Kyrsten Sinema Channeled Elle Woods At Her Senate Swearing-In For A Perfect Touch
Thursday, Jan. 3, marks the swearing-in ceremony for new members of Congress, and it's a very exciting time for so many political figures. Since the 2018 midterm elections wrapped up in November, everyone has been looking forward to seeing a new wave of diverse congressional leader join Capitol Hill. Well, truth be told, Kyrsten Sinema's outfit for her Senate swearing-in might be the biggest statement Congress has ever seen. Slay, senator.
On Thursday, Jan. 3, Kyrsten Sinema, the Arizona Democrat who made history as the first openly bisexual person to win a Senate seat, appeared at Capitol Hill to be officially sworn in to the Senate. Even though Sinema has already made quite the statement through her political victory, the Arizona senator's outfit really stole the show. Arriving to be sworn-in, Sinema rocked a fabulous all-pink trench coat (accompanied with a pink faux fur collar) along with a preciously whimsical polka dot purse. Plus, those no-nonsense pumps with the bedazzled jewel on the toe? Be still my heart. This senator is channeling Legally Blonde realness and I'm living for it. Remind me to reach out to Sinema not only with my political inquiries, but also any fashion advice I might have.
While Sinema's outfit choice is clearly working for her, let's not ignore the fact that style choices can be a double-edged sword for women, who are judged for their clothes much more often than men (and usually much more harshly, at that). Men's clothes are rarely even acknowledged, while women have to jump through ill-defined hoops of what counts as "appropriate." That's why it's so refreshing that Sinema's overtly feminine (and glamorous!) outfit is taking that double standard and making it clear that powerful women are still powerful no matter what clothes they wear or how they choose to style themselves.
Unlike Elle Woods, I definitely do not object.
When it comes to occupying space in Congress, women have sometimes been literally policed — for example, back in the summer of 2017, female journalists were reportedly banned from the Speaker's Lobby for wearing sleeveless dresses, despite the stifling heat and, y'know, that they're just shoulders. And who could forget the shaming of congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in November 2018 for daring to wear a business casual skirt suit that didn't look "poor" enough? I'd like to see someone dare to comment on Sinema's look.
Judging by Twitter's reactions, it's pretty clear that I'm not the only one totally obsessed with Sinema's swearing-in look.
While that pink coat is truly everything, what's underneath it is also equally incredible. During her official swearing-in, Sinema unveiled a gray fur stole and perfectly pleated dress. Iconic.
Of course, Sinema isn't notable just for her fashion sense. The November Senate victory in Arizona was historic for a few reasons. For one thing, she flipped the seat in Arizona, which has been held by Republicans since 1994. Secondly, her beating out Republican opponent Sen. Jeff Flake makes her the first female senator in Arizona's history. Thirdly, (drumroll please) Sinema is the first openly bisexual senator in American history. Talk about the ultimate triple threat.
Sinema is just one of a handful of women who will make history joining Congress, having a record-breaking number of "firsts" being sworn-in. I don't know about y'all, but watching these incredible women breaking boundaries makes me want to seriously binge some powerful, female-led films. I think I'll start with Legally Blonde.
Congrats Senator Sinema, and the rest of the incredible women being sworn in Thursday. Capitol Hill is a little more colorful.
