Fetterman turns heads with suit and tie at Senate orientation in D.C.

Senate-elect John Fetterman attended orientation in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday and, per usual, he garnered attention for his attire.

But not for the regular hoodie and shorts combo. This time, social media was abuzz because Fetterman sported a suit and tie.

Simple images of Fetterman in a dark suit with a blue tie walking around the Capitol had people explaining how surprised they were to see him dressed up. Multiple posts went viral.

Pennsylvania Senator-Elect John Fetterman has arrived at the Capitol for new member orientation wearing a suit and tie. pic.twitter.com/QWpnWVc5hC

— Allison Pecorin (@AllisonMPecorin) November 15, 2022

This isn’t the first time Fetterman has worn a suit and tie for official business. He dressed up regularly while presiding over Pennsylvania’s state Senate as lieutenant governor starting in 2019.

Rebecca Katz, a campaign adviser to Fetterman, tweeted about his regular suit wearing while serving as lieutenant governor and attempted to remind people that it’s not that unusual to see Fetterman in a suit.

“This should not be shocking to anyone,” wrote Katz on Twitter. “John Fetterman owns a suit! He literally wore it every day that he presided over the State Senate as Lt Governor.”

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But even those pleas couldn’t stop the media attention.

While Fetterman’s casual attire and large size have always garnered outsize attention, those comments from observers only became more frequent after the Fern Hollow Bridge collapsed in January.

Like many politicians and leaders, Fetterman responded to the collapse. It was snowy and cold out that day, and Fetterman arrived in a hoodie and gym shorts. Images quickly went viral. When President Joe Biden arrived later, and held an event in Hazelwood with Fetterman in attendance, national media were asking questions about Fetterman’s attire.

As reported by Politico the next day, Fetterman explained that he was at the gym when the news hit about the bridge collapse, and he rushed over to the scene right away.

However, the gym shorts and hoodie weren’t much different than his outfits at other political events. Throughout his Senate campaign, he regularly wore Carhartt hoodies. For years before his run, Fetterman was known for wearing a Dickies work shirt and cargo shorts.

Fetterman fans should get used to seeing him in a suit. U.S. Senate rules require that male members wear a suit and tie on the Senate floor.

But onlookers also shouldn’t expect Fetterman to abandon his casual-attire brand. His campaign usually highlighted and poked fun at how much attention he gets for his unorthodox appearance.

And his wife Gisele Fetterman, who has her own large social media following, also likes to make light of her husband’s look.

On Monday, she posted a photo with herself, Sen. Bob Casey and his wife Terese Casey, and Fetterman, but with Fetterman’s head cut off. This is an homage to a running joke where she posts photos cutting off Fetterman’s head to joke about his tall stature.

DC date night ???? PA Senators in the house. ???????? pic.twitter.com/h9AjLSDyHg

— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) November 15, 2022