ValerieBound

Jul 30, 20163 min read

Convention Fashion: You Are What You Wear

Now that the Republican and Democratic National Conventions are over, we can talk about what’s really important: what everyone was wearing! I know everyone gave wonderful speeches, but the messages coming from fashion choices can be equally powerful.

Consider:

Ivanka Trump

Donald Trump’s daughter got major kudos for being savvy enough to wear her own label every night of the convention. Branding genius! She also got props for wearing a dress that women in America could actually afford: it was less than $150. Things like this make Ivanka more relatable, despite the family’s great wealth. If you ever watched The Apprentice, you know she’s a solid business woman with excellent insights. And she proved it again at the RNC.

Melania Trump

<img class="wp-image-443 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/joyce-beatty-melania-trump-dresses.jpg" alt="Joyce Beatty and Melania Trump" width="231" height="154" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/joyce-beatty-melania-trump-dresses.jpg 790w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/joyce-beatty-melania-trump-dresses-300x200.jpg 300w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/joyce-beatty-melania-trump-dresses-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 231px) 100vw, 231px" /> Joyce Beatty and Melania Trump

Her choice, fashion-forward and expensive, is befitting a former model. Melania chose Serbian designer Roksanda Ilincic’s $2,200 “Margo” dress. She apparently shops online at Net-a-porter. Roksanda has other celebrity fans, like Emma Stone and the Duchess of Cambridge.

Although this dress sold out within hours of Melania’s speech, Democratic Representative Joyce Beatty (OH) was able to snap one up. Even though they are at opposite ends of the politic spectrum, you know what they say. Imitation IS the sincerest form of flattery.

Tiffany Trump

<img class="wp-image-450 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/elle-rnc-fashion-gettyimages-577907812.jpg" alt="Tiffany Trump on the night she gave her speech to the RNC" width="157" height="227" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/elle-rnc-fashion-gettyimages-577907812.jpg 480w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/elle-rnc-fashion-gettyimages-577907812-207x300.jpg 207w" sizes="(max-width: 157px) 100vw, 157px" /> Tiffany Trump on the night she gave her speech to the RNC

<img class="alignright wp-image-467 size-full lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/tiffanytrump.jpg" alt="tiffanytrump" width="77" height="264">What a lovely young fashionista, chic, poised and confident. Her understated but beautiful blue dress for her was appropriate and beautiful. In fact, Tiffany’s stylish looks throughout the RNC have been turning heads. I think she killed it on the last day with her red dress and black belt.

Michelle Obama

<img class="wp-image-454 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/michelleobama.jpg" alt="First lady Michelle Obama (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)" width="233" height="310" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/michelleobama.jpg 600w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/michelleobama-225x300.jpg 225w" sizes="(max-width: 233px) 100vw, 233px" /> First lady Michelle Obama (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Right on message. Her all-blue dress, with gorgeous cap sleeves, was from designer Christian Siriano. If you’re huge fan of Project Runway (like me!), you remember Christian. He seemed to be one of the few winners who’s been able to cultivate an impressive career, complete with dressing his share of Hollywood celebrities – like Mena Suvari, Debra Messing, Kerry Washington, Amy Schumer, and Jennifer Hudson.

Christian has gotten well-deserved accolades for dressing waifs as well as women with curves. That’s pretty brave and let’s face it, pretty unusual for the fashion world. In fact, he’s recently finished a Lane Bryant collaboration featuring plus-size model Ashley Graham. So Christian is pretty damn cool in my book. And Michelle Obama has always been smart with fashion. So this time, not only did she showcase an American designer, she picked someone who’s done their part to be inclusive. Now that’s an America for everyone!

Hillary Clinton

<img class="wp-image-451 lazyload" src="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/hilary-clinton-pantsuits.jpg" alt="hilary-clinton-pantsuits" width="355" height="176" srcset="https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/hilary-clinton-pantsuits.jpg 448w, https://valthegemgal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/hilary-clinton-pantsuits-300x149.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 355px) 100vw, 355px" /> Hillary shows off her love of pantsuits in every color!

A historic moment with a historic color. Hillary’s fondness for pantsuits is so well-known by now it’s comical. It was her choice of white that got most of the attention. The first American woman ever chosen to run for President had Twitter erupting in applause as users posted old photographs of suffragettes in white. Hillary didn’t say a word about the women’s suffrage movement. Because of her outfit, she didn’t have to.

Part of the convention process is introducing yourself to the American people. Who are you? What do you think is important? You want them to “get” you, to understand where you’re coming from. People may think it’s irrelevant what people wear, but all the players here were able to clearly convey their personality and message by their fashion choices. Bravo!

#celebrity #fashion #firstladies #politics

Convention Fashion: You Are What You Wear

Ivanka Trump

Melania Trump

Michelle Obama

Hillary Clinton

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