The hidden meaning behind the showstopping yellow coat 22-year-old poet Amanda Gorman wore at Biden's inauguration
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Monica Humphries
Jan 21, 2021, 10:22 IST
Amanda Gorman recited her poem, "The Hill We Climb," at the inauguration for President Joe Biden.Rob Carr/Getty Images
At 22, Amanda Gorman is the youngest inaugural poet in US history.
As she recited her poem, "The Hill We Climb," she wore a bright-yellow coat.
Gorman told Vogue the coat had hidden meaning and was a nod to Jill Biden.
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Amanda Gorman weaved symbolism throughout her poem, "The Hill We Climb," which she recited for millions tuning in to President Joe Biden's inauguration today.
Gorman, 22, is the youngest inaugural poet. She follows in the footsteps of other famous inaugural poets like Maya Angelou and Elizabeth Alexander.
While the poem was filled with references and symbols, her outfit was also filled with meaning.
"I am weaving my own type of symbolism into my outfit, and it's really special and important to me to deliver these nuggets of information and sentimentality as I'm reciting the poem," the 22-year-old told Vogue.
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Perhaps the biggest statement was a bright-yellow jacket from the designer Miuccia Prada.
Amanda Gorman's bright-yellow jacket was a nod to Jill Biden
As Gorman walked onto the stage, she wore a bold-yellow coat, which according to Vogue, was a nod to first lady Jill Biden.
Jill is the reason Gorman landed her role as an inaugural poet. In 2017, Jill first came across Gorman from a video of her performance of "In This Place: An American Lyric," at the Library of Congress.
When Jill saw her stunning performance, it left a lasting impression. According to Vogue, so did Gorman's dress. In the video, Gorman was wearing a similar bright shade of yellow.
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When people were discussing an inaugural poet for January, Jill reached out to Gorman to ask if she'd be willing to write and recite an original poem for the inauguration. She also added that she had loved her dress's color from the 2017 performance.
"She said, 'I saw this video of you and you were wearing yellow and I loved it,'" Gorman told Vogue.
Gorman agreed to perform a poem for the inauguration.
Gorman's poem reflected the theme of the inauguration, "America United."
"There is space for grief and horror and hope and unity," she told The New York Times. "I also hope that there is a breath for joy in the poem because I do think we have a lot to celebrate at this inauguration."
Gorman stepped onto the stage wearing the brightest color of the day. Her sunshine yellow coat likely signified joy - a feeling some people across the country were feeling this afternoon.
To Jill, the coat's color likely felt familiar as it was the same shade Gorman wore in the video where Jill first saw her perform.
According to Prada's website, Gorman's coat was on sale for $1,666.37 and it originally sold for $2,777.28. The coat was sold out at the time of writing.
People rushed to comment and inquire about the bright coat and powerful performance
As Gorman stepped in front of the lectern, people immediately took to the Internet to gush about Gorman's fashion.
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Twitter users quickly commented on the young woman's striking coat.
Others are now on a hunt to find a copycat jacket for themselves. Google saw an influx of people searching for the terms "poet coat" following Gorman's performance.
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