THE EDIT VOL. 2
weekend reads. the veritas edit vol. 2. october 12, 2025.
A glass of wine on the sofa and something worth your attention.
This week at The Veritas Edit, we’re asking: What does your closet say about your politics? Why does your brain insist it’s making “rational” choices in the voting booth when psychology proves otherwise? And what’s the one playlist that might actually make you sharper?
How Fashion Mirrors Politics
Fashion has never been just fabric. From Marie Antoinette’s wigs to the suffragettes’ crisp white uniforms, style has always been a form of speech. Today, it’s visible everywhere—from the calculated ubiquity of blue suits on campaign trails to the rise of “quiet luxury,” a backlash to late-capitalist flash.
Subtle codes: Politicians use colors, silhouettes, and even lipstick as signals. Think AOC’s signature red lip versus Angela Merkel’s rainbow jackets.
Consumer rebellion: Gen Z’s thrifting and de-influencing aren’t simply about taste—they’re critiques of overconsumption and capitalism.
Global influence: Macron’s slim tailoring whispers modernity; in the U.S., cowboy boots resurface as nostalgic Americana.
“Fashion functions as a mirror to our times, so it is inherently political,” says Andrew Bolton, curator at The Costume Institute (Vogue).
1. Color as Symbol and Identity
Color has always been shorthand for allegiance. Black uniforms of the Black Panthers communicated strength and resistance; white dresses signaled suffrage; red has long meant revolution. As political scientist Marian Sawer notes, colors don’t just identify—they unify and sustain movements (ResearchGate).
Recent research in Perceptual and Motor Skills shows that color in political messaging even shapes interpretation and can trigger partisan bias (SAGE Journals). Translation: what you wear can literally change how people see your politics.
2. Dress Codes and Power Structures
Historically, dress codes enforced hierarchy. Richard Thompson Ford’s Dress Codes traces how sumptuary laws kept aristocrats in silk while commoners stayed coarse (Stanford News). Yet clothing has also been a tool of resistance: civil rights activists in their “Sunday best” reframed dignity, while the Panthers’ leather jackets turned uniformity into power.
Today, “political dressing”—intentionally wearing clothing to mark dissent or alignment—is accelerating in the age of Instagram (Fashion Law Journal).
3. Modern Movements, Activist Style & Identity
For young activists, clothes are participation. Chiara Genova’s study Participation with Style shows how apparel choices—from slogans to brands—become visual shorthand for political identity (MDPI).
Consider the keffiyeh. Once a regional garment, it’s become a loaded global symbol of resistance and solidarity. The Varsity calls this “fashion as resistance”—proof that a scarf can spark a narrative shift (The Varsity).
4. Brands, Risk & the Fine Line of Authenticity
When fashion flirts with politics, it risks becoming costume. As Naomi Klein points out, once radical aesthetics are adopted by luxury houses, they risk dilution (Vogue). The line between activism and marketing is thin. Research shows that consumers increasingly scrutinize authenticity when brands take political stances (ResearchGate).
The takeaway? Fashion is our most public form of private choice—every hemline, handbag, and hashtag reveals something about the society we live in.
The Psychology of Voting
If politics is theater, voting is improv. The script feels rational, but research proves otherwise.
Cognitive bias: Voters rely heavily on shortcuts—party labels, candidate appearance—over detailed policy analysis (Jenke et al., PMC).
Emotional triggers: Fear motivates turnout more effectively than hope (MDPI).
Identity first: Voters often choose candidates who affirm who they are, not what they propose. As one recent review put it: “We vote for the person, not the policies” (Falcão, PMC).
Understanding these quirks doesn’t make democracy weaker—it makes us sharper. Recognizing our own biases is step one in voting with intention, not instinct.
A Playlist to Make You Smarter:
Not smarter overnight—but music rewires how our brains process information.
Classical minimalism improves memory recall.
Jazz improvisation boosts creative networks.
Lo-fi beats reduce cognitive fatigue and sharpen focus.
This week’s Veritas playlist is equal parts sophistication and stimulation: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/405ATwJSYM1YdaS3L47jhk?si=IeRYSNRYTVS-Qg07OMWcXg
Philip Glass (for clarity)
FKA Twigs (for perspective)
Miles Davis (for improvisation)
Rosalía (for boldness)
Bonobo (for flow)
Pour the wine, dim the lights, and let your neurons fire in rhythm.
The Veritas Takeaway
Politics isn’t confined to ballots. It’s in closets, in playlists, in the quiet psychology of choice. To edit the truth, you have to see the patterns.
So this week: sip, read, listen—and think sharper.
