G20 fashions for the militant and fabulousWear the wrong thing, get tear gassed
Published On Wed Jun 23 2010Email Print Republish Add to Favourites Report an error Share Share Article
This easy-to-wash cotton/polyester ensemble will definitely be noticed by police. An optional bandana is made with polyester to protect from noxious fumes, but it also pampers the protestor with the luxury of satin.
KATIE DAUBS/TORONTO STAR
Dressing for G20 protests is tricky. Look too corporate and you might be paintbombed. Dress like a militant protester, you run the risk of being tear gassed.
But have a stylist help you, you look fabulous.
“If you’re leading (these protests) and you know pictures are being taken of you, why not look good?” said Kathryn McEwen, the general manager of Queen St. W. boutique Fashion Crimes.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, former RCMP officer and security expert Chris Mathers had more conservative advice.
“Don’t go,” he said. “That’s how you should dress.”
So many options.
If you’re the rabble-rousing, tear-gas-loving type who won’t be held back by mere warnings, synthetic fabrics are your best bet since tear gas sticks to natural fibres. Bandanas soaked in vinegar are a snazzy, yet functional accessory if you don’t have a gas mask handy when noxious fumes fly. A helmet is also a good idea if you anticipate being close to the fence, where projectiles are more likely to rain from the sky.
The Canadian Labour Congress expects a peaceful protest this Saturday, which is perfect for cotton blends and natural fabrics.
“Wear something comfortable, something light. Make sure you’ve got sunscreen, sunglasses, and a hat would be advisable. Flip flops are not a good idea,” spokesman Jeff Atkinson said.
Atkinson said people should keep their Armani at home if they’re looking to blend in with labour activists. Black clothing, scarves and bandanas will attract police attention, but Atkinson said people shouldn’t shy away from any of those things, because lots of peaceful protestors wear them in solidarity. Solidarity never goes out of style, with the exception of one or two cults.
Black, the refuge of brooding artists, the late Johnny Cash and goths, is the colour of choice for militant protesters who hang out near the fence. It is also slimming.
“It might not be the best fashion decision for the day,” Atkinson said, noting the humid forecast. “But if it is overcast, you might want to get your black out.”
Mathers said covering your face with a bandana is an indication to police that you could be trouble. He mused on advice for the protester looking to steer clear of police and militant attention.
“Plaid?” he offered. “I hate to think of people at home in their closet missing the protest because they can’t make a fashion decision.”
