Practices of Style

How we see, know, and feel about international politics is highly shaped by visuals and practices. Images of politicians shaking hands and dress codes adhering to long-established protocols illustrate diplomatic routines, making politics visible and comprehensible to us daily. These images of diplomatic practices highlight the importance of both routines and creativity in politics, showing their expressive and performative side. This side is particularly epitomised by what we call ‘style’, the visuality and embodiment of (self-) presentation shaped by clothing. By combining the study of visuality with practice theory to examine the productivity of style, our contribution explores how practices reveal the implicit norms of a ‘pecking order’ on the diplomatic stage. Empirically, we zoom in on two encounters in 2025 between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the current Trump administration that illustrate how style becomes a serious political matter.