At rallies nowadays, campaign teams chuck out T-shirts emblazoned with a candidate’s slogan. But 150 years ago, stitching your political views into your wardrobe was an art form — and sometimes even a discreet sign of protest or solidarity. As part of the Cleveland History Center’s Power and Politics exhibit that runs July 14 through January, see 30 dresses and hats in the Political Fashion Statements display. Items range from a 1860s dress slyly showing tiny soldiers and canons to a Hillary Clinton T-shirt designed by Tory Burch. “Clothes really can tell a story,” says Patty Edmonson, MAC curator of costume and textiles. Edmonson unravels these three fashion statements.
Bunting Dress, 1880: The length and style of this dress made in Indiana are so uncharacteristic of the 19th-century that it’s likely a specially designed parade costume. The roller-printed cotton fabric is woven with images of James A. Garfield and Chester Arthur for their 1880 presidential campaign. “Women just didn’t wear dresses that were made of printed fabric often,” Edmonson says. “It might have been worn with a pair of bloomers.”
"I Like Ike" skirt, 1952: Instead of poodles, this cotton skirt has felt appliques of Dwight Eisenhower as a scholar, president and soldier. There’s even an elephant and a donkey boxing. “This was the first presidential election where there were equal men and women voters, so the Republicans catered to women,” says Edmonson of the skirt worn by Clevelander Michaeline Maschke, whose father-in-law was a leader of the Cuyahoga County Republican Party.Nancy Reagan suit, 1981: The first lady known for her love of red used her classic wardrobe choices, such as this American label Adolfo wool suit, to push patriotism. “She was buying American designers, so other people wanted to buy these designers,” Edmonson says. While Reagan was criticized for keeping some items gifted from designers, many went on to museums, and to our benefit, the Cleveland History Center was given two of Reagan’s suits.