In the prestigious halls of the Senate, customs are deeply ingrained and rules are notoriously difficult to change. However, a buzz has taken over the Capitol on Monday, amid the looming threat of a government shutdown, an ongoing impeachment inquiry, and the upcoming visit of the Ukrainian president. For the first time in centuries, lawmakers are no longer expected to adhere to a strict dress code on the Senate floor.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic majority leader from New York, has introduced a new dress code policy, or rather, abolished the old one, allowing members to adopt a more business-casual approach to their attire.
As reported earlier by Axios, the change involves instructing the Senate’s sergeant-at-arms, responsible for security and enforcing outfit standards, to no longer enforce the previous policy that required all senators to dress in business attire while on the floor.
“There has been an informal dress code that was enforced,” stated Mr. Schumer. “Senators are now able to choose what they wear on the Senate floor. I will continue to wear a suit.”
This change is a reflection of the evolving reality. In recent years, many senators have deviated from the traditional suit-and-tie attire that had long been considered the only acceptable choice. A prominent example is Senator John Fetterman, the tattooed Democrat from Pennsylvania, known for his Carhartt sweatshirts and baggy shorts.
As with any sartorial change in Washington, whether it’s related to footwear, dress color, or even wigs, the announcement has sparked a significant reaction.
Some right-wing Republicans, who themselves have often disregarded decorum and conduct on Capitol Hill, expressed outrage. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, the hard-right Republican from Georgia, even went as far as calling the clothing policy change “disgraceful.”
“Dress code is one of society’s standards that set etiquette and respect for our institutions,” she wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
(In apparent response, Mr. Fetterman referred in his own post to a hearing where Ms. Greene showed sexually explicit images of Hunter Biden, a break from Capitol Hill etiquette if ever there was one. Other Democrats called it ironic for Ms. Greene, who has openly sympathized with the rioters who attacked Congress on Jan. 6, 2021, to be lecturing about good manners at the Capitol.)
Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, also disapproved of the rule change. “It’s just not that hard to wear a jacket and tie,” he wrote on social media, emphasizing that pants are a necessity, not an option.
Unlike most of the Senate rules, there is no official, written dress code. However, by custom, senators have been informally required to dress in business attire, typically a suit and tie for men and dresses/pantsuits for women.
The most recent adjustment came in 2019 when Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, then the top Democrat on the Rules Committee, successfully advocated for allowing women to wear sleeveless dresses, following the example set by the House several years earlier.
In 2019, the House also modified its dress code rules to accommodate Representative Ilhan Omar, Democrat of Minnesota and one of the first two Muslim women elected to Congress, allowing religious headgear to be worn on the floor for the first time, as she wears a hijab.
The only exception to the dress code in the Senate has been during votes, where senators are permitted to step onto the floor from an adjacent cloakroom, allowing them to cast their vote without fully entering the chamber.
However, Mr. Fetterman is not the only one challenging tradition. Over the past few years, senators’ fashion choices have become more laid-back and occasionally rebellious, reflecting the relaxed dress codes embraced by white-collar America in the post-pandemic era.
Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, raised eyebrows when he showed up to vote wearing athletic gear. When questioned about his attire, he jokingly told reporters that the votes were scheduled during his basketball game.
Senator Kyrsten Sinema, known for her bold fashion choices, has worn pastel-colored wigs while casting votes and caused a stir in 2021 when she presided over the Senate in a denim vest and black T-shirt.
Upon retiring after three terms in the Senate, Richard Burr of North Carolina took his collection of socks, which he had received as gifts over the years. Known for his preference for sockless footwear, the Republican senator once shared on social media that he had “99 problems but socks ain’t one.”
Around the Capitol, he could often be seen wearing a polo shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, with a navy blue blazer added as a nod to the dress code.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
