Suited Up: Hillary Cinton announcing her run for the 2016 U.S. Presidency
This past Sunday Former First Lady, U.S. Senator and 67th Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidency in the 2016 election. This was the worst-kept secret EVAH! Everyone knew this was a done deal. I, for one, was very happy that she finally announced; I am excited for the possible prospect of the first FEMALE U.S. President (sorry Miss Carly Fiorina--I don't mean you darling).
Color Blocking Hillary: juxtaposing the styles of Hillary Clinton when she announced she was running for U.S. President for the 2008 elections and this past Sunday. Not much of a style change...except for her hair and the colors of her wardrobe.
Anyhow, since her announcement on Sunday, I have to say, she has already made some STYLE MISSTEPS...
Let me preface all of this by saying that I LOVE POLITICS. Almost as much as FASHION. In fact, I majored and got my Bachelor's Degree from the University of California, Los Angeles/UCLA in...POLITICAL SCIENCE. With an emphasis in International Relations, I might add. But yes, then I went on to study Fashion Design and graduate from the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising/FIDM and well, you know the rest. So now you know; I love Politics AND Fashion.
Now, back to Hillary:
Not Style Good: Today she was in Iowa making her first official campaign stop at Kirkwood Community College. She wore the above outfit: a navy blue coat/jacket, matching navy blue pants and a neon apple green long sleeve tunic top.
A Little Better: Off with the coat/jacket--Hillary Clinton sans the navy coat/jacket prior to stopping by Kirkwood Community College
Ummm...Where's the First Class Premium Boarding Line? While trying to look like "one of the people", she somehow still ended up looking like the President of THAT Community College...or at the very least, a very important multimillionaire CEO visiting the campus. First of all, I get that she is running for president of the United States and therefore, must look like the job she wants, as they say. However, here's the problem: lots of people think she is out of touch. Can you say Multi-Millionaire, private planes, $100,000+ speaking engagement fees?? Now, I have nothing against her being A) an aristocrat; B) very wealthy; and so on. I think that the perception with most of the U.S. is that she's not one of them. And her most recent style choices of the last two days AIN'T helping. Oh, and yes, this SNL skit didn't help either:
Kate McKinnon of Saturday Night Live, playing Hillary Clinton on last weekend's SNL's Cold Open
Also, this look at Maumee Ohio Chipotle Restaurant...
Chipotle Doyenne: I know that Hillary's people did not release this and it took some "investigative reporting" to get these images. But seriously...WHO WEARS a pink 3/4 length coat ensemble with sunglasses to Chipotle??? If this was supposed to make Mrs. Clinton look like "Oh, she eats where we all eat?", her style choice did not help in the image/optics category. I understand that she might not have wanted to be noticed, but then again, her P.R. people SHOULD HAVE made this a HUGE event! If it was her husband, he would have put on an apron and still be there making burritos! #JustSaying.
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Huma in Hiding: Now, on a side note--what is up with Huma Abedin, Hillary's Numero Uno aide. Why is she looking like a U.A.E. Diva Housewife--all in that black headscarf, sunglasses, black sweater top and leggings??? I do not get it.
I want Hillary to look a little more "Of the people"...But how can we do that??? Here's how the boys do it:
Roll Up The Sleeves Barrack Obama
More Roll Up's: Rand Paul and John McCain
And then, I looked up how other female World Leaders dress...
Suited Up: (Clockwise, starting from the top) Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel, and Brazil's President Dilma Roussef
OK, so none of that helped. How can we combine the facts that male counterparts just have to roll up their sleeves and/or not wear a tie and female counterparts look just like Hillary circa 2008? We know that Mrs. Clinton LOVES a pantsuit:
And we also know that her Secretary of State pearls-and-suits look, just isn't going to work this time around:
Secretary of State Style: Hillary Clinton
So what is my advice? I just recently happened to watch a commercial showing THE Oprah Winfrey doing a promo for the new BBC Discovery Channel "Planet Earth" series. For some reason, it caught my (style) eye. Oprah wore a white dress shirt under a bright neon apple green sweater...and jeans:
As rich as Oprah is..she looked APPROACHABLE; a woman of the people. My suggestion for Hillary Clinton is to try--yes, try---and take on Oprah's "approachable" style.
While I understand she will need the authority of the pantsuit later in the Campaign, for now I'd love to see her embrace the casual and approachable style of America's BFF, Oprah:
While she is out in her Scooby Van and shaking hands with "real people"; ditch the coat and pant suit...
Embrace the sweater...and denim jeans
What do you guys think? Does 2016 Presidential candidate need a Style Makeover ASAP? More "Approachable Style" as opposed to "Doyenne CEO /Park Avenue"?
**Oh, and in case you think I am being SEXIST or Chauvinistic in highlighting Hillary...Check again darlings, I've discussed the Presidential MEN (and lack of style) HERE back in 2012 on this little ol' BLOG!
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