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Kamala Harris and the Casual Vogue Outfit




When the Vogue cover of Vice President Kamala Harris was released people were not impressed by the photograph. For the cover shoot Kamala wore what was described in The New York Times as “a dark jacket by Donald Deal, skinny pants, Converse and her trademark pearls.”. Social media was not impressed and many expressed how they felt the outfit didn’t convey her position of power. One author wrote in a Washington Post article “...in a world where strong Black women are often maligned as intimidating and unfeminine, the image Vogue chose reduced Harris just as she is taking her rightful place at the heights of American power.”. Due to the backlash an alternate cover was released where Kamala Harris posed in a blue Michael Kors pantsuit with an American Flag pin. The alternate cover was better received by the public, but the other cover was still widely talked about in the media. People also cited this as evidence that Vogue editor in chief, Anna Wintour, continues to not be inclusive towards the black women featured on her cover. Harris and her team have always made it clear to the media that they will not comment on her fashion choices and they never released an official comment on the Vogue cover controversy. 


Citations:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/01/13/kamala-harris-vogue-cover/


https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/11/style/kamala-harris-vogue.html

Comments

  1. Kerrie Ann ComptonNovember 20, 2023 at 7:27 AM

    It's disheartening to see how Kamala Harris faces such unwarranted scrutiny, even down to her fashion choices. It's frustrating that a magazine cover sparked such a debate, especially when the focus should be on her achievements and the impact of her role.

    It's particularly noteworthy that the initial Vogue cover received criticism for not conveying her position of power adequately. The alternate cover in a blue Michael Kors pantsuit was better received, but the fact that the controversy remained raises important questions about representation and inclusivity in the media.

    The Washington Post article rightly points out the challenges faced by strong Black women, who are sometimes unfairly perceived as intimidating or unfeminine. In this context, the choice of cover image becomes more than just a fashion statement; it becomes a reflection of broader societal attitudes.

    Given the lack of an official comment from Harris and her team on the Vogue cover controversy, it raises the question: How can we shift the narrative to focus more on the accomplishments and policies of powerful women, like Vice President Kamala Harris, rather than dissecting their wardrobe choices?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Candace KingNovember 21, 2023 at 2:32 PM

    Hi Kendalyn,
    Your blog is probably my favorite from this class. I think your topic is unique and very important to discuss, but it's not something a lot of people think about until the topic itself is brought up. With that being said, I enjoyed reading this article in particular. I have never seen any articles about President Joe Biden's choice of outfit, but for some reason his VP's outfit is a topic of conversation. I do think comparing the two images you chose is interesting. The first VOGUE cover that was released does show a more relaxed stature and dark clothes, whereas the second one shows a more confident pose and lighter colors. Like you said, there's also the inclusion of the pin. It's surprising how these small changes send different messages, but I still don't think it's worth discussing in the media. There's more important things to talk about than women's fashion!

    ReplyDelete

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