AOC’s ‘Tax The Rich’ Dress

While on-brand for U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, her ‘Tax the Rich’ dress choice for this year’s Met Gala is steeped in controversy.

With tickets starting at $30,000 and tables going for around $270,000 - it seemed as if the message she was trying to portray was a bit tone-deaf. However, AOC was clear in her rebut - “And yes, BEFORE anybody starts wilding out - NYC elected officials are regularly invited to and attend the Met due to our responsibilities in overseeing our city’s cultural institutions that serve the public. I was one of several in attendance.” she stated on her instagram post.

The dress designer, Aurora James, is an activist and “sustainably focused Black woman immigrant designer” who began her career in a Brooklyn flea market. James is also the founder of the environmentally-conscious clothing brand Brother Vellies and is also the creator of the 15 Percent Pledge, which encourages companies to reserve 15% of their shelf space for black-owned businesses. James describes working with AOC on this dress as “incredibly important” and with the larger context of Brother Vellies and the 15% Pledge - it all makes sense.

Source: AOC Instagram

So what could have AOC done to ensure her message was heard loud and clear (without confusion or controversy)? Perhaps emphases the fact that she was attending an event she was invited to for free in a dress she didn’t pay for, because of the important work she does in Congress.