The fashion politics of this yr's most vital Senate elections

When Richard Nixon praised his wife's “respectable Republican cloth coat” in his 1952 Checkers speechher clothing wasn't the purpose.

Rather, Nixon drew a direct connection from the mantle to the values ​​he proclaimed—thrift, integrity, public service—to counter accusations of monetary impropriety.

Nixon understood that clothing is the story we tell about ourselves. The work of psychologist Dan McAdams on narrative identity highlights the importance of the stories we tell about ourselves in our ability to know our place on this planet.

For many – especially public figures – clothing is a more conscious, outward manifestation of their story or narrative identity: it shows who they wish to be, the version of themselves that they need the world to see.

For politicians, clothing is a option to convey authenticity, or conformity to a great type. The perception of authenticity increases voters' trust in candidates. integrityto persuade them that candidates will fulfill election guarantees elected once.

It's price excited about what message candidates are sending through their dress. What ideal will voters measure them against? The fashion selections on display in three of this yr's high-profile U.S. Senate races offer some vivid contrasts.

The selections are different for incumbents and challengers

As an organizational theorist who studies authenticity and social evaluation, I find that we judge others—imperfectly—based on how closely we feel their image matches their message.

Most political challengers find it easy to convey authenticity through clothing. They can design their wardrobe to focus on themes from their campaigns and private stories. This determines voters' understanding of who the candidate is and what he stands for.

The problem: Sending a message with clothing is inherently tougher for established corporations because their office limits the image they will project. A gubernatorial candidate may wear jeans and boots to the state fair, but once he's installed on the Capitol, he'll be more more likely to be seen in a suit. A fast Google Image search of a current candidate and the incumbent he’s difficult reveals a near-universal truth: Once elected, the candidate's most visible public image is that of the office he holds.

This suggests that while a candidate could also be authentic to their unique campaign message, the incumbent is more more likely to be authentic to their office.

Clothing as a campaign message

Democratic Senate candidate in Arizona Mark Kelly – astronaut, husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords – doesn't wear a tie in sports jackets or a bomber jacket.

His casual look makes it clear that he just isn’t a Washington insider. By pointing to his military and NASA background, he makes it clear that he has the expertise to take an informed stance on national security and the authority to take a robust position on climate change NASA's essential research area.

Kelly is difficult incumbent Republican Sen. Martha McSally, a former Air Force pilot and Afghanistan veteran. She prefers streamlined suits and cases, often in strong red tonesHer hair is way straighter than in previous campaigns. Because McSally's clothing gives no indication of her heritage, she could also be sending the message that her military experience doesn’t define her.

In Maine, Democratic Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Sara Gideon is commonly seen at work wearing double-stranded pearls with a dress or a contemporary, tailored jacket. Her campaign materials show her this along with her young family in casual jackets – once in a Patagonia version, a pretend pas in LL Bean's home state. She later removed the Patagonia logo from the photo. Gideon's personable, chic-mom vibe makes voters think that health care and education may be topics for actual conversation at their kitchen table moderately than abstract political issues.

Gideon faces incumbent Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican who hails from Caribou, Maine, a town of seven,600 where her family began a lumber business in 1844. Collins wears deep suits, saturated Colors, occasionally with a touch of pinkand expensive coats infrequently seen in rural areas. Her style is that of a Washington insider who hides nothing about her origins or Down East values.

Finally, compare Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell with Democratic challenger Amy McGrath, who’s vying for that Kentucky Senate seat. McConnell, on Capitol Hill since 1984, prefers dark, well-tailored suits And classic, jewel toned ties, often with a uni stripe.

McConnell's expensive clothes make it clear how far he has come from his childhood in Alabama and Georgia, when his family “almost went bankrupt“Dealing with the effects of his polio disease.”

McGrath is a former Marine fighter pilot and Afghanistan veteran. she prefers Open collar shirts and flight jackets and is often seen along with her three babies. She is commonly seen in military gear in campaign imageswhich provides voters the impression that she is credible in terms of talking about foreign policy and veterans issues.

The Straitjacket of Incumbency

Each challenger is in a position to present a picture that matches each their campaign platforms and their personal story. Your clothing is a fully-formed statement of identity – without saying a word.

In contrast, the just about uniform-like attire of incumbents gives voters little insight into their personalities or political positions. Their tailored silhouettes indicate their membership within the political class and make individualization difficult.

note that everyone Official Campaign website also focus far more on their time in office than on individual policy issues.

Incumbents create a bond of authenticity: incumbents cannot present their offices and themselves at the identical time.

This is maybe most restrictive within the U.S. Senate, where rules of decorum are particularly strict. Most senators with the notable exception of Kyrsten SinemaStick with dark, serious suits and ties. Members of the House of Representatives are allowed more idiosyncrasies – Think of Jim Jordan Rejection of jackets or Matt Gaetz colourful wingtips.

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But senators tend to interact in what sociologists call homophily, or associating with like-minded people. The consequence: Over time they dress increasingly alike.

Incumbents' dress codes may appeal to voters preferring a candidate with a proven track record, but they supply little insight into the incumbent's personal history or governing priorities. The ideal type that these incumbents authentically resemble is subsequently that of the senator.

Clothing may not determine this yr's winners, however the authenticity concerns that made Pat Nixon's coat a robust image still play a vital role within the lives of politicians. Clothing is a giant a part of what makes the candidate – if not the incumbent.