From facial hair to 'folksy': What experts say about the style of Harris, Walz, Trump and Vance

Dressing presidential is a job within itself.

On top of pitching their policies to voters, candidates at the top of the ticket are also tasked with creating an image that resonates with millions of Americans. For Vice President Kamala Harris, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, former President Donald Trump, and Ohio Sen. JD Vance, that means making calculated style decisions to attract the broadest audience, experts say.

"Anything that politicians wear is not unintentional. There's a thought process behind it. Politicians, like everyone else, get up in the morning and make a choice about what they're wearing," said Jonathan Square, assistant professor of Black Visual Culture at Parsons School of Design.

Some political figures hire consultants and stylists to elevate their image and tell a story through clothing. Unlike celebrities who wear luxurious, attention-grabbing attire on the red carpet, politicians want to appear more relatable.

"When you're running for office, you want people to feel like they know you, connect with you and don't think you're a shifty politician asking for a vote," Dr. Nadia Brown, a professor of government at Georgetown University, told USA TODAY.

Here's what experts think about the style of the candidates on the major ticket:

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Harris seeks to connect with 'everyday people'

During the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in August, Harris waved on stage in front of an exuberant crowd. Her hair was styled in her signature silk press and she wore a tan Chloé pantsuit − which some have suggested was a nod to former President Barack Obama.

Harris' attire went viral, and people on social media couldn't stop talking about the coincidence that her suit was the color coconut brown. Like Hillary Clinton, her fashion choices have made headlines during her bid for the White House.

"Women face huge pressures, and Black women face even bigger pressures in terms of how they present themselves," said Victoria Pass, a fashion historian and associate professor at Maryland Institute College of Art. "People pay so much more attention to the way that women present themselves compared to men. You don't see many people talking about what Trump is wearing."

Historically, women politicians have faced more landmines for what they wear. Experts say they must be attractive and moderately fashionable without wearing expensive items. The men often stick with their uniform − a traditional, basic suit.

According to Square, Harris has been able to craft a political persona "rooted in connection with everyday people and practicality."

The former prosecutor's power suits (with a feminine twist) have become a staple of her wardrobe. At her closing argument to voters in Washington, D.C., she wore a black suit with a high-neck blouse. In September, she added a splash of color with a powder blue getup during a conference and a dark purple ensemble during a conversation with Oprah Winfrey. 

"She'll also throw on a pair of sneakers too," Square added.

In addition to her go-to pieces, she doesn't shy away from more casual looks, such as denim jeans, a blazer, and Converse. 

"She's been wearing Converse and Timberlands casually for a while," said Hazel Clark, professor of Fashion Studies at Parsons School of Design.

Clark said this indicates the message, "I'm also the same as everybody else. 'I wear Converse.' They're a brand that's been around for over 100 years. They're quintessentially American, like a baseball cap."

Harris gushed about her Chuck Taylors on several occasions. In 2018, she gave insight into her closet.

"I have a whole collection of Chuck Taylors:​​ a black leather pair, a white pair, I have the kind that don't lace, the kind that do lace, the kind I wear in the hot weather, the kind I wear in the cold weather, and the platform kind for when I'm wearing a pantsuit," she previously told to The Cut.

During high-scale events, she'll wear designer clothes, like her recent look at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's dinner, where she was draped in a custom black sequined LaQuan Smith gown.

Walz goes for a 'folksy sense of style'

Since Walz was selected as Harris' running mate, he has brought a dad-like wardrobe to the ticket, experts said. When the veteran and former high school teacher appears at a casual outing or streaming with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, he rocks a camouflage baseball cap and T-shirt.

In a TikTok video where he is trying a pork chop on a stick, he is seen wearing "Minnesota Grown" merchandise. He leans into the outdoorsy workwear aesthetic, especially when hunting. He wears plaid flannel button-ups and Carhartt.

Brown said Walz plays into the image of an "older Midwestern football coach," referencing the governor's prior role at a Minnesota high school.

She added that it would be inauthentic if he constantly wore a suit like Vance. It is not unusual to see him without a tie or with a friendship bracelet.

"I think Walt has a more folksy sense of style. He does wear a suit too, but [the shirt] is more unbuttoned," Square said. 

The campaign's camo-style Harris-Walz cap, which was promoted after he was chosen as the VP pick, sold out quickly and was likened to Chappell Roan's merch.

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In other instances, Walz will dress more formally, like during the vice presidential debate, where he donned a suit with a blue tie. The New York Times pointed out his "glow-up" when he was thrust into the spotlight during the summer.

Trump attire is 'a brand'

Donald Trump keeps it straight to the point: He wears a suit, a white collared shirt, a tie, and an occasional "Make America Great Again" hat, an iconic symbol of his campaign.

There are appearances where he would wear a patterned or blue tie, but he often sticks with his party's color.

Clark said there's "one very consistent image of Donald Trump," adding that it's difficult to "get a sense of his real personality through his clothes." 

"We've got to remember his age… the world he's been brought up in is a world where men dress more formally when they're out in the world of work. He's been brought up in business," she continued. "It's almost like a brand or a costume. Somebody else could put on that suit and tie and have the hair, and we would immediately note it was Donald Trump."

Brown argued that his notable attire doesn't work for every occasion. Last month, during a more laid-back campaign event working at a Pennsylvania McDonald's, the former president wore a white button-up, a red tie, and an apron. 

"Trump served fries in the McDonald's drive-thru in a suit that just looked out of place for where he was going," she said. 

He wore a similar outfit with a neon orange safety vest aboard a white personalized garbage truck in Wisconsin in response to President Joe Biden's statement about his supporters. 

Vance's facial hair would be rare among vice presidents

Vance wears a traditional suit and mimics Trump's style. Sometimes, he ditches the blazer and tie and opts for an unbuttoned shirt. 

"I think the suits are purposefully not fitted or tailored," Square argued. "They're slightly ill-fitting, and I think that's on purpose because what they're trying to communicate is that I'm not a dandy, fashion person."

He has also worn plaid shirts and jeans, like during his summer visit to the border in Arizona.

People have also noted his facial hair. If the Trump-Vance ticket wins the election, he would be the first bearded VP in decades. 

During an interview with Fox News, Trump said that he looked like "a young Abraham Lincoln." According to Clark, his look could resonate with supporters.

"He's more in tune with what many men are wearing in America today… which is younger men with a certain amount of facial hair," she said.

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at tardrey@gannett.com.