Washington Post fashion writer Rachel Tashjian spoke at Kelly Writer’s House on October 24th. Credit: Max Mester
Rachel Tashjian, a 2011 graduate and fashion writer for The Washington Post, spoke about fashion in politics at Kelly Writers House on October 24th.
The event, “Fashion: A Political Statement,” was hosted by Anthony DeCurtis, a professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania and a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine. Approximately 50 members of Penn’s community gathered together for Tashjian to analyze the fashion choices of various politicians and explore the meaning of their political statements. clothing.
After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a bachelor’s degree in English and art history, Tashjian worked for various fashion magazines, including Vanity Fair and GQ. In her current role at The Washington Post, she covers fashion and style on the runway, media, and politics.
In his foreword, DeCurtis praised Tashjian’s unique approach to fashion writing.
“There is a tendency among smart people to look down on fashion… [Tashjian] I write about it like it’s important,” DeCurtis said. “She wrote: [fashion] Although she understands very deeply, she still understands that it is a lot of fun. ”
Throughout his presentation, Tashjian introduced several different outfits worn by politicians. Showing a photo of former president and 1968 Wharton graduate Donald Trump, Tashcan argued that his classic blue suit and red satin tie sent a deeper message to the audience than they imagined. did. She pointed out that the length of his tie was important.
“Maybe he doesn’t know that his tie is too long.” [or] He’s making a statement by wearing a tie that’s too long; he’s portraying himself as some kind of outsider,” Tashcan said. “When you look at fashion as an observer or as a reporter, you’re taking in that information.”
Tashjian analyzed two different photos of Vice President Kamala Harris and pointed out the differences between her style a few years ago and her current style as a presidential candidate. Early in the Biden administration, Harris wore bright colors and professional attire. But Tashcan noted that over the past year during his time as vice president, he has changed his style to tell political stories, a tool known as “fashion diplomacy.”
“This is the first female, South Asian, Black vice president, and she’s telling that story and highlighting it with her clothing,” Tashjian said.
She added that Harris’ style has become more unified now that she is running for president.
“She’s making the same choice as many men: ‘I don’t want to give in to the pressure of having to tell a story with my clothes because I have so much work to do,'” Tashjian said. say.
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Tashjian said she sometimes receives criticism for her writings, such as articles about former first lady Melania Trump, and pointed out that fashion and the media are closely connected to “creating the image of politicians.” .
To conclude his presentation, Mr. Tashjian answered several questions from the audience. Shifting the conversation from political fashion to an analysis of fashion on Penn’s campus, one audience member, a first-generation Penn student, said, “Clothing is still used as a symbol of wealth on campus… And I feel like that’s very popular.” Have students dress appropriately. ”
In response, Tashjian told a story about when she was at Penn and saw a classmate wearing the shoes she had seen in Vogue the previous month. When it comes to how someone dresses, “context and environment is everything,” Tashjian said.
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