At the Ralph Lauren show, even the designer had shed his flag sweater
NEW YORK — The meaning, not to mention the cost, of American fashion is suddenly a matter of great debate. For a century, preppy and Western were the staples with which we all endlessly played. But now, economic and political uncertainty have freighted these styles with new meaning.
While Beyoncé is preparing to launch a tour for her country album, 'Cowboy Carter,' Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem has embraced polos and cowboy boots a part of her Border Patrol uniform. The tradwife, represented with winking and absurdist aspiration by former model Nara Smith and with more sincerity by Hannah Neeleman, also known online as Ballerina Farm, comes with its own wardrobe — milkmaid-style dresses and cotton slips from Doen. Is this an out-of-touch Marie Antoinette cosplaying as a farm gal in the Petit Trianon at Versailles or an honest desire among many women to ditch the grinding life of blazers and Zoom-ready tops?
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