Amy Coney Barrett's court outfits slammed as 'inappropriately casual' as they clash with her conservative views
The Supreme Court rarely has anything to do with fashion. However, President Donald Trump's pick to fill the only vacant seat in the nation's highest court after the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg last month is facing a lot of criticism when it comes to her choice of outfits.
Amy Coney Barrett, the SCOTUS nominee, who just wrapped up her hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee, was criticized by the left-wing media for her views on some of the topical issues in the country such as abortion rights. The 48-year-old's history of serving as a "handmaid" in a Christian parachurch organization called the People of Praise group was also mocked as something straight out of Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel, 'The Handmaid's Tale', which also inspired a hit TV series with the same name.
The latest attack on Barrett was on her sense of fashion, which seemed too unconventional for someone aspiring to preside over the highest form of justice in the land. Day one of her confirmation hearings saw her wearing a soft fuchsia dress and a simple strand of pearls. Barrett's choice of outfit was met with a number of raised eyebrows. One of them was lawyer Leslie McAdoo Gordon's who tweeted, "Women lawyers & judges wear suits, including dresses with jackets, for work. It is not a great look that ACB consistently does not. No male judge would be dressed in less than correct courtroom attire. It’s inappropriately casual.”
Women lawyers & judges wear suits, including dresses with jackets, for work. It is not a great look that ACB consistently does not. No male judge would be dressed in less than correct courtroom attire. It’s inappropriately casual. pic.twitter.com/90VSbsgaU2
— Leslie McAdoo Gordon (@McAdooGordon) October 12, 2020
Even the critics who praised her dress did so with a touch of sarcasm as they pointed out that the modern choice of outfit clashed with her anti-progressive views. A Daily Beast reporter pointed out that the dress itself “spoke of soft prettiness” and was stylish by DC standards but it did not go hand in hand with ACB’s conservative beliefs.
Despite the criticism in the media of her unusual style sense, on Day 2, Barrett proved that she won't back down from her individuality and proudly donned a cinnamon-colored trendy attire comprising of a skirt with a slightly swingy top. The outfit was very reminiscent of Jackie O, the former first lady married to ex-president John F Kennedy. Day three saw Barrett dressed in a purple-flecked, tweedy suit, which she paired with a lilac blouse. She accessorized her outfit with gold and silver drop earrings, instead of the usual pearl earrings that most justices tend to go for.
Her unconventional dressing sense is somehow just as she is nominated to replace Ginsburg, whose dazzling collars stood out against the traditional black robe that Supreme Court justices wear, becoming an obsession among her fans. As her popularity grew, children on Halloween began dressing up as the 'Notorious R.B.G', rocking her ornamental collars as a distinctive feature of their outfits.
As for why Barrett's soon-to-be colleagues, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, chose to stick to a more conventional sense of style, according to New York Post. They "were confirmed in a different era where there was less freedom or inclination to stray from the sartorial script. They opted for boxy suit jackets in both neutral and bold primary colors, respectively. If there was any meditation written on their clothing, it doesn’t register." The outlet added that Barrett's choice of clothing was a "refreshing departure in the wardrobe department".