REUTERS/Mike Segar
The Monday night political debate is now over, but one question still remains: Why did Hillary Clinton wear a red pantsuit and Donald Trump wear a blue tie? Isn't that the equivalent of "political cross-dressing"?
Political parties aside, the clothing choice was made even more unexpected by the fact that Donald Trump nearly always wears a red tie. Going through wire photo services before Monday night, it's hard to find him not wearing one. Case in point:
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
Here's Donald Trump in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, on April 21, 2016.
REUTERS/Jim Bourg
Here he is six days later on April 27 in Washington.
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
And here he is earlier in September. You get the idea.
So what happened? How did Clinton end up wearing red, and Trump wore blue?
I have a theory.
Let's say Clinton wanted to wear a red pantsuit. It's easy to see why: Red is a passionate, powerful color. The color of fire and blood, something primal. Some studies suggest it even makes people look more attractive.
But her opponent, Trump, often wears a red tie. They would look silly together on stage if they were both to wear red, so how could Clinton convince Trump not to wear his favorite-colored tie, especially when blue is so often linked to the Democratic Party?
My answer? She psychologically influenced him on an appearance of Funny or Die's "Between Two Ferns" with Zach Galifianakis, which was released on Thursday before the debate.
Funny or Die
Clinton on "Between Two Ferns."
On the show, which was as purposefully awkward and funny as most of the segments have been, Clinton was asked what she thought Trump would wear to the debate. "I assume he'll wear that red power tie," she answered easily.
Assuming Trump probably reads everything with his name in it (hi!), could Clinton's camp have planted the question on purpose in an effort to make Trump wear a blue tie?
It seems in his nature to want to do the very opposite of what "Crooked Hillary" said would happen. With Clinton's throwaway comment, suddenly Trump's red tie is an easy joke that would prove Clinton right. He had no choice, really. He had to wear blue, the color of peace, trust, and the Democratic Party.
Hillary, meanwhile, got to rock her red pantsuit of choice.
REUTERS/Rick Wilking
Of course, this is just a theory (albeit one that Quartz reporter Jenni Avins also picked up on). Perhaps, like Yahoo suggests, Trump was merely appealing to the psychological affects of the color blue, including that it can boost our creative thinking and appeal to the masses.
But I have a feeling Trump just watched "Between Two Ferns" one too many times. You can watch it again below for yourself.