PM Modi's jackets, Rahul's shirts: How leaders use fashion for political messaging

From Indira Gandhi's sarees to Narendra Modi's carefully curated bandhgalas, from Rajiv Gandhi's sneakers and sunglasses to the Thackerays' colour-coded political imagery, what Indian politicians wear has often been more than a question of personal style. Their clothes have helped construct identities, signal ideology, project modernity, invoke tradition and increasingly generate the kind of visual moments that social media loves.So when Rahul Gandhi appeared in a pink shirt and later in a yellow one, the change from his usual white clothing drew attention online. The yellow shirt, along with the line "Smash the patriarchy", became part of the social-media conversation. The interest was less about the shirt itself and more about how unusual it looked compared with his regular public appearance.But this is not the first time that a politician's attire has made more headlines than their speech.