Photographs of Wilson, clockwise from top left, by Sipa USA/Alamy, Patrick Fallon/ZUMA Wire/Alamy, Rod Lamkey/CNP/MediaPunch/alamy, WENN Rights Ltd./Alamy.
Florida congresswoman Frederica Wilson is accustomed to wearing clothes that people notice: brightly colored suits, stiletto heels, and a complementary cowboy hat. A former teacher and elementary-school principal, she’s been serving in the House since 2011, and her outfits immediately stood out—especially after she wore hats on the House floor in violation of a regulation that dated to the 19th century. Though she maintained that the rule was unfair, she decided to go bare-headed during congressional sessions. We talked to her about her fashion sense.
What influenced her style:
“I had a grandmother who was very stylish and who I try to be like. She was from the Bahamas and wore hats and gloves every day. She was a tall, pretty businesswoman who owned property and built houses and collected rent. Ain’t that something: not my granddaddy but my grandmother!”
Where she gets her colorful headwear:
“I get my hats from a place in Miami called Whittall & Shon. It’s two men who are married—they are my dear friends. I used to wear fedoras, [but then I] saw cowboy hats and started wearing them.
What she hopes to convey to the world through her clothing:
“I have a mentoring program for boys [the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project], and I always tell them that when you walk into a room, people get an impression of you by how you dress and look. Before you even say anything, they have sized you up, so always make sure you are presentable. I believe it’s important for me as a leader to leave a great impression before I say anything.”
This article appears in the April 2023 issue of Washingtonian.
Frederica Wilson Explains Her Distinctive Style
The Florida congresswoman is known for her hats.
Florida congresswoman Frederica Wilson is accustomed to wearing clothes that people notice: brightly colored suits, stiletto heels, and a complementary cowboy hat. A former teacher and elementary-school principal, she’s been serving in the House since 2011, and her outfits immediately stood out—especially after she wore hats on the House floor in violation of a regulation that dated to the 19th century. Though she maintained that the rule was unfair, she decided to go bare-headed during congressional sessions. We talked to her about her fashion sense.
What influenced her style:
“I had a grandmother who was very stylish and who I try to be like. She was from the Bahamas and wore hats and gloves every day. She was a tall, pretty businesswoman who owned property and built houses and collected rent. Ain’t that something: not my granddaddy but my grandmother!”
Where she gets her colorful headwear:
“I get my hats from a place in Miami called Whittall & Shon. It’s two men who are married—they are my dear friends. I used to wear fedoras, [but then I] saw cowboy hats and started wearing them.
What she hopes to convey to the world through her clothing:
“I have a mentoring program for boys [the 5000 Role Models of Excellence Project], and I always tell them that when you walk into a room, people get an impression of you by how you dress and look. Before you even say anything, they have sized you up, so always make sure you are presentable. I believe it’s important for me as a leader to leave a great impression before I say anything.”
This article appears in the April 2023 issue of Washingtonian.
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