be a foreshadowing of a deeper relationship to come.
Julia Fox
The “Uncut Gems” star and former object of Kanye West’s affections and Svengali tendencies fully embraced her role as the night’s unexpectedly-cool guest. She hit the red carpet by showing off a black bustier and fur gown with rubber opera gloves, a handbag shaped like a leather jacket on a hanger, and a face painted in white Kabuki with exaggerated black eye makeup.
The appearance, not surprisingly, started a flurry of feverish speculation: Was this his high-fashion way of implying that Washington is a clown town? Is he preparing to punish someone? The most interesting possibility is that his appearance is an implicit reference to “Black Swan.” And not just the 2010 Natalie Portman movie, but the 2007 book by Nassim Nicholas Taleb where the author introduced the black swan theory of unexpected events. It probably describes the last six years in Washington, not to mention the upcoming presidential campaign. That might be overthinking the outfit, but it’s an interesting idea.
Kamala Harris
Finally, the vice president has a chance to shine. Literally, in a dusty blue sequined column dress by Sergio Hudson, the Black designer who also made her inauguration gown. A nervous not to see Ms. Harris wearing his usual low-cut black dress – and knowing he didn’t go the route of fading into the background by simply donning a tux like the men around him. Although the vice president, like the president and the first lady, skipped the step-and-repeat, he did not miss his seat at the station, suggesting that this could be the beginning of a more visible campaign role.
If so, it’s time. She was the first female vice president and the first woman of color to hold the seat. She may also use her clothes to remind everyone what a pioneer she is – and to pave the way for more interesting, inspiring dressing for all the women who may follow.
