The mayor of New York wears almost nothing but a suit: often purchased from Suit Supply, almost always in a dark color and paired with a formal tie, usually with elegant black shoes. He is not the first politician to embrace the suit; after all, it is the unwritten uniform of those who want to convey seriousness and authority.
Traditionally, a suit and tie would be considered inappropriate attire for any of these activities. However, over the past year, Zohran Mamdani seems to have taken on a personal mission to prove otherwise: to convince people that a formal suit is, in fact, appropriate for any activity.
That’s because the mayor of New York wears almost nothing but a suit: often purchased from Suit Supply, almost always in a dark color and paired with a formal tie, usually with elegant black shoes. He is not the first politician to embrace the suit; after all, it is the unwritten uniform of those who want to convey seriousness and authority. Cheering for the Knicks at Madison Square Garden in May, Mamdani stood out for his attire, a dark suit and tie. After the Knicks’ victory, he wore the team jersey over his shirt and tie, but did not separate himself from his suit jacket. In June, he wore a dark blue suit, white shirt and blue-striped tie during an event with journalists and children on the beach.
On January 1, 2025, during his mayoral campaign, he donned a suit to participate in the Polar Bear Club Challenge, a New York tradition where people go for a swim in the cold waters of the Atlantic. Even the water was no obstacle for him. Last month, Mamdani jumped into a Harlem pool in a full suit to announce the opening of the city’s pools for the summer. (The New York Post reported that Mamdani “flouted the rules in the process,” as the regulation requires swimmers to wear swimsuits in the water.)
It seems as if the mayor is “imprisoned” in a suit made of wool or perhaps a wool blend, a choice he made himself. But why?
His recent mayoral predecessors were not so attached to suits. Bill de Blasio was fond of shorts, although he faced much ridicule for his cargo pants, while Eric Adams preferred polo shirts and sometimes wool cardigans. “I think Mamdani wants to emphasize more the image of a working mayor, someone who is always on duty and working,” said Ella Devi, a fashion commentator. “I think he wants to convey a commitment to duty through his clothing choices. That is also reflected in his attachment to suits. He is also young, Muslim and a socialist,” Devi added.
It is likely that Mamdani, who is often the focus of right-wing media, is held to a higher standard than centrist white politicians. This is an issue that has also been raised by Hasan Piker, a left-wing Turkish-American commentator, who has said that conservatives are “more willing to listen to what I have to say” when he dresses more smartly.
“I used to wear T-shirts all the time,” he told Dazed. “But then I realized I should start wearing a suit and tie, because there are a lot of adults who see me on Fox News. If they see me saying something on a video, they’ll be more open to what I’m saying if I present myself in a more acceptable way.”
The mayor’s office declined to comment to The Guardian about Mamdani’s wardrobe, but he himself spoke about his passion for suits in a recent interview with CNN. Asked about his decision to jump into the pool in a suit, he said: “I think I misunderstood the term ‘swimsuit.’ I also want to thank Goodwill, because I got that suit for $30, because you can’t ruin your other suits. But I’m clearly learning that there can be another way to dress when it’s 38 degrees.” The political left hasn’t always been known for formal attire. But that may be changing.
“If there is a visual language that conveys credibility and authority, why not take advantage of it?” Nathan Robinson, editor of the left-wing magazine Current Affairs, wrote this month.
“A person in a suit can look serious, professional, and ready for business. You might think they belong in the Senate or a boardroom. That’s exactly what Mamdani is trying to convey with his suits. He understands that socialists face a challenge: they are seen as fringe. People think they don’t belong in places where important decisions are made. Suits are a silent way of asserting the legitimacy and authority of socialist ideas.”
A keen footballer, he wore a black suit with a grey tie while playing ball in July, and in a match that same month he simply wore a football shirt over the suit, although he took off his jacket. Things weren’t always like that. A source for The Guardian, who played on the same team as Mamdani before his selection, said he didn’t play in a suit and tie. “He always came in a suit, or at least suit trousers, and his famous boots, and he changed on the pitch because he was always late,” he added. According to him, Mamdani used to play in “black shorts”. Asked if a suit would be appropriate attire for a football match, he said no. The reason: the materials have limited elasticity, restrict movement, become uncomfortable with sweat, can be damaged by grass stains or collisions and require frequent dry cleaning.
Having become so attached to the suit, the question is: can Mamdani ever wear anything else? Can the mayor abandon formal attire? “I think he’s kind of trapped in the suit now, and he knows he’s trapped because he’s made it part of his identity,” Devi said.
“He should continue with this ‘suit’ story. If he wears jeans, then the New York Post will just write about it for three weeks.” With temperatures in New York recently reaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit, Mamdani might want to wear something else, though Devi has a suggestion if the heat gets unbearable. “He would never do that because it wouldn’t be seen as very socialist, but Thom Browne has some really good suit shorts for the upcoming heatwaves. That’s my advice to Mayor Mamdani,” she said. The idea sounds good, but according to Thom Browne’s website, the pants cost about $1,300, which could raise questions about Mamdani’s socialist beliefs.
It seems that, at least for the moment, Mamdani remains “imprisoned” in the suit.