The meaning of Kamala Harris’ seemingly simple uniform: A monochrome suit, pearls and dress shoes

Kamala Harris — the first female vice president of the United States — has 100 days to convince many millions of citizens to vote for her. In this race against time, style is not important: she is busy writing history. That is why the Democrat has decided to create a uniform that she wears day after day. She has opted for a non-style style of deceptive simplicity: a pantsuit, pearls, dress shoes and impeccable hair and make-up. The fact that it is a rigid and somewhat boring uniform does not mean that it lacks power; on the contrary: it is broadening her message and strengthening her story of a reliable middle-class woman who knows how to lead the United States towards social progress.

Last Monday, for example, she made a surprise appearance at the first day of the Democratic National Convention (DNC). It was a key event, her “here I am” moment, as she made her candidacy official. On stage, Harris appeared before an enthusiastic audience wearing a tan suit, a camel-colored Chloé pantsuit. It was far from an innocent and purely aesthetic choice, since this same suit was the subject of controversy exactly 10 years ago when it was worn by Obama during a press conference on the situation regarding ISIS in Syria. Conservatives accused Obama of being too informal, and the tan suit became a symbol of the Democratic presidency. Appearing in a presidential tan suit was a declaration of intentions, and a way to provoke Trump.

“Harris is in a unique position to make history on multiple fronts, the least of which is to become the most powerful elected woman in the geopolitical field,” says Florie Hutchinson, a press strategist based in San Francisco. “Her campaign wardrobe choices stand out for their precise cut, functionality and, aesthetically, for evoking that elusive gravitas.”

The vice president knows that she is a walking metaphor: she is a woman, the daughter of immigrants, a successful professional, an anti-Trump Democrat and deeply American. She also knows that a look that tries to appeal to too many groups is confusing, and has settled for just one image. Like other leaders such as Queen Elizabeth or Angela Merkel, Kamala Harris has carved out her style and is sticking to it. Against the chaos of Trump, she must convey confidence and consistency. She has built herself an armor as she vies for a position that, in 248 years, has been held by 44 white men.

Harris also distances herself from fictional vice presidents and presidents, such as Selina Meyer in Veep or Claire Underwood in House of Cards. There are no red dresses or pencil skirts that require Spanx; in fact, there are hardly any skirts or dresses in her wardrobe. There are none of Michelle Obama’s bold choices, Gretchen Witmer’s daring or the no multicolored palette seen in Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi’s style. There are no recognizable logos or brands either. Harris instead has opted for the pantsuit, which she combines with high heels or Chuck Taylors and pearls.

It’s a conservative uniform, but each of its elements has its meaning. A pantsuit is a classic of the corporate world: with it, she is saying that she has a lot of work ahead of her. She softens this look with power pumps by Manolo Blahnik. But if there is anything that represents Harris, it is the Chuck Taylor Converse shoes. She has also built her narrative with these sneakers: they are her way of showing she is accessible. Who doesn’t have a pair in their closet? She appeared on a criticized Vogue cover wearing Chuck Taylors and wore them on her tour before the DNA. She confessed to The Cut that she has several models and her husband, Doug Emhoff, wrote in 2020 on X (when it was Twitter): “The Kamala Harris I know wears Chucks and jeans.” Her personality seeps through cracks like these.

Pearls are another of her style points and, like all pearls, they send a message. Firstly, they are a way of showing her connection to her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha, which was founded at Howard University in Washington, and included members such as Maya Angelou and Rosa Parks. And they are also a common jewel in southern India, the country where her mother comes from. Her jewelry box is full of pearls: some are from Tahiti, and others from brands such as Irene Neuwirth or Wilfredo Rosado, who designed the pearl necklace she wears in the current official portrait at the White House.

The only other jewelry she wears is a Cartier Ballon Bleu watch, the same one worn by Jackie Kennedy and Kate Middleton. This is a way of showing her status and style; she is a successful woman and proud of it.

Harris also keeps to the same hairstyle. Last year, on the podcast Baby, This is Keke Palmer, she explained that she did not use straighteners (“too hot”), but rather the classic round brush. These statements went viral and today TikTok is full of videos on how to create the same hairstyle.

She is serious but not dramatic, exotic but too exotic. She makes up for this seriousness with a loud laugh — criticized by Republicans — and big body language. But this energy is not seen in her wardrobe, and that is a conscious decision. Vanessa Friedman wrote in The New York Times last July: “Suddenly everything about her seems to have been electrified, except one thing. Her clothes.” In each appearance she repeats the formula and that builds consistency. Whether this uniform will continue if she is elected president is another question. Now is not the time for experiments.

Harris’s style has evolved in the past few months, but so subtly that it has been difficult to spot. The color palette has become more unpredictable, alternating burgundy, eggplant and dark blue with light blue and powdery shades; she also lightened her hair and added highlights. And Harris has not been seen in sportswear for months — just remember, she was in a Nike sweatshirt when she was filmed phoning Biden to congratulate him on his win.

During her tenure as vice president, Harris has only changed up this uniform for White House events and parties, such as state dinners or the Correspondents’ dinner. On these occasions, she has turned to brands such as Chloé, Celine, Valentino and Rodarte.

On informal occasions, Harris is not afraid to shine; in fact, she often does. When she attended a Beyoncé concert on the Renaissance Tour, she chose a sequined jacket by LaQuan Smith and when she took part in the San Francisco Pride parade she wore a Levi’s denim jacket in rainbow colors. But for now, Harris — who wore designers such as Sergio Hudson, Christopher John Rogers and Pyer Moss when she was sworn into office — wants to keep it simple.

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