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The story behind Bernie Sanders’ iconic Inauguration Day mittens

WASHINGTON (NewsNation Now) — Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders caught the attention of America at the inauguration on Wednesday with his cozy, relatable sartorial choices.

Sanders appeared at the inauguration wearing his signature Burton coat and a pair of fuzzy mittens that have their own backstory.


Former presidential candidate, Senator Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) sits in the bleachers on Capitol Hill before Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th US President on January 20, 2021, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The mittens were created by Vermont teacher Jane Ellis. Ellis made the mittens from repurposed wool sweaters and lined them with fleece from recycled plastic bottles.

According to Vogue, Sanders even wore the mittens to the Women’s March in Portsmouth, New Hampshire last January.

WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 20: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) wears mittens as he attends the inauguration of Joe Biden on the West Front of the U.S. Capitol on January 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. During today’s inauguration ceremony Joe Biden became the 46th president of the United States. (Photo by Jonathan Ernst-Pool/Getty Images)

But it’s not just the mittens that have a sweet backstory. According to Sanders’ wife, Jane O’Meara Sanders, the brown coat he’s wearing has its own unique history.

“Our son @drscll worked with @burtonsnowboard founder Jake Burton on a limited edition jacket with @BernieSanders face on the back,” she wrote on Twitter. “Bernie really liked it, so Dave got him one – without his image – for Christmas. Vermont jacket, Vermont gloves, Vermont common sense!”

The mittens have caused a stir on social media, with one fan going so far to create a @BerniesMittens handle on Twitter.

The account’s bio reads: “Feeling the BERN not the BURN.”