At her inauguration, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wore a notable cowrie shell collar, which has rich cultural significance in African heritage. Although initially raised as a potential fashion faux pas, experts recognized the collar as a powerful statement reflecting elements of ceremony, ancestry, and dissent. The shells, historically utilized as currency, evoke themes of prosperity and protection, drawing parallels to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's dissent collars. This fashion choice was interpreted not merely as an accessory but as a deep expression of historical and cultural identity.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson's striking cowrie shell collar at the inauguration signifies deeper cultural meanings, possibly representing dissent, African heritage, and ancestral wisdom.
According to fashion historian Shelby Ivey Christie, the collar brilliantly reinterprets traditional judicial attire through an African American cultural lens, suggesting ceremony and significance.
Vogue speculated that Jackson’s choice of this collar could be viewed as a sartorial expression of dissent, reminiscent of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s famous dissent collars.
The cowrie shells historically served as currency and are associated with prosperity, protection, womanhood, and fertility, embodying rich cultural significance.
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