According to the New York Times, fashion is political. Last month, a reader asked whether or not she could “wear a sheath dress without looking like a MAGA woman?” The answer, of course, is that you can, especially if you have a mom pouch or an hourglass shape. They look great, not just on the tall, gorgeous Ivanka and Melania Trump. Most women can pull them off.
The Trump women, and those in their orbit, such as Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and second lady Usha Vance, did not make the sheath dress a thing. It has been around for decades, and the royal ladies Princess Diana and Princess Kate have made it even more popular. It has been a friendly fit and professional style option for women for ages. Liberal ladies, wear the sheath dress!
Now, leftists are concerned about the heavy use of camouflage in fashion, an industry that, by the way, is historically left-leaning and very woke. This week, the New York Times addressed a reader’s concern about camo: “There is so much of it around in fashion, but given all the wars being staged around the world, I wonder if it will become taboo?”
The author, Vanessa Friedman, said the last time she was asked whether camo is fashionably appropriate was after the “Capitol insurrection.” At the time, she said it was fine, but she has since changed her stance due to thinking it is too aligned with military and law enforcement.
Friedman lamented, “[G]iven the heated and chaotic situation on the streets of the United States, with ICE agents conducting raids, protests spreading and the military parade in Washington drawing thousands of soldiers to the capitol in full battle dress — as well as wars in Ukraine and the Middle East — wearing camo gear as a fashion statement seems like an increasingly tone deaf and potentially dangerous choice.”
Now, clearly fashion can be political and philanthropic, from the XX-XY brand combating the pressure on female athletes to compete against men in sports, to the famous Gap Red campaign in 2006 created with Bono and Bobby Shriver to help raise awareness and funds to fight AIDS in Africa. However, specific marketing themes to attract attention to issues are different from an individual putting on her father’s old camo pants with a crop top.
Major brands such as Lucky, Coach, and All Saints are making bank off the 2025 fashion trend that is camo. From pants to accessories, camo isn’t just for the hunter or the military recruit anymore. So, why does the radical Left have to make it political?
Friedman continues that clothes exude a part of identity and determine how the world “reads” who we are. In her mind, wearing camouflaged attire ”may be seen as a sign of allegiance to either the protestors or the Army itself.”
So now we’re anti-military and opposed to celebrating its history of saving us from tyranny and Naziism? Gotcha.
Does wearing camo mean you’re a deer-hunting redneck? Does it mean you’re pro-Immigration and Customs Enforcement? Does it mean you voted for President Donald Trump? Could it possibly mean that you stand with Russia? (Don’t forget that it was Democrats who, in a failed attempt to appeal to rural and working-class voters, turned a camo hat into a “status symbol” before the 2024 election.)
Maybe, for most women in the world, wearing camo means it’s a trending style option that looks cute or makes them feel good about themselves, so they decide to rock it for a girls’ night out, errand running, date night, or even work.
It seems antithetical to the creativity of the fashion world to proclaim whether or not something is or isn’t allowed anymore. I thought the MET Gala and fashion weeks existed to broaden the perspective and push fashion to the edge. Isn’t part of the point of fashion to express individuality and even escapism?
As the nation seems more divided than ever and wars rage around the world, maybe fashion should be a place of unity and opportunity for us to all get along. Just because blue is a color associated with Democrats doesn’t mean I won’t wear it. And I hope my gal pals on the Left rock some red if they so choose.
After all, in the famed words of Michael Jordan, “Republicans buy sneakers too.” And, last I checked, Americans buy a lot of his Air Jordans in all colors, including camo.
Elisha Krauss is a conservative commentator and speaker who resides in Los Angeles, California, with her husband and their four children. She is an advocate of women’s rights, school choice, and smaller government.