Inauguration Day 2021: Senator Bernie Sanders' Mittens Have Social Media Buzzing

Vice President Kamala Harris, Dr. Jill Biden, and former First Lady Michelle Obama may have [...]

By Allison Schonter

Vice President Kamala Harris, Dr. Jill Biden, and former First Lady Michelle Obama may have stepped out for Inauguration Day 2021 ready to slay with their fashion-forward ensemble, but it was another attendee that won over social media. As the world prepared for Joe Biden to be sworn in as the 46th president of the United States, 80-year-old Sen. Bernie Sanders showed up to the show with some enviable mittens that immediately went viral on Twitter.

Entering the Capitol complex with a manila folder in hand and taking a seat at a safe social distance away from those around him, Sanders showed up to support the newly sworn-in president and vice president in a jaw-dropping ensemble that was a thing of envy. Not only did he don a winter coat, but he completed the ensemble with a pair of wool mittens. The mittens quickly proved to steal the show, viewers erupting in chatter about them on social media.

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(Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images, Getty)

According to BuzzFeed News political correspondent Ruby Cramer, this is not the first time Sanders has donned the mittens in public. The senator, who himself had been vying for the Oval Office before dropping out of the race, was gifted the mittens by Jen Ellis, a teacher from Essex Junction, Vermont, over two years ago. Over the years, Sanders has worn them in public on numerous occasions, including on the campaign trail. The mittens are pretty luxurious, too, and environmentally friendly, as they are "made from repurposed wool sweaters and lined with fleece made from recycled plastic bottles."

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Sanders' mittens were a thing of envy for many, with numerous people clamoring to slip their hands into their own pair. One eager person who caught a glimpse of the cozy hand warmers asked, "where did Bernie get his mittens I need some so badly." Thankfully, plenty of people were quick to reply with the mittens' origin story.

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Sanders' accessory of choice had dozens chiming in, with one person writing, "god isn't he just the best folks." Another person quipped, "gotta love how everyone else is dressed all professional in suits and dresses and whatnot and then Bernie is like 'nah its cold out.'"

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Several people dubbed the mittens "adorable," with one fan stating that it "looks like he got peppermint candies in his pocket." Another tweeted praise for the winter wear, writing, "those are good mittens you know. VT doesn't mess around."

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Of course, the mittens were also the center of plenty of jokes. Reacting to their rise to fame on social media, somebody wrote, "and with that, I wish Bernie Sander's mittens congratulations on the Etsy launch," suggesting that Sanders could make a fortune off the mittens if he sold similar pairs.

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"Bernie on the phone before the inauguration," one person imagined a conversation that possibly took place ahead of the big day. "Whatayatalkinabout 'something more formal'?! It's gonna be 40 degrees out there! I AM WEARING, THE PARKA! And WHERE ARE MY MITTENS? WHATAYA DONE WITH MY FAVOURITE MITTENS?!'"

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Plenty of people found humor in the mittens, as Sanders was sitting amid a crowd of people dressed in formal black. One person tweeted, "It's just funny that the politicians all in their black long coats and leather gloves. Then there's Bernie Sanders in his only winter coat and his mittens that his grandkids made for him."

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Sanders' mittens are so popular that, as one Twitter user pointed out, they even have their own Twitter account. The "BerniesMittens" account was created in January 2020 and already boasts 644 followers, a number that is likely to climb following their popularity Wednesday.

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