Dressing the part for Capitol Hill appearances can be as consequential as what is spoken for some high-profile non-Beltway types. Facebook’s chief executive officer Mark Zuckerberg swapped out the standard hoodie and jeans for a suit and tie to testify before the House Committee on Energy and Commerce earlier this year. And Kim Kardashian toned things down with a black pantsuit to discuss criminal justice with Vice President Kamala Harris in late April — not too far from the Capitol — in the White House.
Paris Hilton also played it safe to testify before the House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday, when detailing her teenage abuse in a residential youth treatment center and calling for child welfare reforms. For her testimony, the blond-haired influencer and 11:11 Media founder turned up in a pale blue lace Self-Portrait dress. The label’s name seemed meaningful given that Hilton described being “force-fed medication and being sexually abused by the staff” in the Utah facility. With 27 million followers on Instagram alone, Hilton’s choices — fashion or political — have some reach.
Although Hilton sported a style from last season, a similar version of the belted lace dress is available on the Self-Portrait site for about $520. Hilton is said to be a friend of the brand, but not one who has worked with it in a commercial capacity. Based in London and designed by Han Chong, Self-Portrait is accustomed to seeing sales spike when celebrities sport the label for major photo-ops. After Selena Gomez stepped out on the red carpet at Cannes earlier this month in a white knit Self-Portrait minidress, the style sold out. The “Emilia Perez” actress, musician and Rare Beauty founder chose a vintage-inspired style with peplum-style detailing at the waist and cuffs and a flared skirt. A Self-Portrait spokesperson declined to pinpoint how much the 11-year-old brand’s online sales spiked after Hilton donned a Self-Portrait dress. Ditto for Gomez.
Last fall Hilton wore an off-the-shoulder shimmery Self-Portrait dress for a decidedly more relaxed appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” In a more artistic vein — or vanity depending how you look at it — Hilton once gave a life-size self-portrait of her and her now-husband Carter Reum embracing as a birthday present to him three years ago.
