Berets as Ambition: Travolta’s Cannes Look Signals More Than Style

At Cannes, John Travolta unveils a three-beret look with beard and specs to promote his directorial project, explaining he dressed to embody the director persona—an example of enclothed cognition where clothing signals and shapes perceived roles. The piece uses this to explore how wardrobe can influence both self-image and public perception, while noting red carpets can be a risky stage craft and dressing for a role doesn’t guarantee talent, a point illustrated alongside political and celebrity examples like Burnham, Streeting and Rayner who use fashion as leadership signaling.