Fashion faux pas: Thompson sports head-to-toe denim; Blumenauer accessorizes with plastic spoon

Lawmakers have been known to wear a lot of variations on “business attire” onto the House floor, but House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson on Tuesday stood out.

The Mississippi Democrat was spotted attending an afternoon vote in jeans, a dark turtleneck and, to top it off, a denim jacket.

It’s a look first popularized by country crooners like Billy Ray Cyrus, who would often forgo Thompson’s turtleneck in favor of nothing underneath.

Thompson could be excused for the fashion faux pas, however, given the temperatures outside. Tuesday’s lows were in the 20s, with wind chills that made it feel even colder. 

An excuse might be tougher to come by for Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), who was seen leaving the Democratic Caucus meeting Tuesday night with a white plastic spoon sticking out of his jacket’s lapel pocket. The spoon, combined with the avid cyclist’s green bicycle pin and his congressional pin, made for an altogether busy-looking lapel.

ITK hopes Blumenauer was on his way to eat some soup. 

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