Hoodies in the Halls of Power: a Rhetorical Materialist Critique of Professional Decorum in the United States Senate

This brief paper explores the controversy surrounding Senator John Fetterman’s sartorial choices of casual attire in the hyper-professionalized space of the United States Senate. Fetterman’s clothing choices transcend mere fashion; they embody a statement of class identity and challenge the established power dynamics within the Senate. His attire reflects Pittsburgh’s industrial and labor-oriented history, in contrast to the conventional, affluent image most associated with politicians. Although controversial, Fetterman’s white male privilege minimized the consequences of his indecorous behavior. The reactions to Fetterman’s attire highlight the debate over what constitutes appropriate professional decorum, unveiling the underlying biases and demonstrating how something as mundane as clothing can become a potent symbol in professional and political communication. Through a rhetorical materialist critique of the Fetterman attire controversy, we reveal decorum as a raced, gendered, and imperialistic technology an elite ruling class leverages to preserve the existing order. Our analysis further articulates the implications of Fetterman’s attire regarding material inclusivity and tangible representation in professional settings. We propose that reevaluating traditional decorum standards is essential to accommodate the evolving diversity of modern society.