Loyal to the look: why Zohran Mamdani wears a suit in all seasons | New York

Playing football. playing in the sand. We’re dancing on stage with Alicia Keys and the entire New York Knicks roster. Swimming in the swimming pool. Swimming in the ocean.

Traditionally, a suit and tie is considered inappropriate attire for each of these events. But for the past year, Zohran Mamdani has been on a one-man campaign, ostensibly to prove the opposite: to convince people that formal attire is, in fact, appropriate for all activities.

That’s because the mayor of New York wears nothing but a suit: frequently purchased at Suit Supply, almost always dark in color and worn with a formal tie, often paired with smart black boots. He’s not the first male politician to adopt the attire – it is, after all, the de facto uniform for those looking to display gravitas and gravitas – but few have been as committed to the formal blazer and matching trousers.

Mamdani, who cheered on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in May, stood out with his decision. wear a dark suit and tie. After the Knicks won, he made the unusual decision to wear the team’s jersey over his shirt and tie, but under his jacket. He wore a navy blue suit, white shirt and blue striped tie for a press opportunity with the kids in June. at the beach.

These are not even the most extraordinary examples.

On New Year’s Day 2025, while running for mayor, he donned a suit to attend a Polar Bear Club immersion event, a New York tradition where people go swimming in the frigid Atlantic. “As the next mayor of New York City, I am freezing your rent,” Mamdani said. an accompanying TikTok videoIt was a pretty prominent message, but it earned him a lot of press coverage.

Mamdani proved once again that water is no obstacle. totally appropriate jumped into the swimming pool in Harlem last month to announce that the city’s pools were opening for the summer. (Mamdani “broke the rules in the process,” right-wing New York Post reported“requires all swimmers to wear swimsuits in the water”.)

It looks like the mayor is trapped in a wool or possibly wool blend prison of his own making. But why?

Mamdani’s most recent predecessors were not as committed to the cause. Bill De Blasio was interested in short films; but with a fury that did not go unnoticed by Mamdani, the former mayor was mercilessly mocked for this. wearing cargo diversity – While Eric Adams partial part of polo shirtand sometimes a woolen cardigan.

“I think Mamdani wants to put more emphasis on being seen as a working mayor, someone who is always at work and in the spotlight,” said Ella Devi, a fashion commentator and member of the Democratic Socialists of America who, like Mamdani, is a member of the Democratic Socialists of America.typically negative) Evaluations of the Republicans’ style have made him a target of conservatives.

“I think he kind of wants to show that he’s committed to the business through his sartorial choices. I think that’s reflected in his commitment to the suit as well.”

Devi added: “He is also young, Muslim and a socialist.”

A constant focus of right-wing media, Mamdani seems likely to have a higher bar than white centrist politicians. This is a problem, Turkish American leftist broadcaster Hasan Piker said. came up recentlyWhen he said conservatives were “more open to what I had to say” when he dressed smartly.

“I used to wear t-shirts all the time” I told Dazed. “But then I thought I should start wearing suits and ties because there are so many adults watching on Fox News. [the rightwing channel frequently airs clips of Piker speaking] – If they see me say something in the clips, they will be more open to what I have to say if it is in a more attractive format.”

The mayor declined to comment on Mamdani’s wardrobe, but touched on his penchant for wearing suits in a recent interview. via CNN.

Asked about his decision to jump into the swimming pool in a suit, the mayor said, “I think I misunderstood the term swimsuit. But I also have to thank Goodwill.” [a charity known for its shops that sell used clothing]Because I bought that suit for $30, because you can’t ruin the other suits you own. But I’m clearly learning that there can be a different way to dress when it’s 100 degrees out.”

Leftists have not always been known for formal attire. This is true in some cases; disgraced Maine senatorial candidate Graham Platner wore sweaters and T-shirts during his campaign; Democratic Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania has a passionate commitment to wearing basketball shorts, but that could change.

“If there is a visual language that evokes trustworthiness and authority, why not take advantage of it?” Nathan Robinson, editor of the left-wing magazine Current Affairs wrote this month.

“You might see someone who wears a suit as serious, professional, ready to do business. You might think he belongs in the Senate or in a boardroom. That’s exactly what Mamdani is trying to say with his suits. He understands that socialists face a challenge: we’re left on the sidelines. People think we’re not among those making important decisions. The suit is a subtle way of asserting the legitimacy and authority of socialist ideas.”

Mamdani took this concept further than most. He was a passionate football player and wore a black suit and gray tie. be absent He appeared in a football match in July, and in a match that same month, Mamdani only threw a football jersey over his kit, although he removed his jacket.

It wasn’t always like this. A source, who played on the same team as Mamdani before his selection, said he did not play in a suit and tie, but added: “He always appeared on stage in a suit, or at least suit trousers. famous bootsand it was changing in the field because he was always late too.

“But he never missed a tackle,” continued the source, who wished to remain anonymous but currently plays on the same football team as the author of this article, probably aimed at the writer.

The source said Mamdani used to play “in black shorts”. When asked whether the suit was suitable for the football match, they said it would not be suitable. They explained: “Limited stretch in materials, limited range of motion, you sweat and probably don’t want to dry clean a suit as often due to cost and longevity, possibility of grass stains or rips during play, excessive wear from friction, which will also compromise the life of a possibly expensive piece of clothing that is harder to replace, too hot to play (comfortably).”

The question so intertwined with the suit might be: Could Mamdani wear anything else? Can the mayor abandon his formal attire?

“I think he’s kind of stuck in the suit now and he knows he’s stuck in the suit because he’s made it a habit to wear the suit all the time,” Devi said.

“He needs to stay true to his ensemble. If he wears jeans, the New York Post will be writing about it for the next three weeks.”

As temperatures recently reached 38C (100F) in New York, Mamdani may be wishing she was wearing something else; But Devi had a suggestion in case the heat became unbearable.

“He’d never admit it because he’s not seen as much of a socialist, but Thom Browne makes some very good suit shorts for future heat waves. So that’s my advice to Mayor Mamdani,” he said.

Good idea, but according to Thom Browne’s website, those shorts retail price is approximately $1,300This may raise questions about Mamdani’s socialist identity. It looks like Mamdani is stuck with the case, at least for now.