Of monochrome ensembles, unmasked optimism, the first woman vice president, a Hispanic judge, a black poet and two modern families. 

Style was in the diversity of elements and people, their backgrounds and convictions, not necessarily in the clothes the distinguished guests wore for US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ inauguration ceremony. On Wednesday, the Capitol in Washington DC wore spreading sunlight, cheer and well-fitting political roles..

Among the most stylish attendees was Ella Emhoff, a textile design student and the 22-year-old stepdaughter of Harris who arrived in an embellished Miu Miu coat, black boots, her hair glamorous with its natural close-cropped curls and spectacles. The elements lent her a riveting distinction, youthful yet sophisticated. A list of the best with the most  would include former first lady of the US, the tall and stately Michelle Obama in a monochrome merlot outfit –  long jacket, flared pants and turtleneck by Sergio Hudson. Obama’s overly styled hair gave her reason to flick it off now and again from her sparkling eyes.

If three distinct style statements must be counted, it would be Ella Emhoff, Michelle Obama and Jennifer Lopez (JLo), America’s adored singer, dancer, actor, who sang This Land is Your Land with a fiery passion. Guttural, goose flesh evoking, dressed white hot in Chanel, a strikingly dazzling look with jewels sparkling on her ears and fingers.

The inauguration wardrobe of the protagonists – President Joseph R Biden and Vice President Kamala Devi Harris did not quite hit a high even though both made statements with their respective designer choices. Biden was suited in all-American Ralph Lauren, a picture of endurance and stability. Harris became a pearl of history in American politics and among women senators in the US—a prosecutorial force, a woman of colour, first as an Asian American and African American. She arrived in a long purple skirt-jacket ensemble by Black designer Christopher John Rogers. While the sleeves of Harris’ jacket deserved better silhouetting and fit, the construction paled given the choice of colour, her trademark pearl earrings (a pearl sorority in the US is stringing a new feminist-style trend) and her charming smile as she took oath.

The spouses were American in soul and stitch. Douglas Emhoff, the first Second Gentleman of America wore Ralph Lauren too. While Dr Jill Biden, a teacher who holds a doctorate in educational leadership wore an aqua blue outfit by Markarian, a young brand by American designer Alexandra O’Neill.

If you were intently hunting for style cues, there were sleek gloves: a soft pink worn by one of Biden’s daughters, the turquoise blue of Jill Biden and the purple hued of Kamala Harris. If you were looking for colour, there was Lady Gaga’s Schiaparelli Couture ball gown with a crimson skirt and a golden bird taking off from her navy bodice and young black poet Amanda Gorman’s (the youngest ever to perform at a Presidential inauguration) yellow Prada coat with a red headband.

Yet the imagery of Joe Biden’s swearing in as the 46th President of America had little to do with clothes. It was framed by diversity. It was the inclusion of half a dozen disparate elements—loyalties, socio-political ideas, preferences—seamlessly brought together to underscore constitutional, existential and social equality.

Consider this: Sonia Sotomayor, a trailblazing legal figure, the first Latina judge in the US High Court, swore in Vice President Kamala Harris. Of the two Bibles held by First Gentleman Emcoff for Harris’ swearing in, one belonged to the late civil rights frontrunner, Justice Thurgood Marshall who according to Harris had inspired her career path. Both Harris and Michelle Obama chose Black designers for their outfits. While both the President and the First Lady chose Ralph Lauren, a longstanding choice for American leaders.

The two first families of Biden and Harris are modern families—a varied, adapting cohort of second spouses, stepchildren, completely different life experiences and upbringing. JLo who sang at the inauguration is of Puerto Rican heritage while Gaga is white American and Gorman the young poet is African American.

Style resonates with meaning if it wears unambiguous conviction. Fashion is nothing if it does not allow the moment when it is worn to take over and define whether it is pearly white, dazzling black, aqua, merlot, striped or crossed. We want trends? Monochrome and “vocal for local” (interpreted from an American point of view) are the headlines. But if we want “more” the always guzzling comparative that leads fashion, here are some words from an interview Harris gave to CNN in November after the win when she was asked about the future disagreements she may have with President Biden. “There will be disagreements, we both accept that, but if they are born out of values, life experiences and perspectives, that is absolutely fine.”

Post Script: It may be off-trend not to mention the beautifully tailored, black outfit that Melania Trump—former First Lady of the US, the wax like figure inside a perfectly groomed and dressed figure—wore as she departed in a Marine One helicopter after her husband’s farewell address at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. It was Chanel. Au revoir.