How to rock a power suit like Kamala Harris

Vice President Kamala Harris has just officially become the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, but her campaign has already been well underway for a couple of weeks. We’ve got to know her and her personal style during the last four years, and one popular garment stood out: the power suit.

Women in the workforce have been wearing the so-called “power suit” with exaggerated shoulder pads since the 1980s, to prove they were as capable as their male counterparts. The power suit has been a career-woman-staple ever since: the sartorial universe that Harris resides in was heavily shaped by one Hillary Clinton, who in her political career has rewritten the pantsuit playbook for women in politics. Can Kamala do the same?

Since President Biden’s withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race on July 21st, a whirlwind of memes about brats, coconut trees, and existing in the context has taken the internet by storm. Kamala and her campaign team have fully embraced this Femininomenon—IKYK—drawing the attention of Gen Z and Millennial voters. The meme originates from an iconic anecdote told by the VP during an event at the White House, remixed with songs from Charli XCX’s latest album brat, and the song Femininomenon by rising superstar Chappell Roan. Charli herself said that Kamala IS brat, and we couldn’t agree more.

But what makes Kamala’s power dressing so effective? Here’s a brief history of her style and the key aspects to imitate it.

Much like Hillary Clinton did throughout her political career, Kamala kept her style more on the traditional side when she was California’s attorney general: clean cuts and dark, classic colours allowed her to blend in an overwhelmingly male environment. As VP, her style has become bolder and more “personal”, allowing her to display her confidence and femininity.

Her style now is all about power suiting with a twist. Harris uses her choice of colour to convey symbolic messages. For example, the pearl-white Carolina Herrera suit she wore during her first address as VP is a tribute to the early-20th century suffrage movement. More recently, she attended an Alpha Kappa Alpha event in Dallas, TX, wearing a pink suit inspired by the sorority’s colours. Kamala is also often rocking lighter shades of blue, emerald green, burgundy, and purple.

The immaculate, tailored fit is another fundamental aspect of the Vice President’s style. Whether she’s wearing a custom suit or a pair of jeans, every garment fits her to perfection. You’ve got to look the part!

Kamala loves pearls, and she’s often seen styling her colourful pantsuits with pearl necklaces and earrings. These accessories are a reference to the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority she was part of during her time at Howard University, and its founders, dubbed as “the twenty pearls”.

It might be surprising since she is one of the most powerful women in the world, but Converse All Stars are undoubtedly one of Kamala’s favourite staples. From the cover of Vogue to the campaign trail, Harris loves styling her low tops with a pantsuit or jeans and a dark blazer. The pantsuit paired with casual sneakers helps her convey professionalism and approachability.

Now that you know everything about Vice President Harris’s power suits, how can you emulate her style in your day-to-day life? The key takeaways from Kamala’s presidential fashion that any girlboss should implement are three.

• Find the perfect fit
  You might not be Vice President of the United States, but looking polished and professional at the workplace is still fundamental. The best way to ensure you look trustworthy and prepared is to find your perfect fit. Oftentimes the perfect fit is difficult (if not impossible) to find off the rack—anyone who’s petite or mid/plus size will know the feeling!—: in this case, the tailor is your best friend. Having your clothes professionally altered to fit you like a glove will help your confidence and your professionalism.
• Be bold!
  No more trying to blend in with your male counterparts: wear your uniqueness boldly, and embrace what makes you, you. In her piece for Fast Company, Elizabeth Segran, P.hD, wonders what Kamala’s style will look like if she does become president, and what it’d mean if she embraced her South Asian and Caribbean roots: “This would be more than just a form of self-expression. It would be a testament to America’s boundless opportunity that a child of immigrants could ascend into the highest office of the land”.
• Don’t renounce your femininity
  Women professionals, especially the ones in positions of power or corporate settings, are often made to feel like they need to reject and hide any semblance of femininity for the sake of professionalism. VP Harris’s style shows that quite the opposite is true. You can express yourself boldly through your outfits; you can be feminine and professional!

Romantic accessories like pearl jewellery, chain necklaces, and silk scarves are a great way to imbue personality and femininity back into your power suit. When it comes to carrying your necessities, a classic, logo-less leather tote bag is way chicer than a backpack, and it’ll last you for ages.

When styling your power suit for the office, you can’t go wrong with a pair of kitten heels—or even stiletto pumps like Kamala. If heels really aren’t your thing, loafers, slingbacks, or ballet flats are equally as appropriate. If your workplace’s dress code leans more on the relaxed side, take notes from VP Harris and rock your pantsuit with a pair of clean, classic sneakers.