Still Out of Focus: A Critical Literature Review of Dress and Far-Right Extremism in the United States

Scholarship on far-right extremism and white supremacy has increased as researchers attempt to explain the global phenomenon that is dominating political power and has shifted from an outlier to a mainstream threat. Additionally, scholarship on dress has increased, with more outlets connecting clothing and the body not just to the fashion industry but also to cultural understanding. Unlike Europe, U.S. scholarship on the far right generally remains scarce. Fashion brands are susceptible to co-optation, individuals are unaware of the messages they engage with, and subtle yet hate-fueled messaging exists in media and merchandizing. This critical literature review aims to examine the writings on this topic and the goals and trends they reflect. Findings located forty-seven citations where dress is a primary or secondary variable alongside the U.S. far right. Dress is often a contextual or secondary concern and not a primary variable. Political and social science disciplines were often the primary lens of research. Scholarship expansion could include fashion as a primary analytic engine, citing fashion writings as foundational, and bringing scholars trained in esthetics, marketing, merchandizing, design, and cultural communication with style into the forefront of the contemporary, interdisciplinary discourse.