What's in Your Wardrobe, Mr. Morales? A Study in Political Dress

This article explores the role of dress in popular political communication. My discussion focuses on the so-called “cultural democratic revolution” led by Evo Morales and the emergence of a “government in poncho and tie,” which aims at visualizing a plurinationalist State in Bolivia. The strategic use of casual clothes and football shirts are examined as cases of political performativity in a developing Latin American democracy. What is the role of political dress in the formation of circles of political voters/fans? How does the electorate perceive Morales' political imagery? How does an alternative styling of the democratic system problematize a more formal and uniform style of democratic leadership? Central to my argument is the notion that dress functions as a multilayered language where different items of clothing reflect different narratives. In my view, Evo Morales has become a layered narrative through which histories and past knowledge are reflected in a “pluriform” vestimentary style.