On the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, former President Barack Obama sent the crowd into uproarious laughter with a joke about vice-presidential nominee Tim Walz.
“You can tell those flannel shirts he wears don’t come from some political consultant. They come from his closet,” the former president said.
Walz’s flannels and fairgrounds persona have drawn people around the country to his cause. The Minnesota governor’s jolly social media presence has earned him acclaim from all corners of the internet.
“I’m overjoyed. I’ve been a longtime supporter of Tim Walz ever since I learned about him like last week,” posted comedian Vinny Thomas on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Midwestern aesthetics may sound like an oxymoron to people unfamiliar with the region. Culture in the Midwest is often reduced to polite attitudes and corn production. However, in recent months, notions of Midwestern fashion, aesthetics, and culture have shifted, thanks to a rising pop star and a Democratic governor.
The music video for Chappell Roan’s viral banger “HOT TO GO!” was shot at notable Midwestern locations. Most of the video features Roan dancing outside the Gillioz Theatre in the heart of Springfield, Missouri. Other locations featured in the video include the World’s Second Largest Fork and the Ozark Empire Fairgrounds.
Utilizing iconography deeply associated with Missouri created a unique visual profile for Roan. Pop music aesthetics are often bright and colorful, as Roan emulates, but are usually tied to the glamor of Los Angeles or New York.
The simplicity of fashion culture in the Midwest is largely unexplored by stars, but there’s more to the region’s style than meets the eye.
“People are more reserved here,” said Wright House of Fashion founder Andre Wright. “The way people dress in Harlem isn’t something you’re going to see in Iowa City.”
A foundational goal of the Wright House of Fashion is to push the boundaries of what is expected of typical area styles. Pushing people to explore their styles and identify their personal tastes is a priority for Wright and his collaborators — a mission not dissimilar from the lessons in Roan’s music.
“What we have in the Midwest is unique — we bash it all the time but there isn’t anything else like it,” Wright said. “Things have shifted here to dressing how you want to dress and being yourself.”
A lack of any strict trends is what makes Midwest fashion special. However, people around the country still tend to place labels on how Midwesterners dress or act.
“I think there’s a fetishization of the Midwest aesthetic in other cities,” Iowa City Video Zine, or ICVZ, founder Clare Kinkaid explained. Kinkaid grew up in California but traveled to visit family in Nebraska several times throughout her life, which exposed her to two drastically different forms of fashion.
Now living in Cedar Rapids, the videographer has frequently moved around the country. Her work on ICVZ in late 2023 explored Iowa City’s local fashion scene, helping her notice the differences in styles between regions.
“When I lived in Philadelphia, my boyfriend would have DJ sets and people would be like ‘Wow, you have such Midwest style.’We were like the token Midwesterners there,” Kinkaid said.
Since the rest of the country is relatively unfamiliar with Midwest culture, there is a sensationalization of art from the region.
“Whenever something cool happens in the Midwest, it’s like a big thing,” Kinkaid explained. “It doesn’t happen often.”
The Harris-Walz campaign seems to have capitalized on this enthusiasm for the Midwest with a hat that resembles Roan’s merchandise. Both pieces of merch are flat back caps with camp decal and bold, orange lettering — Roan’s reading ‘Midwest Princess,’ while the political merchandise reads ‘Harris Walz.’
The Democratic ticket’s hat sold out in 30 minutes when the campaign launched its merch store, according to a report by Axios.
This case of matching merchandise is not the first time the Harris campaign has directly referenced a pop sensation.
When Vice President Kamala Harris first announced her candidacy after Biden’s exit from the presidential race in July, Charli XCX tweeted, “kamala IS brat.” The post, a reference to Charli XCX’s recently released album, “BRAT,” received over 300,000 likes on X and was embraced by the Harris campaign. X account Kamala HQ changed its profile banner to match Charli XCX’s trending album cover art.
Politicians using pop culture to their advantage is nothing new. The recent emphasis on the Midwest has proven useful in the Harris campaign’s attempt to appeal to Midwest swing states.
Even though most people are not familiar with the region’s style, Midwesterners have cultural reasons for their reserved aesthetic.
“When you look at the Midwest, we’re a true working class. When people get dressed up, it’s for an occasion,” Wright House of Fashion partner Lexis Wells said. “If you’re walking down the street here and see someone dressed up, it’s notable. You notice.”
Appealing to the working class is the likeliest reason for Walz’s simple stylistic expression. While most American politicians dress in suits and ties, Walz offers a welcoming, approachable ensemble of denim and flannel.
“Fashion is a choice people make every morning, so he is doing it on purpose,” Wright said.
A person’s choice of outfit every day is most inspired by their environment, especially in the Midwest.
“Look at where we live, there isn’t much reason to dress up. Folks will dress nicely if they’re taking their significant other on a date. Otherwise, they’re in work clothes,” Wright said. “It’s all a reflection. What people wear is a reflection of their environment.”
Style isn’t entirely dependent on career and location, though. Individuality is also a major consideration, and in American culture, the Midwest is often perceived as a haven of authenticity.
“I think people tend to view the Midwest as having this wholesomeness or trueness,” Kinkaid said. “Thrift stores are huge here, which I think adds to that. People dress how they like.”