New York City’s new First Lady, Rama Duwaji, turned heads with a bold fashion statement at her husband Zohran Mamdani’s swearing-in ceremony just after midnight on Thursday.

Zohran Mamdani, 34, took the oath as mayor in a historic decommissioned subway station in Manhattan, but it was Duwaji’s $630 Miista boots that sparked chatter, the Daily Mail reported.

The 28-year-old artist paired the pricey mid-calf lace-up boots with black knee-length shorts from The Frankie Shop and a vintage Balenciaga woolen coat. Her Shelley-style footwear, from a European brand touting sustainable fashion, became the focal point of public scrutiny.

Clashing Messages on Affordability Policies

Mamdani campaigned on making New York more affordable with ideas like free child care, free buses, and a rent freeze for a million households. Yet, Duwaji’s high-end ensemble drew sharp criticism for undercutting that narrative of financial equity.

Social media lit up with pointed barbs, including one X user’s jab, “Mamdani’s ‘affordability agenda’ is a scam. His wife parades in $600 Miista boots while he pushes rent freezes that’ll collapse housing stock.”

Another user quipped, “New Yorkers got fooled into putting this couple into a mansion with $600 boots thinking they care about affordability lol.” Such reactions highlight a perceived disconnect between personal choices and public promises.

Defending the Fashion or Dodging the Issue?

Not everyone jumped on the critique bandwagon, as some defended that the focus should stay on policy over wardrobe. One supporter noted, “It's kind of weird and off-base to be focusing on what designer items she's wearing when he's trying to promote policies of financial stability and equity for all.”

Still, the optics sting when a mayor pledging transformative cost-of-living reforms stands beside a spouse in luxury gear. It fuels skepticism about whether the couple grasps the daily grind of average New Yorkers.

Journalist Louis Pisano attempted to douse the flames by revealing on X that the boots were “ON LOAN from the brand.” Even so, borrowed or not, the symbolism of elite fashion at a populist inauguration lands awkwardly.

A First Lady Determined to Define Herself

Duwaji, an illustrator, has faced scrutiny before for her style and statements, notably after gracing The Cut’s cover last week. Her comments on fame and her role raised eyebrows about her readiness for the spotlight.

She told the magazine, “When I first heard it, it felt so formal and like - not that I didn't feel deserving of it, but it felt like, me…?” Such hesitation suggests a struggle to reconcile personal identity with public expectation.

In the same interview, she insisted on carving her own path, saying, “At the end of the day, I'm not a politician.” That declaration rings hollow when every outfit and word gets parsed as a reflection of her husband’s agenda.

Personal Milestones Amid Public Roles

Duwaji and Mamdani, who met on Hinge when she was 24 and he was 29, have celebrated a whirlwind of personal milestones. Their journey from engagement last October to a City Hall wedding in February, plus lavish ceremonies in Dubai and Uganda, paints a picture of privilege.

Now, as they settle into Gracie Mansion from their rent-stabilized Astoria apartment, the couple faces intense public gaze. Mamdani, the first Muslim mayor and youngest since 1982, carries historic weight, but personal choices like Duwaji’s attire risk overshadowing policy substance.

Ultimately, while Mamdani spoke of his role as “the honor and the privilege of a lifetime” during his oath, the lingering buzz isn’t about his vision. It’s about whether a pair of boots, loaned or not, signals a deeper tone-deafness to the city’s struggles.