Pinned Down: Fashion as Political Statements
Image Courtesy: ETIENNE LAURENT/Getty Images.
Throughout history, people have organized movements, rallies, protests, and more to express their stance on political situations. Whether it’s about war, human rights, the environment, wages, or other issues, people generally want to emphasize their support, or lack thereof.
It’s not just regular people who show up for these causes, but your favorite A-listers as well.
Although they do it in a slightly different way. At least in the past few years.
In the past decade, many celebrities have begun to show their support by wearing pins on their clothing. Some wear them in casual clothing on the street, caught by the paparazzi, and others wear them while walking down the red carpet.
In 2018, celebrities showed up to the Golden Globes wearing black and white ‘Time’s Up’ pins.
According to Bustle, the Time’s Up website stated that their cause was to stop ignoring sexual assault and harassment in workspaces. To express their support for the cause, celebrities wore all black and pins to match.
After Israel’s constant airstrikes of the Gaza Strip and West Bank throughout 2023 and 2024, celebrities showed up to red carpets wearing red pins at the 2024 Oscars, expressing their support for Palestine and a cease-fire.
Most recently, at the 2026 Grammys, celebrities such as Justin Bieber, Billie Eilish, Kehlani, and more wore ‘ICE OUT’ pins. These pins were to protest the mistreatment of immigrants at the hands of ICE.
These pins are a safe way for celebrities to stand for something without even having to utter a word. A pin might be only a few centimeters wide, but when worn by a celebrity in front of millions of viewers, it instantly becomes the focal point of the outfit.
Fashion has always been intertwined with politics. It’s one of the ways that people can express themselves outwardly. Pins have also had their time in the limelight before celebrities took over.
In the early 20th century, women wore pins to signify their support for the suffrage movement. Some designed the pins and sold them to earn money for the cause.
According to The Long 19th Amendment website, some pins feature the faces of suffrage leaders, while others have phrases, colors, or symbols.
The Black Panther Party (BPP) was an African American organization founded in the 60s that fought back against police brutality, while also promoting Black power and equal human rights for all.
Pins were a part of the BPP uniform. The pins showcased different imagery, such as a black panther, in reference to their logo, phrases like “All Power to the People,” and slogans like “Free Bobby,” referencing the co-founder of the party after his incarceration.
Wearing pins has always been a sign of protest by individuals or groups. Now, with celebrities making them go viral, more people have found a way to dress up in their favorite outfit while also being part of a movement.
However, celebrity activism through fashion is not without its criticism. Some critics argue that wearing a pin or a symbolic accessory can become a form of performative activism, showing support without necessarily contributing to the cause. Others counter that visibility still matters. When celebrities use their platforms to highlight issues, even in small ways, they can introduce millions of fans to conversations they might not have otherwise encountered.
Strike out,
Sol Moyano
Boca Raton
Sol Moyano is a content writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not busy writing, she’s ignoring all of her responsibilities in favor of reading fiction novels. She updates her Goodreads and Letterboxd way more often than her LinkedIn. You can reach her at solmoyano05@hotmail.com or her instagram: @solmoyanooo.
