The Collar: An Everlasting Reminder of RBG’s Legacy
By Rachel Erwin
Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s sense of style is a legacy that will never be forgotten. The owner of an entire collection of collars, Ginsburg knew how to use garments to make a statement. Taking up more than half her hanger space, the collars varied by the occasion and the opinion she was expressing. Based on which collar she was wearing, people knew what her decision would be in court that day. Ginsburg could be picked out in the mass of black robes from a mile away.
Photo Courtesy of CNN Style
Ginsburg passed away at 87 due to complications from metastatic pancreas cancer on Sept. 18 after serving on the Supreme Court for 27 years. Appointed by Bill Clinton, she was the second woman on the Supreme Court, following in the footsteps of Sandra Day O’Connor.
From that moment on, she knew that every choice she made would be scrutinized, so why not make the collar one of them?
In a 2009 interview with The Washington Post, Ginsburg explained the significance of her collection.
“You know, the standard robe is made for a man because it has a place for the shirt to show, and a tie,” Ginsburg said.
Because of this, she and Sandra Day O’Connor decided to give their robes a feminine touch. They opted to emphasize their sex rather than conceal it underneath. Starting with simple, white lace jabots, the pair began to stylize their Supreme Court look. From there, Ginsburg expanded her collection to include collars from around the world.
Each of Ginsburg’s collars gradually accumulated meaning. A gift from her law clerks, the crocheted-style, beige and yellow collar with beaded drops at the hem was worn when she would side with the majority of the court.
In contrast, her dissent collar was a spiky jeweled necklace from Banana Republic. She also wore this collar the day after the 2016 election, a signal that she disagreed with the results.
Photo Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
Ginsburg’s favorite was a white crochet collar from Cape Town, South Africa. This collar made an appearance at President Barack Obama’s State of the Union in 2012 and her 20th anniversary in the Supreme Court, among other events.
Photo Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
After fracturing her ribs, Ginsburg sat for the Supreme Court’s official picture with the newly appointed Brett Kavanugh. Her first appearance since the accident, she stunned the public with a Stella and Dot necklace reminiscent of spiky armor. This piece took on two meanings. First, she had to show the nation that nothing would hold her back, including an injury. Additionally, the toughness this collar projected suggested her disapproval of Kavanaugh.
Photo Courtesy of Harper’s Bazaar Magazine
Though Ginsburg is no longer with us, people today use the collar as a symbol of her strength. After her death was announced, social media filled with images of her white collar against a black background. The Fearless Girl statue outside the New York Stock Exchange donned a white lace collar to honor Ginsburg’s fight for women’s rights. First installed on International Women’s Day in 2017, the Fearless Girl statue represents State Street Global Advisors’ promise to give more women board positions.
One of Ginsburg’s white lace jabots will be housed in Tel Aviv, at the Museum of the Jewish People. Ginsburg, who was Jewish herself, donated the collar and a signed copy of her autobiography to the museum.
The collar was a way for Ginsburg to establish herself in a court full of men. She was always second-guessed, judged and criticized by those around her, yet she was a pioneer and a shining example for women of all backgrounds. Her fashion sense allowed her to express herself in what little ways she could on a court that was stacked against her. Instead of hiding her womanhood, she embraced it.
No one could ignore the collar and what it stood for, no matter how hard they tried.
