Tomi Lahren, former TheBlaze host and Fox News contributor, shared a photo of her Halloween costume on Instagram this week. “Oh LA get ready to find your safe spaces! What am I?” she asked in the picture’s description. “Well if you’re a conservative, I’m American AF. If you’re a lib, I’m “offensive.” Let’s go.”
For Halloween, Tomi Lahren dressed as a Flag Code Violation. pic.twitter.com/Ur24U6v2uB
— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) October 29, 2017
Comedian Nick Pappas thought he had a witty name for her costume, a flag code violation, but is his joke accurate?
According to the Flag Code, “The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.” Most of Lahren’s critics, like MSNBC host Kieth Olbermann, think they’ve got her dead to rights.
Patriotic? Bullshit. She’s in violation of the U.S. Flag Code: “The flag should never be used as wearing apparel…” https://t.co/2cOKCE87Wy https://t.co/fGkmqMxZaZ
— Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) October 29, 2017
But there’s one problem, she’s not actually wearing Old Glory. Olbermann, however, wears the flag like a blanket on the cover of his book Trump Is F*cking Crazy, which is a direct violation of the United States Flag Code. The best part? An ad for the book is on his Twitter banner directly behind the comment criticizing Lahren’s outfit,
Lahren’s costume, like countless bikinis, skirts, shirts, and even towels before it is simply adorned with the stars and stripes. According to the American Legion, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with this. The answer to this incredibly common question posted on their website says,
While the fanny pack isn’t our favorite fashion accessory, we don’t see anything wrong with Lahren’s costume because it doesn’t use an actual flag. So if someone starts complaining about the flag code the next time you see a girl dressed like this,
… just remind them what the American Legion said.
Now, that being said, it is a code violation to wear an actual flag as a shawl like the girl below.
Want the best of both worlds? Simply wear a star-spangled bikini and carry the flag as a flag like this patriotic young lady,