Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Statement Jewelry At The State Of The Union Is So Perfect
If you aren't already a stan of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, it's only a matter of time. The Democrat has quickly made a name for herself since being elected to office in the 2018 midterms, and while her words are what matter most, AOC (as she's casually called) has been hailed for not shying away from topics like style and beauty, typically deemed trivial or frivolous by politicians who want to come off as serious and stern. AOC knows you can make change and look good while doing it, which is why it's not surprising that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's State of the Union outfit was super chic.
At age 29, AOC is fairly young compared to many of her peers in the House of Representatives, but she's managed to successfully curate a sense of style that comes off as business-minded and appropriate without dulling any of her sparkle. You can't wear boring, old, basic black anything with a smile that lights up the room, now can you? Still, while I'd personally love to see AOC slay in the latest designer lewks, there has to be a happy medium. After all, it's not just about looking good, it's about what she has to say — and in this case, she's got quite a lot to say, so we don't need any distractions!
Here's what AOC looked like when she showed up to 2019's State of the Union Address:
On Tuesday, AOC wore a white blazer, white pants, and white top as she did for her inauguration to Congress on Jan. 3. And as with the last time, she paired the look with a set of bold hoop earrings — a serious statement that has been cheered by women of color. Not one to be outdone, she pulled off quite a look with a set of pins on her blazer as well.
Speaking to CNN about her outfit choice for the State of the Union, she didn't mince her words, saying, "There’s so much more that we have to fight for: from wage equality to paycheck fairness to protecting ourselves and believing survivors, and I think that this is a really amazing opportunity.”
Her choice of style is significant, because it's proven to be a time-honored way for her critics to attack her. For example, back in November 2018, when reporter Eddie Scarry shared a photo taken of Ocasio-Cortez from behind — apparently taken without her knowledge — and used her choice of clothes to attack her credibility in speaking for working-class Americans. "I'll tell you something: that jacket and coat don't look like a girl who struggles," he wrote, apparently questioning why Ocasio-Cortez, who was at that time a representative-elect, was... wearing clothes appropriate to the U.S. Capitol? OK. Scarry later apologized and said his tweet was meant as a compliment, but AOC wasn't having it.
So leave it to Ocasio-Cortez to make a (literal) fashion statement now.
When I look back on my favorite looks she's worn to date, they're pretty much all head-to-toe monochromatic, so maybe that's her thing. My number one fave fit had to be that oh-so-crisp white suit paired with a bold red lip and hoop earrings. If I were to ever run for government, this would most definitely be my power suit.
A look and a half, people:
Another personal favorite was this little red dress, ideal for standing out in a crowd:
And last but not least, this perfectly tailored dark green "suit on a stoop" moment could be an actual fashion magazine cover. (And was actually part of a literal shoot with Interview magazine, for which she also, yes, drew criticism.) FWIW, I'd buy it.
Girl's got style, no? AOC generously treated her social media followers to a press-on nail tutorial, but I'm going to have to request that she follows up with both a statement lipstick collection as well as a "How To Pull Off Monochromatic Looks" style guide. I know she's got a lot on her plate is is, but let's keep our fingers crossed that she can fit these in, because we've got a lot to learn from her.
