The significance of the pantsuit worn by US Vice-President elect Kamala Harris

Team Udayavani, Nov 10, 2020, 12:13 PM IST

Former California senator Kamala Harris made history on Saturday when she was pronounced the US Vice President-elect. She will be America’s first woman vice president. It wasn’t just her victory speech that created buzz on social media

She had opted for a white pantsuit fitted with a pussy-bow or the women’s necktie. According to Indian Express, the suit was by Carolina Herrera, an American luxury brand founded by a Venezuelan immigrant.

It is surprising that Harris chose Herrera, as she is a child of immigrants, an Indian mother and a Jamaican father.

The pussycat-bow called lavalliere, the female equivalent of the necktie was used by women when they started entering the workforce in the 19th century. Its origins can be traced to France and it was designed to look similar to the male cravat.

The white pantsuit is often dubbed the suffragette suit. Its history can be traced to Geraldine Ferraro, the first ever woman to run for vice-presidentship in the US. Hillary Clinton, former secretary of state, also wore white pantsuits during her presidential campaign in 2016.

Ivanka and Tiffany Trump attempted to make it their own with white ensembles at their father’s inauguration in 2017. More than two years later, Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi chose a white suit to announce the start of impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump.