Style-Spotting at the Democratic National Convention 2024

“High fashion” may not be the first thing you think when you picture the 2024 Democratic National Convention, where some 50,000 political wonks are mingling in Chicago this week to officially pass the party leadership torch to presidential nominee Kamala Harris, salute elder party statesmen like President Joe Biden, and lend the spotlight to rising stars of the party such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Beltway can be something of a fashion wasteland, khaki and navy and sensible suiting separates as far as the eye can see. And, yes, there’s still plenty of all of that on display at the United Center this week, but there’s also some attention-grabbing, jaw-dropping style to take in, with some speakers jumping at the opportunity for the runway to cross over with their political platform.

Ahead, check out the looks we found most notable at this week’s big blue party, from Barack Obama’s impeccably tailored suit, featuring a tie knot so perfect it belongs in MoMA’s Sculpture Garden, to Ella Emhoff’s editorial-ready Thom Browne ensemble in the crowd of faces supporting her mom.