Some of the outfits were dazzling, while others were a little more cringe-worthy, but all of those participating in “Flashy Friday” certainly left their mark at the 2023 Wyoming Legislature.
Flashy Friday was a tradition started by state Rep. Dalton Banks, R-Cowley, to wear outlandish suits to the Legislature. Banks said he started the activity as a way to boost camaraderie and make things a little more lighthearted at the Capitol.
“It relieves the tension, just having fun,” Banks said. “Get people smiling, laughing. Ease the tension after a long week of debate and controversy.”
On Feb. 17, Banks wore a long-length pin striped suit, not unlike the zoot suits worn during the mid-20th Century. He said he couldn’t imagine another scenario but Flashy Friday where he’d wear this outfit.
“People walk in and we laugh and we make fun of each other,” Banks said.
Banks said this suit came as part of an extensive collection of old suits from a friend in Cowley whose grandfather had recently passed away.
“He said, ‘do you want all these old suits,?’” Banks said. “I said, ‘you bet, I’ll take them all.’ I haven’t had a real chance to show them off until I got here.”
A week later, he wore an extremely loud blue dotted suit, with an equally bright orange undershirt and psychedelic style orange tie underneath. This suit was gifted from Rep. Clarence Styvar, R-Cheyenne.
“He pawned off a couple on me and now I have enough to finish out the rest of the Fridays,” Banks said.
That same day, Reps. Allen Slagle, R-Lusk, Reuben Tarver, R-Gillette, Ocean Andrew also got in on the action.
Slagle looked like he came straight from a “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” theater production, wearing a aquamarine and pink undershirt and pants ensemble that probably wouldn’t win him any votes on the campaign trail.
Tarver wore a bright orange sport coat with a purple undershirt and colorful blue and orange tie. He wore the same suit coat on another occasion, but that time with a more subtle black undershirt and black and orange tie.
Andrew was the least bold with his colors, but still wore a bright orange sport jacket, striking a similar shade to the orange tuxedo worn by Jim Carrey while playing Lloyd Christmas in “Dumb and Dumber.”
He and Banks finished out the 2023 session with a bang on Friday, as Banks wore a light-colored checkered suit and Andrew, a bright blue jacket and pants combo.
