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As the tumultuous second presidential debate is dissected, some observers have focused on the fact that Melania Trump chose to wear a bright pink “pussy bow” Gucci blouse, finding it an odd choice for someone whose husband, in a leaked video, used the p-word to describe women’s anatomy.
Surely, it’s a coincidence. But what is a pussy bow? According to a 1934 description of a little girl’s dress, it’s a “cunning bow that ties high under the chin and looks for all the world like those we put on Pussy Cat when company’s coming.” (Don’t try this at home.) Essentially, it's a variant of the scarf-neck blouse; the flamboyantly-knotted bow draws attention upwards to the face. In the Dress for Success era of power dressing, it was often worn with strictly tailored pieces, softening them, and becoming a sort of stand-in for a tie. Think of it as a sign of covered-up conservatism served with a side of sugar. Even in fuchsia, Melania Trump’s blouse looked much tamer than Ivanka Trump’s low-cut sheath.
