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Hillary Clinton’s Red Pantsuit Was A Great Metaphor For Last Night’s Debate

Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images.
Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton recently stopped by Zach Galifianakis' Between Two Ferns and made a poignant observation about the scrutiny she gets for her outfit choices compared to her male counterparts. "There's this thing called the double standard," she said when asked what she would wear to the upcoming presidential debate, "so I think about, what should the first woman nominee of one of our two major parties wear to the debate?" At that point, she hadn't yet picked her primetime pantsuit, and she speculated that her opponent would opt for "that red power tie." Monday night, Clinton delivered an incredible performance, and viewers immediately reacted to her words — as well as to her bright-red jacket and trouser combination. On Twitter, viewers were having a field day throughout the broadcast. Clinton's bold choice in apparel — a red pantsuit from Ralph Lauren, a classic all-American designer — almost felt symbolic to many, given her performance (and resilience) on stage. Naturally, people had feelings about the look:
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The color felt almost too poignant at times.
Some fan fiction even ensued.
While others drew comparisons to the very real-life experiences of professional, ambitious women.
This election season, we've seen how the fashion choices of public figures can address larger, tangential issues that have come up on the trail. See: Michelle Obama's Christian Siriano dress and Joyce Beatty's déjà-vu white number at the DNC, and Ivanka Trump's affordable frock from her own label at the RNC. Clinton's latest outfit choice didn't detract or distract from her policies — nor her dexterity in defending them — on stage. Now, how's that for a presidential look?

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