Delivering a message with a burnt orange coat

It’s not often that I disagree with what I read in newspapers. After all, newspapers have been my bread and margarine for more than half a century.

But I have to wonder about a recent piece on Page 2 of The New York Times in which it sought to justify an earlier report that Nancy Pelosi had emerged from a contentious meeting with Donald Trump and Chuck Schumer wearing a burnt orange MaxMara coat. (For political news avoiders, Nancy Pelosi is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Donald Trump is President of the United States and Chuck Schumer is a Democratic senator from New York. I have no idea who MaxMara is).

“The coat whispered ‘burn’ with a wink and a swish,” The Times deemed it fit to print last month. “It also helped to transform her from a seemingly tired symbol of the establishment to one of well-dressed revolt.” Which seems like an awful lot to ask of something that most people just wear to, you know, keep warm.

Many readers felt reporting on what Pelosi wore was demeaning and sexist. After all, they pointed out, The Times didn’t report what the guys wore.

The Times’ fashion director responded to those critics with, “For starters, dress is, without question, an important part of a politician’s tool kit. In an increasingly visual age, how you look is part of the message you are communicating.” (She noted, too, that she also has written about Marco Rubio’s shoes.)

Which may be true, but I don’t recall The Times ever mentioning that our current president’s tool kit seems to include a lot of really long neckties — although that hasn’t affected my opinion of the messages he’s communicating

But what was the message Pelosi was communicating by wearing an orange coat? (Not to mention Armani sunglasses and Stuart Weitzman shoes.) That she loves Halloween? That all her other coats were at the dry cleaner’s? That’s she’s a Cincinnati Bengals fan?

To be sure, there are some instances in which what prominent people are wearing is worth noting — former Ohio governor John Kasich appearing on the Statehouse steps wearing a Michigan sweatshirt, for instance. And, of course, it’s appropriate (and possibly required by law) to report “who” celebrities wore as they stood around on red carpets at the award shows they grace every other weekend.

But sorry, New York Times, reporting on what the women in Congress are wearing smacks of sexism, no matter how you try to dress it up.

For the record, though, perhaps The Times should know that, as I write this, I’m wearing jeans from Banana Republic, a blue J.Crew shirt and Reebok tennis shoes.