• by Barbara Lippert , Columnist, August 20, 2024

One of the less electrifying elements of the DNC’s opening night on Monday -- which still somehow managed to set social media ablaze — was presidential candidate Harris’ choice of dress.

In a surprise appearance, (traditionally, the candidate does not appear until Thursday) the VEEP showed up, laughing, crossing the stage to Beyonce’s song “Freedom,” making inspiring remarks while wearing a tan pantsuit.

Tan suit?

With that crackling lineup of speakers, it would seem to be a pretty superficial subject for the online world to pounce on.

But in terms of a rogue signal, it did strike me, as it did others, as a sassy nod to what was seen as then-President’s Barack Obama’s calamitous wardrobe malfunction during the summer of 2014.

That’s when he wore a tan suit to a press conference, causing 10 days that shook the world, and for Republicans at the time to lose their minds.

Fox Business host Lou Dobbs (now recently deceased) said the sartorial choice was "shocking to a lot of people.”

New York Rep. Peter King (R) judged the suit's mocha tones to be “unpresidential,” even though Ronald Reagan had also worn tan suits in office. King  added this it was a “metaphor for his lack of seriousness.”

Therefore, some suggested that Kamala’s choice was meant to be triggering.

Former spokesman for Jeb Bush and MSNBC political commentator Tim Miller joked that Harris was “baiting Fox (News) into an entire week of tan suit coverage.”

I saw it in a more benign light.

Perhaps the (otherwise conservative) bespoke ensemble — from the luxury fashion house Chloe — sent a signal as a sort of mnemonic device. The color was less “tan” and more “camel” — a word that sounds like Kamal-a?   

Then again, in a more distant connection, the designer’s name is Chemena Kamali. Previously, Kamala wore a Kamali to the state dinner for Kenya.

In a sea of blue, the hue also made it easier to find her in the crowd as she beamed, and teared up, as President Biden generously handed over the reins.

Earlier in the evening, Hillary Clinton made a moving address, all in for Kamala, having paved the way — and, sadly, taken the grief — while running against Trump to be the first female president.

Monday night, the former Senator was dressed as I expected, in whitish pants and a beige, tweedy Chanel-type jacket.

Clinton wore a white pants suit when she accepted the Democratic nomination for President in 2016. White suits are symbolic of suffrage, and many passionate Hillary fans wore them to the voting booths.

This time, HRC’s jacket looked like it had small glass beads on it — a visual suggestion of more “cracks” to come in the glass ceiling?

Just as the crowd in the United Center was incredibly diverse, so were the wardrobes of the other female speakers.

Future superstar and fan of alliteration Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas wore a black pantsuit with a lot of white piping while rocking enormous sparkly heart earrings and an even bigger sparking broach on her lapel, which appeared to be a lit-up lobster.

Apart from some speakers sidestepping sartorial convention, what also interested me was the way the DNC had repatriated the traditional symbols of patriotism — American flags, banners, and even cowboy hats — and made them their own.

In a tuxedo, wearing his guitar, country singer Jason Isbell performed  “Something More Than Free” onstage, standing in front of a backdrop of the stars and stripes painted so big that it covered the side of a barn.

Still, Harris is having a “brat summer” — selling lots of trademark green merch and T-shirts and hats with green memes, and will continue to amaze us with her ability to engage in pop culture.

In another shock, on Tuesday night, after the roll call to nominate her in Chicago, the now official Democratic candidate for President was beamed into the convention from her rally in Milwaukee, where she was sporting an “appropriate” blue pantsuit.

Most importantly — in front of a throng holding up blue signs printed with the word “Freedom” — she was talking to a crowd that, in its individuality and diversity, looked like America.