Powerful or hypocritical? AOC's 'Tax the Rich' dress at Met Gala draws mixed reactions

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is using fashion to share a polarizing political message at this year's Met Gala.

The Democratic congresswoman from New York attended Monday's gala, one of the biggest fashion events of the year, in a white dress by Brother Vellies that bears the message "Tax the Rich" written in red on the backside.

"The medium is the message," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on Instagram Monday night alongside a photo of her gown. "The time is now for childcare, healthcare, and climate action for all. Tax the Rich."

The politician told Vogue on the red carpet that she hopes her dress can be a conversation starter.

"We can't just play along, but we need to break the fourth wall and challenge some of the institutions," she said, attending her first Met Gala. "While the Met is known for its spectacle, we should have some conversations about it."

Ocasio-Cortez told Reuters on the carpet that she felt wearing the dress to the Met Gala was important, since most conversations about taxation happen among lower-class people.

"I think it's incredibly important, because when we talk about supporting working families and when we talk about having fair a tax code, oftentimes those conversations are happening among working and middle class people," she said. "I think it's time that we bring all classes into the conversation about having a fair country."

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Aurora James, the founder and creative director of Brother Vellies, told Vogue she and Ocasio-Cortez "are a great embodiment of the language fashion needs to consider adding to the general lexicon as we work towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and empowered future.” The congresswoman's bag also bore the phrase "tax the rich," according to Vogue.

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Ocasio-Cortez's look drew mixed reactions on Twitter, with some praising the statement and others calling it hypocritical.

"aoc wearing a tax the rich dress at an event with some of the richest celebs in the world is bad (expletive) energy and we LOVE her for it," wrote @MrAl243.

"AOC wearing a Tax the Rich dress at the #MetGala with Kris Jenner over her shoulder wow icon," wrote @highxculture.

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User @hexthekyriarchy called the dress "one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen.

"While constituents she failed are being evicted or wondering how they’re gonna eat tonight, @AOC out here living large at the #MetGala," the user added. "Wearing a dress that says #TaxTheRich but will do nothing to make it a reality."

"Partying with celebrities at an elitist event makes us Dems look awful," wrote @UncvrngTheTruth. "Especially in the middle of a voting rights crisis and women’s rights in TX hanging by a thread. Do better, AOC."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: AOC at Met Gala 2021: 'Tax the Rich' dress draws polarized reactions