The presidential on Wednesday looked a lot different than in previous years. Masks were a reminder of a pandemic still raging. The ceremonial parade was . In a historically rare snub, a sitting President Trump was absent for the swearing-in ceremony of his successor, Joe Biden.
But, at least for the sartorially minded, an abundance of strategically selected outfits helped elevate an unusual and scaled-back ceremony.
There were , elaborate face masks and dramatic collars. Over on social media, amateur fashion sleuths looked on, attaching symbolism and pronouncing the emergence of new clothing aesthetics. Bright color choices told their own stories and paid tribute to leaders past.
There was , the youngest inaugural poet in history, who captivated the country with the reading of her poem, "The Hill We Climb." In a vibrant canary yellow Miuccia Prada coat, a red satin Prada headband and a red mask to match, the 22-year-old stood out in a sea of muted tones and indistinguishable suits.
The yellow, , was her way of paying homage to first lady Jill Biden. The first lady asked Gorman to recite an original poem at her husband's swearing-in last month after she was moved by Gorman's reading of her poem, "In This Place: An American Lyric," in 2017 at the Library of Congress.
Gorman told the magazine: [Jill Biden] said, "I saw this video of you and you were wearing yellow and I loved it."
The poet also wore gold hoops and a ring in the shape of a caged bird, as a tribute to Maya Angelou and her poem, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings."
Lady Gaga, a pop star synonymous with drama, belted out the national anthem in custom Schiaparelli haute couture: a fitted navy jacket and a billowy red silk skirt. Washington Post humor thought Gaga's severe attire might as well have been plucked from a Hunger Games movie. With an unmissable golden dove brooch pinned to her chest, though, the avant-garde shapeshifter insists she was sending a message of peace to a divided nation: "A dove carrying an olive branch," . "May we all make peace with each other."
Jennifer Lopez followed co-headliner Lady Gaga in a Victorian chic look (Pride and Prejudice, but make it glam). J.Lo's all-white Chanel ensemble featured a ruffled blouse buttoned to the top of her neck. Her pants, loose and sequined, contrasted with the rigidity of her tweed coat. Looks aside, Twitter users collectively lost their minds when the performer summoned a sampling of her 1999 hit, "Let's Get Loud," during her rendition of "This Land Is Your Land."
Ella Emhoff, stepdaughter to Vice President Harris, turned out in full 20-something glory (social media users observed). She arrived at the Capitol wearing a dramatic tweed coat from Miu Miu adorned with a frilly oversized collar. Underneath was a Batsheva dress 鈥� reminiscent of the prairie-chic style . Emhoff's stylists, , completed the look with chunky black boots and a thin hairband.
Appearing to hold down his socially distanced 6-foot perimeter, Bernie Sanders gave onlookers an unobstructed view of his take on "."
The Vermont senator's understated look stood out among the formal-clad masses. Staying loyal to his Green Mountain State roots, he wore a hefty parka from Burton, a Vermont-based snowboarding brand. As astute Tweeters noted, in a now famous "I am once again asking" meme that originated from a video in which he asks for donations back when he was on the campaign trail. Burton Snowboards took it as an opportunity to offer fans a .
It was also hard to overlook the senator's repurposed sweater-wool mittens 鈥� gifted to him a couple of years ago by , a backstory noted by
Despite all appearances, his inauguration presence was not a pit stop on an errand run, as . Where Sanders comes from, he told following the ceremony, "We're not so concerned about good fashion 鈥� we want to keep warm. And that's what I did today."
Similarly, Janet Yellen prioritized comfort over fashion in freezing-cold temps. The former chair of the Federal Reserve, and Biden's pick for Treasury secretary, was nestled inside of her black puffer jacket. She draped a blue blanket over her knees for added toastiness.
Biden's granddaughters arrived at the Capitol looking like an all-woman supergroup, according to several Twitter users who said they thought the arrived to perform at the inauguration. They were decked out in monochromatic outfits, down to their masks and gloves. Plus, the combination of pink, camel and white struck some as the human embodiment of .
Not least of all, Vice President Harris made history while outfitted in a by Christopher John Rogers, a young Black designer who hails from Louisiana.
remarked that purple is a special color to Harris as a "nod to ," the first Black woman elected to Congress and whom the vice president has cited as inspiration for her political career. It's also a color of the women's suffrage movement, as .
Opting for a plum pantsuit, former first lady Michelle Obama, too, stuck to the color theme that, as a blend of colors red and blue, has also traditionally signaled bipartisanship or unity.
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