Did trends like quiet luxury predict the rise of conservative politics?

Fashion and beauty have long been considered indicators of society’s values with today’s conventional beauty trends — quiet luxury, top-to-toe beige — key indicators of conservative leanings, argues Kate Demolder

Ivanka Trump: Fashion and beauty trends have long been considered indicators of society’s values. Picture: AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Back in November, just days before Trump’s second presidential win, content creator Elysia Berman posted a now-viral TikTok video with the caption: “All the ‘I regret my tattoos’ content should have been a clear warning of a Trump win.”

Berman, a New York City-based creative, mentioned how she’d noticed a myriad of hyper-feminine beauty ideals — undetectable makeup, a desire for thinness, subtle injectables — creeping back into social media algorithms in recent months.