Today, a good friend who works in the federal government lamented having to report to his new boss with Donald Trump’s inauguration. “There just seems like less of a resistance this go-around,” he said.
I beg to differ; though at first glance, it may appear that way. Through the lens of fashion, the gaze of social media, and the merchandise that brands are putting forward for consumption, we can analyze a collective mood.
There are key differences between dissident dressing in 2017 and 2025, and parsing them provides insight into the collective consciousness of Americans over the past eight years and where we’re at today.
In 2017, dissident dressing was loud — a spectacle meant to grab attention and signify outrage. In 2025, dissident dressing is giving Depression Era, but that’s not because people are any less outraged.
Before we dive into an analysis of fashion as a lens for cultural consciousness, a brief note on why studying fashion is not frivolous.
“Looking back at the ’60s and ’70s, at mini skirts and pantsuits, the ’80s power suit with padded shoulders, the ’90s grunge, punk, and hip-hop, it’s evident that these trends are all powerful markers of change and not frivolous pursuits,” explained April Uchitel, cofounder and CEO of The Board (formerly Violet Grey, Prada and DVF).
“By using fashion to give social unrest and economic frustration a voice, generations are able to shed the skin of their parents’ generation, protest inequality, push through injustices, create community and solidarity, and ultimately shift the course of the nation,” she said.
Let’s take a closer look at this new oeuvre of utilitarian dissent through clothing and what it looks like to collectively resist Trump’s presidency, the values he’s ushering in and the policies he’s likely to enforce.
Dissident Fashion In 2017
One of the most prominent symbolic visual cues of dissident dressing from 2017 is the pink pussy hat, a declaration that “Pussy Grabs Back.”
“When Trump took office in 2017, it ignited outrage that awakened a bona fide movement,” Uchitel noted. She confirmed that the widespread popularity of pink pussy hats helped to express dissenters’ immediate shock back in 2017.
“I personally joined hundreds of women on six buses to D.C. to march alongside millions of other women from all over the nation. It was the biggest movement I’d ever participated in,” she said. “Trump’s election was what pushed me to join the founding team of IAMAVOTER to encourage civic engagement. We’ve worked with hundreds of brands to co-create T-shirts, sweatshirts, sneakers, boots, hats, jewelry and bags, exclaiming ‘IAMAVOTER’ to give voice and agency to this action.”
Celebrity stylist Sheyna Imm says runways were also invovled in sending a political message. During New York Fashion Week in 2017, Public School did a take on the red MAGA hat with the slogan “Make America New York.”
During the same NYFW, Bella Hadid took the runway for Prabal Gurung wearing a T-shirt with the slogan “The Future Is Female.” Gurung’s collection also featured T-shirts with slogans like “I Am An Immigrant.”
Dissident Fashion In 2025
To say the country has gone through a reckoning in the past eight years is an understatement. The reversal of Roe v. Wade, the Black Lives Matter movement and the catastrophe of COVID-19 affected the lives of countless Americans. Sartorially speaking, it’s no wonder we have no energy left for spectacle dressing.
“Somber times like now, when a vast majority of Americans feel a sense of heartbreaking loss with the election results and now with the devastating fires in LA, are not the time for being loud,” Uchitel said. “We can’t be in constant fight mode.”
“Instead, we need to lean into comfort and self care to allow for deeper connections, reflections and an ongoing commitment to making meaningful change. I predict these next few months of watching the dust settle while gearing up for what the world throws at us next will have us reaching for cozy sweats and sweaters in serene colors, favorite items that bring us joy, and retail therapy that make us feel safe and protected,” she noted.
Imm told HuffPost, “The overall vibe feels less colorful, less loud and less whimsical. People are electing for a bit of adherence to functionality and utilitarianism.”
She referenced the Pantone Color of the Year, Mocha Mousse, a grayish brown, and “tonal colors, paired with lots of muted grays.”
Consider fashion icons like Blake Lively, armored in an ensemble of brown on the set of “It Ends With Us,” in contrast to Melania Trump, outfitted in a red suit at an event this past summer.
The drabness of Mocha Mousse “feels like a reminder that the working class is just that — working for the man,” Imm said.
Pink pussy hats represented the Women’s March in 2017, and Black Lives Matter apparel became prevalent after the protests against racist police brutality in 2020. But today’s more muted fashions are just as meaningful as those bolder statements.
“Today’s approach acknowledges that continuous resistance has been a reality for Black communities historically,” noted fashion and costume historian Shelby Ivey Christie. “Consumers, particularly Black Americans, are choosing strategic action over spectacle, supporting Black-owned businesses, sustainable practices, and brands demonstrating genuine commitment to equity rather than performative activism.”
“Today’s consumers are making intentional choices about where they spend, particularly investing in Black-owned and sustainable businesses that reinvest in communities,” she said. She sees “muted palettes with cultural accents and fashion choices that prioritize meaningful impact over performative statements” dominating the way people dress in 2025.
How Trump And His Supporters Dress
When it comes to Trump’s Cabinet, we’re seeing a lot of pomp and glamour, teased hair and pageant curls, as worn by Kristi Noem, Trump’s pick for Homeland Security secretary.
“The resurgence of the domesticated tradwife is a bleak reminder of where gender roles started,” Imm said. She also points out that Noem’s look, in conjunction with what Trump and JD Vance believe about a woman’s role in the home, is a hegemonic expression that “this is how it was and how it should be.”
It’s no coincidence that in Trump’s vision of the country, our secretary of Homeland Security nominee is serving Miss America.
Uchitel added, “I would be remiss not to acknowledge the red MAGA caps that send a bold message of where you stand. These sadly feel less about empowerment and more about aggression.”
Inauguration Day 2025 Looks
Trump’s inauguration was moved inside the United States Capitol Rotunda due to frigid temperatures. Prior to the move, hundreds of thousands of ticketed guests were expected to attend. The Capitol Rotunda can hold approximately 700 people, limiting entry to members of Congress and people in Trump’s close inner circle, and largely leaving out protesters and dissidents.
The Bidens And The Trumps
Trump Supporters Outside The Capitol Rotunda
Vice President Kamala Harris
Ivanka Trump
Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson
Trump’s Billionaire Boys Club
Former First Lady Laura Bush
Sen. John Fetterman
Protect The Free Press
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