Pink Suits Protest: How Democratic Women Used Fashion to Respond to Trump’s Speech

How Democratic Women Used Fashion to Respond to Trump’s Speech with a Pink Suit Protest

US Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-OH) speaks during a news conference held by the Democratic Women's Caucus at the Capitol on March 4, 2025 in Washington, DC.Tierney L. Cross/Getty Images

So, here’s something pretty interesting that happened during Trump’s speech to Congress this week—Democratic women decided to make a powerful statement through their fashion. Instead of holding up signs or shouting, they arrived at the Capitol dressed in matching pink outfits. Yes, you heard that right. According to CNN, a whole group of them, including big names like Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, wore monochromatic pink to make their point pinning the Pink Suit Protest. It wasn’t just about looking good—they wanted to highlight the negative impact of Trump’s policies on women.

Rep. Jill Tokuda (D-HI) wears a jacket with writing of the U.S. Constitution ahead of President Donald Trump's joint address to Congress on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC.Win McNamee/Getty Images

One of the standout looks was Rep. Jill Tokuda, who took it a step further by hand-writing parts of the U.S. Constitution on her salmon-colored blazer—talk about a statement! Rep. Leger Fernandez even shared that the color pink was chosen to “raise the alarm” about the harm Trump’s policies were doing to women, especially in areas like healthcare and economic rights.

But not everyone thought this was the right approach. Some critics, including Penn State communications professor Nichola D. Gutgold, felt that the coordinated pink outfits didn’t have the impact they intended. Gutgold, who studies women in politics, said that when women dress in a matching way, it can sometimes feel a bit performative, and for her, the coordinated look felt “a bad look.” She even pointed out that pink has historically been associated with stereotypical femininity (hello, Barbie!) and might not send the message of strong political leadership that was intended.

The Democratic Women's Caucus wore pink. Though some saw it was "performative."Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

This isn’t the first time that female politicians have used fashion to make a statement, though. Back in 2017, Democratic women wore white to Trump’s first address to Congress as a nod to suffragettes who fought for women’s voting rights. White has since become a symbol of empowerment for women, showing up in speeches and key political moments.

Of course, color coordination doesn’t always hit the mark. Take Republican Rep. Mary Miller, for example, who wore a hot pink suit at the same event. While she was clearly on the other side of the political spectrum, her outfit also drew attention. She even posted afterward to clarify she wasn’t trying to align herself with the Democrats' message.

So, what do you think—does fashion like this really work as a political protest, or does it just come across as a fashion statement? It’s definitely an interesting way to communicate without saying a word.