ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN NEW CITY MAGAZINE, SEPTEMBER ISSUE
When Donatella Versace dedicated her 2009 Spring/Summer collection to Barack Obama at her Milan show, it was an seamless melding of fashion and politics. Similarly, finding the perfect accessory to proudly announce your chosen political candidate shouldn't seem like a tacky add-on to your otherwise stylish wardrobe. With the election just around the corner, there's time to pick up some tasteful gems that say: "I'm an American. I have an opinion. And I have a chic way of supporting it."
BUTTONS
You're seeing your candidate all over the place, so why not put him where you can always see him--pinned to your lapel? If you want variety, Politcalshop.com is your button go-to. Regardless of your chosen candidate these buttons have it all. The looks range from luxe-looking to simple-yet-sophisticated fonts on adorable circular pins. Go ahead--pair your Prada bag with one of these buttons. The quality aesthetic of the pins makes it a politically correct pairing.
For Obama lovers, MoveOn.org offers three design-friendly styles of mini-buttons for you to sport. The best part? The initial order of buttons is free. If you distribute them all over town, you pay just a little for another batch and the proceeds go to benefit the awareness of Obama's campaign for 2008--as if there are those who haven't heard of him.
T-SHIRTS
If you're digging for a political t-shirt that doesn't conflict with your Diesel jeans, Zazzle.com offers a variety of styles and designs to suit your personal aesthetic. Like many popular "design your own t-shirt" sites, you're able to determine your own fit, color and size. Plus, the tees sport graphics that look like they fell off a limited-edition run from a local boutique.
Want to keep your support on the down low, but still support the cause? Voteapparel.com is totally with you. The four-color-option American Apparel t-shirt comes with a fun--yet dapper--logo that reminds your apparel gazer to "vote" in bold white attractive letters. The shirt comes in a of variety of sizes and styles. Plus, you won't risk coming under fire from your opposing political party just for encouraging people to vote.