High on liberalism, low in morale and overdosed on politics – you’re exhausted.
President Trump is getting more Twitter characters to declare nuclear war. Your Uncle Steve’s getting more comfortable leaving racist comments on Facebook. And, on top of it all, Sean Spicer’s Emmy appearance still has you in emotional recovery.
My sweet, progressive soldier, you’ll need to march on, but maybe to a different beat. To preserve some semblance of mental health, why not take a bit of a detox?
Try out a new type of rally cry, one you may have been chanting all along. Because just as you wear your politics on your sleeve, that sleeve and how you style it could be a protest in itself.
Think back and some of the most salient moments of political history have been as much about the clothes of political agents as their policy: suffragettes in white dresses, Jackie in a blood-splattered suit, frat boys in "Make America Great Again" hats.
In the middle of so much discourse on how society should police our bodies, it would only make sense to reflect these opinions in how we dress them. By treating our style choices as manifestations of our political beliefs and values, fashion no longer can be viewed as a product, but as a position.
A few weeks ago, I watched a delicate conversation in class between a black female student and a white male student about the racial politics of her hair care. Astounded by the fact that her braids had magically transformed overnight, he asked how she kept switching styles.
Quite patiently, she explained how African American hair can be straightened, braided, treated and processed, and the different time requirements each style took.
“That’s so much work,” he said. “I can’t imagine being a girl.”
Actually, he couldn’t imagine being a black girl – but the conversation provoked by her style choices allowed him to gain some empathy for race’s role in beauty culture.
With every style choice, similar gains can be accomplished. As a member of a sorority, I’ve tiptoed around derogatory party themes time and time again and watched how the women around me process these gender norms in different ways.
As a young professional, I’ve noted my own privilege in being able to buy interview-appropriate attire while other applicants may not have the economic opportunity to do so.
Paying attention to how our beliefs and styles mingle allows us to address important issues daily in less obtrusive and often more relatable ways. With no barriers of entry, it’s the simplest way of taking some sort of stand.
With that said, inserting politics into fashion should always include a bit of tact – cue Kendall Jenner tackling racism one modeling gig at a time.
But, if your message needs to be heard through a different tune, why not burn a bra (or maybe just think about their place in gender politics), instead.
