Pierre Poilievre's white embroidered cowboy outfit sparked memes at Calgary Stampede

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre became the subject of online mockery at Calgary Stampede after wearing a white embroidered shirt and matching white cowboy hat during a speech criticizing the Liberal government's climate policy.

"We will re-instil a warrior culture, not a woke culture," Poilievre said near the end of his speech. The outfit, which appeared super shiny, sparked several memes comparing it to something a Ken doll would wear.

Paul Hardy, a Canadian designer, said the choice showed Poilievre was immersing himself in cowboy culture, though the messaging contradicted the personal aesthetic. "You have to ask him what his thought process was in picking that," Hardy said. "Maybe his kids liked it or something. He definitely made a bolder fashion choice, and it got people talking."

Anne Bissonnette, a dress historian and professor at the University of Alberta, explained that politicians understand that what they wear builds into the story they weave for their audiences. "It's about character development," she said.

Other politicians at the Stampede took more cautious approaches to western wear. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford added cowboy hats and belt buckles to their everyday dress. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, meanwhile, has worn everything from floral dresses to denim on denim, showing what Bissonnette described as a real understanding of Albertan culture.

About a decade ago, former Alberta Premier Rachel Notley was mocked for wearing her cowboy hat backwards at the Stampede. In 2018, former PM Justin Trudeau faced criticism for overdoing cultural dress on a trip to India. "They want to be seen as part of the culture, but it is not their culture," Bissonnette said. "They have to figure out what they're trying to say."