Forget the Oscars. For Republicans, the convention is fashion nirvana

July 19, 2024 9:22 AM PT

Milwaukee — From cowboy hats to straw bowlers, boots to stilettos — the Republican convention was a showcase of patriotic fashion that was anything but conservative.

Some attendees have been planning their outfits for months, others just raided their MAGA stash. Many, like the Texas delegation with their state-flag shirts, were matching.

But one rule kept them all in line: Red, white and blue or bust.

Blacke Marnell California delegate from San Diego.

Susan Reneau wears a collection of Trump buttons

Chaplain Richmond E Stoglin always wears his boots

Angelita Sanchez's of Sweet Home Oregon shoes during

Sharon Anderson of Tennessee wears a donkey hat.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

Susan Reneau, left, Chaplain Richmond E. Stoglin, right top, Angelita Sanchez, lower left, and Sharon Anders, lower right.

Reecia Stoglin and her husband Chaplain Rich Stoglin.

“We’re Texans,” said Reecia Stoglin. “We wear our flag proudly.” Stoglin and her husband. Chaplain Rich Stoglin, were in town from Arlington, Texas. Reecia wore a Texas-flag shirt favored by delegates from the Lone Star state. Stoglin, ordained as an Anglican priest, was a military pastor for nearly 30 years and now is the president of the Frederick Douglass Republicans of Tarrant County. He came in a deep red blazer and Lucchese boots. “You judge a Texan by the quality of his boots,” he said.

From right - Bill Henney, Charlie O'Connor and Gerald Bergen, sit outside the RNC and enjoy cigars.

From right, Bill Henney, Charlie O’Connor and Gerald Bergen, delegates from Pennsylvania, sit outside the RNC and enjoy cigars. Bergen said he was wearing his straw bowler hat in honor of his grandfather, Gerald Griffin, who wore a similar one to the 1948 convention (at least he thinks he did).

Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Wednesday, July 17, 2024 - Arizona delegate

Wisconsin delegate Bob Kordus at the Republican

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Arizona delegate Stacey Goodman, left, and Wisconsin delegate Bob Kordus, right.

Texas delegates wear custom baseball jerseys with Trump 24.

More to Read

Politics

Anita Chabria

Anita Chabria is a California columnist for the Los Angeles Times, based in Sacramento. Before joining The Times, she worked for the Sacramento Bee as a member of its statewide investigative team and previously covered criminal justice and City Hall. Follow her on Bluesky @anitachabria.bsky.social and on X @anitachabria.

Jason Armond

Jason Armond is a staff photographer at the Los Angeles Times. A native of North Carolina, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he received a bachelor’s in media and journalism. His work as a photographer and videographer has been recognized by the Hearst Journalism Awards, the White House News Photographers Assn. and the North Carolina College Media Assn. As a freelance visual journalist, his work has been featured in several publications before joining The Times.

Robert Gauthier

Robert Gauthier has been with the Los Angeles Times since 1994. He was the photographer for a project detailing the failings of an L.A. public hospital that won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for public service. Before The Times, Gauthier worked at the San Diego Union-Tribune, the Escondido Times-Advocate and the Bernardo News in San Diego County, his hometown.