For a scaled-down, socially-distanced affair, the inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris still managed to make a splash. In the words of Saturday Night Live's Stefon, this inauguration had everything: a rainbow of chic coats, Michelle Obama's wine-hued Sergio Hudson belt, a surprise snippet of J.Lo singing "Let's Get Loud," and even Rent's Rosario Dawson in attendance (on the arm of her boyfriend, Sen. Cory Booker). But the undoubted star on Wednesday was none other than Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Sanders, who lost the Democratic presidential nomination to Biden, went viral after he was photographed sitting alone, masked and effortlessly cozy, at the inauguration. He was situated in a seat on the Capitol steps, arms crossed, cocooned in a bulky coat and wool, patterned mittens. Sanders' frills-free energy quickly inspired memes and comparisons to everyone from subway riders to Constance Wu in Hustlers. (Don't ask.) The memes even led to a Snapchat filter and a site where you can drop a bundled up Bernie on any street or in front of any monument in the world.
Ever the sustainable fashion icon, Sanders appears to have recycled his look. He wore the same winter coat in a 2019 fundraising video where he was "once again asking for your financial support," a quote that also became a popular meme. As for the mittens, they were made by Jen Ellis, a second grade teacher from Essex Junction, VT. According to BuzzFeed News, Ellis sent Sanders the accessory after he lost the presidential nomination in 2016.
When CBS News asked Sanders about his 'fit, he said, “In Vermont, we know something about the cold. And we’re not so concerned about good fashion. We just want to keep warm. And that’s what I did today.”
Ahead, some of the best memes inspired by Bernie's "this could've been an email" energy.
