The politics of fashion
It is evident that there is a red wave in U.S. political, which has come as a shock to many people online. However, to those who pay close attention to fashion trends and their connection to political ideologies, it’s unsurprising. From the rise in trad-wife culture to quiet luxury, some of the most prevalent fashion trends are rooted in traditional values associated with conservatism. In the fashion world, it’s often examined how cultural shifts can affect future fashion trends, and we can also use current fashion trends to analyze cultural shifts that are happening more quietly.
The younger generation has grown up on generally progressive ideals of strong independent women, the idea that love is love, and people should not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexuality, race, etc. These progressive ideals peaked heavily in 2020 during the COVID crisis, where we saw the height of public support of movements such as Black Lives Matter and Stop Asian Hate. Around this time fashion trend leaned much more alternative, and had a very vibrant & youthful look to them. Many young people experimented with not only their personal styles, but their identities, which was prompted by the time we spent in quarantine. As more people spent time online and following the news, people were spreading these movements and the stories behind them like wildfire. That same year we elected Joe Biden as President, ending the reign of the Trump Administration for the time being.
Since the 2020 presidential election, as the world began to open back up from being in isolation, fashion and pop culture trends began to shift again. We saw a rise in “clean girl aesthetic” that took the place of the more funky alternative looks people had previously been experimenting with. We’ve seen a rise in influencers who live lavish lifestyles, such as Nara & Lucky Blue Smith, and Campbell and Jett Puckett. Nara smith is most well known for her cooking content in which she makes meals for her family all from scratch, often adorned in luxurious clothing. Campbell and Jett are known for being an “it couple” and the internet swoons over how Jett treats Campbell like a princess. These influencers have lifestyles that many wish they had, but they are deeply rooted in conservative values that center on traditional gender roles. Despite this, many followers of these creators were shocked to see either speculation or confirmation of these influencers supporting Donald Trump.
