My style can be described as modern minimalist meets classic. I own several sheath dresses that fit and flatter, but when I put them on now, they echo what I see as MAGA style. How can I restyle them without sacrificing my aesthetic? — Miriam, Whidbey Island, Wash.
There is a very specific look associated with women who subscribe to the Trump worldview, one that is sort of a cross between a Fox newscaster and Miss Universe. It generally involves flowing tresses that are at least shoulder length, false eyelashes, plumped-up cheeks and lips, high heels and, as you say, a sheath dress. The effect underscores an almost cartoonish femininity that speaks to a relatively old-fashioned gender stereotype; the counterpart to this woman is the square-jawed, besuited guy with a side part.
Simply consider the women of the Trump family, who embody the standard: Melania, Ivanka, Lara and Tiffany, as well as Don Jr.’s new girlfriend, Bettina Anderson, and his former fiancée, Kimberly Guilfoyle. Also Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary, and the former Trump defense lawyer Alina Habba. Indeed, I think one reason people are so fascinated by Usha Vance is that, with her willingness to let her hair go gray and her seeming aversion to makeup, she has become the exception that proves the rule.
In any case, the Trump-approved lady look has stayed so consistent that it has effectively infiltrated everyone’s cerebellum, and we now have an almost Pavlovian reaction to seeing anyone with flowing hair and false eyelashes and lip plumper in a sheath dress.
But here’s the thing: Of all the visual cues on that list, the sheath dress is the least important.
The look of Trump world is increasingly about the beauty choices, more than the clothes. You can see this with Attorney General Pam Bondi, who favors pantsuits, and the White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who seems to vacillate between suits and sheath dresses. No matter what they wear, however, they are never anything but a Trump woman, even before they get to policy. There is actually a name for how they look: “Mar-a-Lago face,” after the Trump golf club that is home to so many of those sporting the look. Which also involves “conservative girl makeup.”
And that is good news for anybody who doesn’t want to wear their politics on their sleeve. If you favor a sheath dress but want to avoid its political associations, just think of it as a base layer and consider how you accessorize it. Part of the essential appeal of the sheath dress — the reason it is such a wardrobe basic — is its very simplicity. A sheath dress is easy to wear and can take you from work to cocktails exactly because it is plain enough to … well, fit in many different situations.
