US POLITICS
Harris-Walz’s campaign camouflage style hat: Who designed it and how to get one
The story behind the new Harris-Walz’s campaign camouflage style hat, inspired by another Midwestern native Chappell Roan.
Leaning into Tim Walz’s midwestern appeal, the Harris-Walz campaign sells a camouflage hat with orange lettering.
“You asked, we answered,” reads the campaign website, which describes the hat as the “the most iconic political hat in America.”
So, what is the story behind this hat, and why is it so popular, particularly with younger voters?
There are a few threads to this trend that must be taken into account. The first is that this hat style has been popularized this summer by artist Chappell Roan, another native of the Midwest. Her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” inspired a camo hat with the words “Midwestern Princess” written in orange font.
An attempt to reach younger voters
Once Minnesota Governor Tim Walz was named Harris’ running mate, some on X demanded that Walz wear the Midwestern Princess hat after he was seen in a generic camo hat when accepting the vice president’s invite to the Democratic ticket.
Rather than listening to social media demands, the campaign designed a hat in the same style and is selling it for $40.
The campaign’s moves are intended to attract the attention of younger voters. By attaching themselves to people like Charli XCX and Chappell Roan, they create a bridge to these voters. When Harris first announced her candidacy, Charli XCX, who has popularized the term brat this summer, posted on X that “Kamala IS brat,” which went viral among younger voters on social media. Whether these celebrity-based strategies will be enough to motivate young voters to the polls remains to be seen. Many within the demographic are disenchanted and disgusted by the political system, especially regarding the White House’s position on Gaza and the lack of action to address student debt after the Supreme Court overturned Biden’s first proposal. To win back the trust of these voters, who are critical to the sustainability of the party in the long run, they might need to turn to policy rather than celebrity to see the numbers they need in November.