10 Celebs Who Used Fashion To Make A Political Statement

Publish date: 2024-09-11

Of course, celebs can use their social media platforms to highlight the causes they care about and spread awareness, but these ten stars decided to turn heads and use their outfits as conversation starters. The clothes that a person puts on doesn't tell the whole story, but it can say a lot about them. People express their personalities and mood at any given time through their fashion choices. When you're in the spotlight, it means that everyone is going to be looking at what you're wearing. People tune in to awards shows to, of course, see the performances and who is going to take home the trophies. However, people also tune in to see what their favorite stars are wearing on the red carpet.

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Some stars aren't scared to push the envelope when using their style choices to make a political statement. Of course, celebs can use their social media platforms to highlight the causes they care about and spread awareness, but these ten stars decided to turn heads and use their outfits as conversation starters.

10 Macy Gray Prompted People To Buy Her Album

You never know what's going to happen at the VMAs. In 2001, Gray was a presenter and used the opportunity to promote her new album. The front of her blue dress with pink sleeves that she wore stated, "MY NEW ALBUM DROPS SEPT. 18 2001." and the back displayed the words "BUY IT." Her album, "The Id," peaked at #11 on the Billboard 200 charts. Stars promote their albums all the time, but no one else but the "I Try" singer marketed their album in this way.

9 A$AP Rocky Supported Feminism

Lauren Fisher, a writer for Harpers Bazaar, called out Rihanna's beau A$AP Rocky for wearing a Dior shirt that stated: "We Should All Be Feminists" while he was in a music video where he referred to women as "B******." Celebrities at the Women's March, such as Rihanna, wore this shirt as well. In the music video for 2017's "Wrong," the A$AP Mob rappers make an apology to women for their womanizing ways, but ASAP Ferg rapped the lyrics, "Man I done lost me a classy b****."

8 Jenifer Lewis Supported Colin Kaepernick

At the Emmy's, you expect stars to wear fabulous dresses and tuxedos. However, in 2018, the Black-ish star wore a Nike Outfit supporting Colin Kaepernick. Nike decided to use the former NFL star in their 30th anniversary "Just Do It" campaign. She also proudly wore her hair in an afro.

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7 Joy Villa Showed Her Support Of Donald Trump

In 2019, at the Grammys Awards, the singer-songwriter, actress, and YouTuber wore a plunging white floor-length dress that resembled a brick law outlined with black bricks. The back of her dress, in red lettering, said "Build the Wall," and her red clutch displayed the words "Make America Great Again." This display wasn't the first time she wore Trump-supportive fashion.

6 Laverne Cox Supported the LGBTQ Community With A Clutch

The Orange Is the New Black actress showcased a custom Edie Parker rainbow clutch to the 2019 Emmys, which read "Oct. 8, Title VII, Supreme Court." The words referenced the Trump Administration's efforts to legalize employees being fired based on their gender identity. Cox told E! that people weren't highly aware of this issue and that it affected women but also anyone who didn't conform to someone else's "idea of how you should be."

5 Katy Perry Has Used Her Fashion To Support Barack Obama

In 2012, at the Delta Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Perry performed at a rally supporting then-president Barack Obama after his first term. She wore a skin-tight blue dress with the word "Forward" on it in white lettering with rhinestones. Perry also performed at another rally in Las Vegas. Her dress resembled a checked or darkened ballot box next to the words "President Of The United States Barack Obama, Illinois, Joe Biden, Delaware." There was a blank box next to "Mitt Romney Massachusetts."

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4 Amber Rose And Blac Chyna Made It Clear That Women Can Be Sexually Expressive

Once again, there is never a dull moment at the VMAs. Chyna wore a custom dress, and Rose wore a custom jumpsuit. The outfits displayed words such as "stripper," "gold digger," and other words that men have used to shame women. Rose and Chyna decided to embrace the words that people called them all the time. At the time, Rose was also promoting Slutwalk, a transnational movement that attempts to dismantle rap culture, victim-blaming, and shaming women, particularly victims of sexual assault.

3 Connie Britton Wanted People To Know That Poverty Is Sexist

At the 75th Golden Globe Awards, the Friday Night Lights actress wore a black sweater that stated "Poverty is Sexist" in honor of the Time's Up Movement. Celebrities founded this charity to support sexual harassment victims based on the ME TOO movement and the Weinstein effect. Britton, via Entertainment Weekly, stated that she didn't feel like a $5,000 gown would have the same effect. She expressed that this message highlighted that nowhere in the world are women economically equal to men, nor do they have the same opportunities. Designer Lingua Franca donated $100 from each purchase to the charity.

2 Issa Rae Wanted To Express That All Black People Are Stars

The Insecure actress hosted the CFDA Fashion Awards in 2018. She wore a stunning blue sparkling one-shouldered dress. However, if you zoom into the belt around her waist, it reads, "Every n**** is a star." So, what is the meaning behind this? Well, it's deeper than Black people merely being talented. The politically-minded designer Kerby Jean-Raymond added the belt at the last minute because he feels that Black people have been depicted as tragic figures or "firsts." He expressed that Black people can be bus drivers or ordinary people and that they don't all have to be Jay-Z's or an Issa Rae, and they can merely exist.

1 Lady Gaga's Meat Dress

Franc Fernandez designed the dress made of raw beef that the "Born This Way" singer wore to the 2010 VMAs. Gaga used the dress to politicize her opposition to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military. President Barack Obama, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen repealed this policy in 2011. So, why the beef, in particular? Gaga explained on the Ellen DeGeneres Show that if people don't stand up for their rights, they will have as many rights as the meat on their bones.

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