In the autumn of a midterm year, American candidates are quietly making their wardrobes into arguments, sensing that voters glance before they listen. From a flag-patterned pair of pumps in Iowa to a worn work jacket in Washington State, the clothes now carry as much weight as the platforms they accompany. Stylists and commentators read each choice as a bid to appear both fit to govern and close to the ordinary people whose votes they seek. In a time when an image may register for only a moment, the question of who looks like one of us has become a question of who might lead us.
From Flannel to Flag Pumps: How US Midterm Candidates Are Dressing to Win Votes
Looking un-styled can still be a deliberate form of branding.
Mark
Why does a pair of flag-covered shoes get this much attention?
Mimi
Because Ashley Hinson wore them at a primary party in Iowa in June, in a tight Senate race. Analysts read them as a signal to rural voters, and that's the point of a look like that.
Mark
Is everyone dressing down?
Mimi
Mostly. Ordway says the necktie is dead on the campaign trail in both parties. Paxton and Talarico both wear relaxed blazers and cowboy boots.
Luke
Careful, though. These are commentators' interpretations. None of the candidates is quoted explaining their choices, except El-Sayed with his "minimal look, maximal politics" line.
Mark
So the readings are guesses?
Mimi
Informed ones, but yes, they're interpretations. Kristian says Peltola's clothes remind voters she's a native Alaskan. That's her reading, not Peltola's statement.
Mark
What about Paxton's watch?
Mimi
Talarico criticised the pricey watch and the Four Seasons polo while living costs dominate the midterms.
Luke
And Zee says the watch's identity and value were unconfirmed. The perception exists, but the price tag doesn't.
Mark
Does any of this change votes?
Luke
The piece doesn't say. It offers no polling on clothing's effect, only expert opinion that visual messaging will matter more by 2028.
Le Pouls
- A split-second social media glance now decides whether a candidate looks trustworthy, and campaigns are scrambling to control that first impression.
- Flannel, flag heels and cowboy boots are colliding across Alaska, Iowa and Texas, turning wardrobes into open battlegrounds for identity.
- Critics pounce on a pricey watch and a resort-branded polo, while Trump urges voters to judge Paxton's record instead of his suit.
- Candidates are testing whether a deliberately plain black T-shirt or a fixed uniform of pearls can signal authenticity without seeming careless.
- Analysts expect clothing-driven branding to become even more decisive as the campaign trail leads toward the 2028 general election.
In the autumn of a midterm year, American candidates are quietly making their wardrobes into arguments, sensing that voters glance before they listen. From a flag-patterned pair of pumps in Iowa to a worn work jacket in Washington State, the clothes now carry as much weight as the platforms they accompany. Stylists and commentators read each choice as a bid to appear both fit to govern and close to the ordinary people whose votes they seek. In a time when an image may register for only a moment, the question of who looks like one of us has become a question of who might lead us.
In June, at an Iowa primary night party, Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson stepped into flag-bedazzled pumps. The moment was not accidental. As the midterms approach, candidates from Alaska to Texas are treating their wardrobes as part of the campaign, and the clothes are being read as closely as the platforms.
Stylist Joe Zee describes the challenge: politicians must look capable of holding office while also looking connected to the people they hope to represent. In a world where a social media image may be seen only for a split second, that balance carries real weight.
In Washington State, Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez favours work jackets, flannel and practical footwear, a style rooted in her years as a former car repair shop owner. Conservative adviser Robert Ordway calls her a striking example of authenticity, while attorney Tashira Halyard hears a message championing the working class. In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola, now running for the Senate, has long leaned on traditional Yup'ik boots, flannel and indigenous-inspired details that echo her years fishing on the Kuskokwim River and her slogan, "fish, family and freedom."
Hinson's look leans toward overt patriotism, polished yet conservative, with denim and bandanas for casual moments. Her race is tight, and her wardrobe offers a visual identity that is hard to misread. In Texas, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico both wear relaxed blazers and cowboy boots, though Ordway notes one dresses up to look serious and the other dresses down to seem like one of the guys. Talarico's handcrafted boots draw praise, while Paxton's luxury watch and resort-branded polo have drawn criticism as voters weigh the cost of living. Trump has urged focus on Paxton's record rather than his suit.
Others hold to fixed styles. Marsha Blackburn is known for structured jackets, skirts and pearls, a look critics call timeless. In Michigan, Abdul El-Sayed wears a black T-shirt and jeans, calling it "minimal look, maximal politics." Zee argues that appearing unstyled can be just as deliberate as any suit.
Stylist Friedman points to Donald Trump as the master of the genre, whose navy suit, white shirt and red tie now echo across his cabinet and much of the Senate. She expects visual branding through clothing to matter even more by the 2028 general election.
In June, at a primary election party in Iowa, Republican Senate candidate Ashley Hinson stepped into a pair of pumps with the American flag bedazzled across them. It was not an accident of the evening. With the midterms approaching, candidates from Alaska to Texas are treating their wardrobes as part of the campaign, and analysts quoted by the BBC say the clothes are being read as closely as the platforms.
Celebrity stylist Joe Zee puts the task this way: politicians are dressing for two jobs at once, looking capable of holding office while also looking connected to the people they hope to represent. In an era when a social media image may be seen for only a split second, that balance matters.
In the Pacific Northwest, Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who holds Washington's 3rd Congressional District, favours work jackets, flannel shirts, jeans and practical footwear. A former car repair shop owner, she flipped a Republican-held seat in 2022 and is running for re-election on support for small businesses and working families. Robert Ordway, a conservative policy adviser and former owner of Capitol Hill Clothiers, calls her probably the most spot-on example of authenticity. Attorney and content creator Tashira Halyard says the style carries a message championing the working class. In Alaska, Democrat Mary Peltola, now running for the Senate in a battleground race, takes a similar route. She drew headlines for wearing traditional Yup'ik boots at her 2022 swearing-in as a congresswoman. This cycle her flannels, puffer jackets and indigenous-inspired details echo her past work on a fishing boat on the Kuskokwim River and her slogan, "fish, family and freedom." Conservative writer Bonnie Kristian reads them as a reminder that she is a native, and Native, Alaskan.
Hinson's look leans the other way, toward overt patriotism. Polished and conservative, it has included denim and bandanas for casual appearances. She is in a tight race against a Democrat and has tried to distance herself from certain Trump administration decisions while still voicing loyalty to the president. Halyard calls the flag heels, denim dress and red blouse with a bandana classic Americana. Kristian sees a strategic advantage in a visual identity that cannot be misinterpreted, signalling a Republican courting rural voters.
Texas offers the most closely watched contrast. Attorney General Ken Paxton, 63, was endorsed by Trump over a longtime senator and faces Democratic state lawmaker James Talarico, 37. Both wear relaxed blazers and cowboy boots. Ordway says the necktie is dead on the campaign trail in both parties, adding that the younger man dresses up to look serious while the older dresses down to look like one of the guys. Fashion critic Friedman says Talarico's handcrafted Lucchese boots are a deliberate choice that speaks to many Texas constituencies, noting that George W Bush wore the same brand.
Paxton's clothing has drawn fire. Trump urged voters to focus on his record, which he said speaks louder than a suit that does not look so great. Talarico has criticised him for a pricey watch and a Four Seasons polo shirt while the cost of living dominates the midterms. Zee notes that the watch's identity and value were unconfirmed, but says a five-star resort-branded polo can signal luxury as clearly as a suit.
Some figures rely on a fixed uniform. Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn, running for governor, is often seen in structured jackets and skirts, sometimes patterned. Ordway recalls always seeing pearls on her; Kristian says her looks are timeless. In Michigan, Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, in a competitive race against a Trump-backed former congressman, wears a black V-neck T-shirt and blue jeans, which he calls "minimal look, maximal politics." Ordway likens it to a start-up founder's look; Zee says looking un-styled can still be deliberate branding.
Friedman calls Trump the master of the genre: the navy suit, white shirt and red tie that much of his cabinet and half the Senate now echo. She expects clothing-driven branding to grow more important by the 2028 general election.
Citations marquantes
Politicians are dressing for two jobs at once: to look capable of holding office but to also look connected to the people they want to represent.— Joe Zee, celebrity fashion stylist
The necktie is dead on the campaign trail in both parties.— Robert Ordway, conservative policy adviser and former owner of Capitol Hill Clothiers
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Politics & Governance