It's a team effort, people!

Congress couldn't get their act together to actually pass any big legislation (omnibus, what?) before convening for recess, and the Dems took the brunt of that for good reason - but the lefties did have their act together on something...

I can just picture Nancy calling up Hoyer, Reid and the boys on Tuesday, saying, "I think I am going to wear gray and burgundy today. Is that what you were thinking, too?"


And then the next next day, "Why not something a little brighter today? I'm going for cherry red and black. You too?"

– AP photos

These Shoes Are Made for Stalking

"Days spent chasing lawmakers on the Capitol’s marble floors can be a challenge," Jonathan E. Kaplan says in an article this month in Washingtonian. "The hard marble puts pressure on knees and backs and even makes for slips." Well, we knew all that, so the interesting part? His short piece takes a look at Congressional correspondents and their preferred footwear - and I have to say poo-poo to most of them!

I wear at least 3.5-inch heels on the Hill on most days, and do I complain? No! Why? Because they are feminine and dress- and location-appropriate, and I manage to find ones that are actually pretty comfortable.

Big props to "shoe addict" Susan Milligan of the Boston Globe (pictured above right), she "toughs it out wearing flashy stilettos. She admits they 'kill' her back, but they also get her noticed. One Massachusetts Democrat routinely comments on her shoes." Nice job and I love the flash of color - something way-too lacking under the Dome.

Some more tidbits - some of which frankly scare me:

“Rubber soles are a must,” says Anne Kornblut, who often tracks the movements of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (who wears low heels) for the Washington Post. Kornblut says she’s found a shoe-repair shop that will add rubber soles to her leather shoes. (This is key! I make sure to have no-slips and rubber soles on my shoes to avoid falling, and more importantly, to avoid making loads of noise with each step.) ...

... CNN congressional correspondent Jessica Yellin prefers clogs because they’re good for posture and are more attractive than many other ergonomically friendly shoes. (There's a photo with the story that I would be happy NEVER seeing again!)

Juliet Eilperin, a onetime congressional reporter for the Post who now writes about the environment, says former majority leader Dick Armey, a Texas Republican, taught her that cowboy boots are best for pounding the marble floors. (Do I even need to say anything here?)

To read the entire article, with a lot more about journos' secret lives, click here...

– Jay Clendenin/Washingtonian

Hill fashion roundup

And The Hill now has a fashion column? I don't know... but, interesting info on some Reps.:

• Ric Keller has lost 41 pounds by eating healthy (1,800 calories per day) and regularly exercising. He has 30 more to go, he says, but he's already looking more svelte. (See picture from September at left.)
  
• Ellen Tauscher has gone noticeably darker — going from blonde to brunette. "I’ve always had a blonde personality with brunette responsibilities," she said.
  
• Sadly, Rep. Howard Coble has been warding of skin cancer — he was diagnosed in the late 1990s — with a topical solution that burns the skin cells and turns the outer skin on his face a blistery red. Ouch!
  
• And finally, it's a whopper, Dennis Kucinich reportedly bites his nails.

To read the entire report, click here...

– AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Unexpected celebrity, but she's wearing it right

Megan Colon probably never expected to have her picture in newspapers across the country today, but the staffer who stood by her boss looked great while doing it. Looking poised in casual professional ware, Sen. Tim Johnson's intern coordinator cheered him on in his first appearance back to the Senate since suffering a brain aneurysm in December.

Colon wore a very simple and understated outfit, with cool and neutral colors mixing in a perfect fit. The skirt was basic, but an added slit gave it a little flair, and though I am not so sure the popped collar was necessary, it didn't look as wrong as most popped collars. Besides her neatly polished (and posh) bob, what I appreciate most is she found a pair of wedges that I don't absolutely hate. As Johanna would say, I don't particularly like shoes that "make a woman's foot look indelicate," and I believe that is something so many wedges do. These, however, are slim and narrow, have a just-perfect-hint-of-shine patent, a slightly provocative peep toe, and a not really offensive contrasting tone for the wedge itself.

Overall, the look is what a staffer should aim for. Now an actual Member is something completely different ...

– Bill Clark/Roll Call and John Shinkle/Politico, respectively

A blond, not brassy Hillary could grab the nod

As much as I detest myself for actually reading The Hill, it becomes even worse when I find multiple items to quote them on. Well, today their usually pointless (and, well, let's face it today's is too) 20 questions piece features S. Monae Everett, a stylist and manager at Bubbles Salon on Capitol Hill. Not that I would consider Bubbles a trend-setting cuttery, but unfortunately a lot of the male Members actually do get their hair cut there (even though they have their own in-house barber).

So, without further ado, here are the top trends in D.C. hair:

• "Blond highlights. A lot of blond highlights." Really? For the summer blond is in?

  
  

• "The bob is very popular and the side-swept bangs." Really? Like Posh Spice and Katie and my favorite local blogger?

  
  

• "Men used to think of products as just for women — now they’re using them." Really? Like the metrosexual of 2004 is finally making his way to the Hill?

She also comments on some of the presidential candidates coifs, saying that Edwards' $400 haircut was worth it if it made him feel good and Hillary should go blonder, though she doesn't know if the country can handle it. She also states that Rep. Louise Slaughter has the best hair in Congress, saying she "keeps it nicely curled. I love the color, the height. You can tell she didn’t roll right out of bed." Well, that we can agree on.

To read all the questions, click here...

– AP Photo/Jim Cole

Meet Speaker and House

Yowza, we can see here that the Speaker has some tots on her. And not in a good way. This single, off-center button hits her in a very bad place, making her jacket pull and accentuating the ladies. Not a good look, Nancy. Bring back the Armani that we oh-so cherish.

– AP Photo/Ron Edmonds

Project Beltway weighs in on the flats vs. heel dilema

Because there is no real politics going on in Washington right now (sense the sarcasim?), a political newspaper decided to write about a pressing issue: High heels on the Hill. (OK, I know it's the pot calling the kettle, but I'm at least up front about the fact that this is primarily a fashion site...) At least they quoted blogger Rachel Cothran from Project Beltway. So, here is an excerpt from the earth-shattering, breaking-news report:

For the woman who works on Capitol Hill, high heels can present a fashion dilemma. Does she slip on a pair and risk the discomfort keeping up with her tall boss while walking down those marble hallways? Or does she sacrifice style and scrap the pumps? ...

... “I’m a heels gal, even though it’s risky when your boss is a fast-walking Marine,” said Jessica Smith, deputy spokeswoman for Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.). ...

... Rachel Cothran, creator of Project Beltway, a D.C. fashion blog, has mixed feelings. “I love and hate heels all at once,” she said. “While they do make your legs look longer and inject a tried-and-true dose of femininity to your boring Hill outfit, they can literally be a pain.

“There’s nothing worse than limping through the Hart [Senate Office Building] hallways with five Band-Aids flapping around your ankles. And I will never understand why those cobblestone walkways were installed outside of Union Station, of all places. That being said, I know plenty of women who say they simply don’t feel pretty or in charge in flats.” ...

To read the entire piece, click here...

Well, Rachel continued her thoughts on her blog:

I’ve found a happy medium to be a wedge shoe, which provides height without sacrificing comfort. I find curvy, more feminine styles as opposed to chunky ones most flattering—there’s already a lot of shoe going on. You wouldn’t want to look like you have a brick attached to your foot.

For a while there, I swore off heels completely. However, once I realized that height wasn’t really the problem but rather the construction of the heel, I was a believer once again. Well-made shoes can really be an epiphany for heels, and well-made does not necessarily have to mean expensive. I love stacked heels and conical shapes have a retro vibe. They’re all over the retail stores, but you could easily look in vintage and consignment shops. Skinny heels often look too dainty for everyday outfits, and if you’re like me, you wear out the heel tips in less than five wearings. ...

... Hillrats needn’t be afraid of color or of showing toes, says an anonymous PB spy, who saw Rep. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.) wearing “the cutest open-toe green heels the other day…lime and kelly-green, maybe two-inch heels.” They should just steer clear of what the anonymous Hillgoer called stripper heels: “never okay.”

Then she goes on to give some examples of Hill-appropriate shoes - most of which I dislike, and some of which I feel aren't Hill worthy - but it's a good go. But her list of shoes made me want to do my own list. I am not including any flats, because I don't think they're appropriate (even though I wear them all the time), nor anything with too high of a heel because I'm trying to be realistic here. And for some real-life inspiration, keep an eye out for Condi and usually Laura's peds. So here are my picks for walking the marble come this fall, and "they're the coolest kicks in the cave," as Kelso would say.

Classic in-between flat pump
AK Anne Klein Sportella ($79)
A comfortable 2-inch heel
* I just bought these and they're great

Suede round-toe with a slight metallic edge
Taryn Rose Suede Pumps ($495)
A sleek 2 1/2-chunky heel

A suede wedge with a perforated twist
Dolce Vita Ferrera 2 ($105)
A 2-inch plastic heel
* Also available in cranberry, but most pols can't get away with that

Penny loafers for the 21st century
J. Crew Katy tumbled-leather heels ($178)
A sturdy 2 3/4-stacked heel

Sassy sweetheart detailing on simple pump
BP. 'Lavender' Suede Pump ($59.95)
A lofty 3 1/2-inch sturdy heel
* Also available in patent and my favorite-for-fall color, gray

Suede and patent come together
Kenneth Cole New York True Love ($195)
A not-as-steep-as-it-looks 3 1/2-inch heel

Logo medallion vamped
Tory Burch Betty Suede Pump ($295)
A platform sole, so the heel isn't all that high...

A matte satin mishap waiting in muggy D.C.
Bettye Muller Norell ($400)
A modest 3 1/2-inch heel

I plan on doing some sort of suit-fashion piece soon - with lots of examples for the female fashionistas working those Capitol steps - defintely before the end of recess, so Hillary, keep on the look out.

The Hill 50 Most Beautiful list: The day after

I know I should have commented in some way about yesterday's release of Capitol Hill's beautiful people list, but I've been too busy planning my August recess vacation and haven't been keeping up with my blogging, sorry. So here is my rant...

And I thought you couldn't get any shallower than The Hill's Top 50 Most Beautiful People... but I was wrong. Patrick Gavin was on MSNBC talking about the list (what they couldn't get someone from newspaper that actually wrote it?). Here are some highlights of his interview:

"Politians are getting better looking. I mean you just look at the presidential debate going on now, they're not kidding when they say when a candidate looses weight they're thinking about jumping in, because looks really do matter. So there is some truth to this sort of shallow politics."

"In this town power is definitely an aphrodisiac."

"If you have a great job, a great business card, that does go a long way in this town."

"Just look at the field now. Everyone worries about Hillary Clinton's clothes, or, you know, Rudy Guilliani's balding, or Fred Thompson's weight, or Al Gore's weight or anybody's weight. And so because of TV, Internet, YouTube, it's such a fulltime job at this point. Abraham Lincoln got away with it; he couldn't get away with it nowadays." – Responding to a question about if looks matter for politicians during the elections

On another MSNBC show, Jeff Dufour comments on the same Hill hotties list - and Yea (as I like to call him, since Patrick is definitely more the Nea) is much more serious about the topic, here talking about why Nancy Pelosi made the list:

DUFOUR: Nancy Pelosi is, I think, she obviously gets points for the House Speaker and being in that prominent position. But Pelosi's become sort of a style icon in the way that first ladies I don't think have been.
MSNBC: I mean she's 67 years old...
DUFOUR: Sixty-seven years old
MSNBC: ...and she's considered a hottie!?!
DUFOUR: Yeah. Six grandkids. A lot of people have raised questions of plastic surgery with her. But she looks great. She wears Armani almost exclusively. And really spreads her wings as a fashion plate really more than a lot of other women in Washington feel comfortable doing.

– Hill photographers

Parakeets and palms on the Hill

This photo's a couple weeks old, but I just came across it. John Kerry's wearing an orange tie with parakeets and palm trees - very Nantucket. I'm not really sure how I feel. I kind of like it, I have to admit; at least he's having some fun with fashion. Any opinions?

– AP Photo/Dennis Cook

****UPDATE****
Again, after posting, I noticed that the colors of the tie are very close the the dots on the site's design...

In response to the Ron Paul response

I am not sure why I let a comment on this blog affect me in the way that it did, but I have been thinking about "anonymous' " comment since Tuesday afternoon. Now I know it was probably a Ron Paul supporter, or more likely a staffer - especially since after viewing the "hits analysis" on my site and noticing several people searched Google for "Ron Paul" - and whoever it was was just trying to stand-up for their main-man, but come on, sneakers with a suit? And I am clearly not the only one who has a problem with this: beyond Manolo and Wonkette picking it up, someone started a blog just this week called Ron Paul's Shoes that is based solely on this fashion misstep.

There are a lot of Congressmen, businessmen, lawyers, doctors etc. who are 71 years old - and older - who dress professionally every day. I have searched a bit and not found any articles or anything else that would lead me to believe Paul has any sort of health problem in which he would need the extra comfort shoes. I did find out that he wears these sneakers everyday, which is even worse than I thought, just wearing them to a CEAFU reception. But even if he does have a medical situation in which he needs the extra support, there are plenty of manufacturers out there that make classy, well-polished and - dare I say it - comfortable shoes for men in all price ranges.

Here's my problem, which I really feel Paul doesn't understand: There is just a certain level of dress and professionalism associated with being in the political-public eye. And this is a completely unpartisan comment - I had issue with President Bush's terrible outfit when he wore his Crocs and am constantly baffled by Hillary's wardrobe - but when you are the leader of the free world, or running for that office, you need to present yourself as such. Everyone is looking to you to set the example; you are quite literally the icon of America. Now I know Bush has made quite a few political fumbles in the past six plus years, but in general, he's dressed well while making them. He had to, he was on camera, and if Ron Paul chooses to put himself in that limelight he better act and dress the part.

– Darren at rightontheleftcoast.blogspot.com

****UPDATE****
I couldn't just leave it at that, either. I wanted to give some fantastic examples of comfortable, but stylish, shoes available - and maybe a Ron Paul staffer is reading this and will go out and buy him some new shoes. There are tons of styles out there, but here are a couple I found in just minutes on the Web:

Geox Monet 1 - The soft, textured leather makes this loafer perfect for dress-up or dress-down days and I love Geox for its breathable design, making your feet cozy and sweat-free for hours. Plus, they still have the sneaker-esque rubber sole that makes them slip-free on the just-waxed Capitol-campus floors.


Bostonian Asby - A nice, classic black bicycle-toe oxford that is made specifically for comfort: Bostonian has added extra padding on the heel and ball areas, padding around the ankle, and Ortholite foam lining so it forms to your foot.


Dr. Scholls Men's Winder Non Slip - Many people disregard Dr. Scholl's shoes because they remember the wooden sandals of yesteryear that were not at all comfortable. Nowadays, the company has rebranded itself and is making quite stylish wares. (I even have two pairs I wear often.) These slip-on oxfords feature Dr. Scholl's Massaging Gel insole, ankle padding and no-slip rubber soles.

Lobbyists, Congresswomen donate back-closet rejects

Surprisingly, I found this great fashion piece filed under K Street Files, but Roll Call has informed me that Nancy Pelosi (who I saw tonight wearing a very nice white pantsuit to the Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game - she's not so lucky, the Grand Ol' Party won) is quite the fan of Armani. I was told this is common knowledge, but somehow it wasn't to me. Anyway, be kind, donate some nice clothes - and see the next post if you have extra shoes lying around.

In Fashion. It's that time of year again. Lobbyists, looking to polish their oft-tarnished image, are planning to donate their used duds to charities that provide clothing to the unemployed.

The American League of Lobbyists' Capitol PurSuit clothing drive is this Wednesday in the Rayburn House Office Building foyer, and the organizers said that Armani-suit-enthusiast Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Reps. Wally Herger (R-Calif.) and Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) all are expected to attend a noon press conference. ALL is also collecting clothes from Hill staffers. ...

... The clothes ... "go to nonprofit organizations that help less fortunate people get back into society and into the workforce." ...

To read the entire item you'll need a pricey Roll Call subscription...

The Who's Who of D.C. bachelors (and bachelorettes)

Capitol File's annual Little Black Book edition (out momentarily) names D.C.'s hottest 99 single guys and gals. So Miss. Shenanigan wondered: Which Hillers made the cut?

Lee Brenner, for one. He's CNN's senior editorial producer for "Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer" and received the "well mannered," "hot on the Hill," "party animal" and "brainiac" icons.

Sen. George Voinovich's chief of staff, Phil Park, is ready to roll: He's a "bon vivant," a "brainiac," "Mr. Right" and a "networker."

Rep. Mary Bono - a Capitol File contributor - made the list, along with - yawn - former Rep. Harold Ford Jr.

"Social peacock" Hill reporter Jackie Kucinich is on there, along with Quinn & Gillespie's Ashley Prime. So is Cynthia Scherer, the director of sales and marketing for the Fairmont Hotel on M Street.

Charlie Palmer's sommelier Nadine Brown and Sarah Obenour, an event designer for Haute on the Hill, make the list. And keep your eye out for a "bon vivant," "party animal," "high maintenance" guy on K Street. That's Steven B. Sobhani, the founding director of the Great American Condom Campaign. That in itself should be an icon.

None of these folks received a "womanizer" icon or a "great beauty" icon, but there is some charm in being a party-animal brainiac.

Though many of these are not "hot," they are all just fabulous and amazing people. The party tonight should be a blast.

To read the entire column, click here...

It's finally here, Seersucker Thursday

I mean they look atrocious, but I just LOVE Seersucker Thursday.
The guys actually pulled it off quite well; but the women... black stockings??? Overall, it looked like a lot of fun and you have to give props to Trent Lott for making it happen.

From left, Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, Trent Lott, R-Miss., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., John Warner, R-Va., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Norm Coleman, R-Minn.

From left, Sens. John Warner, R-Va., Elizabeth Dole, R-NC, Gordon Smith, R-Ore., Ben Nelson, D-Neb., Kit Bond, R-Mo, Mitch McConnell, R-Mo., Susan Collins, R-Maine, Trent Lott, R-Miss., Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, and Arlen Specter, R-Pa.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who is probably the only one who actually look fabulous (and quite cool) in this Southern fashion staple.

– AP Photos/Lauren Victoria Burke

Boxer shows she's human (and chic!)

After realizing she's still clutching her clutch, California Sen. Barbara Boxer tosses her purse to a staffer prior to speaking at a news conference on energy efficiency on Capitol Hill.

– AP Photo/Susan Walsh

She wore it again!

She just wore this atrocity a couple days ago. See my feelings about this here...




Dem Presidential frontrunner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton throws her arms up as she is introduced at rally in support of the Employees Free Choice Act on Capitol Hill in Washington.

– AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Staffers debate which party is uglier

Oh you silly Republican boys... how much time do you really have on your hands? This is not really "fashion" and it's totally horrible, but kind of funny nonetheless. I am not going to reprint the image because, well, it's not worth calling too much attention to it, but check it out for yourself. From Wonkette:

Today on The Capitolist — the new anonymous message board only accessible through official congressional computers — we learn what Hill staffers think about beauty and politics:

"I’m just saying that for the most part, Democrats tend to be uglier or ugly people tend to identify more with Democrats. (Classic chicken-egg scenario). Probably because ugly people are usually always pissed off and spiteful of people who are successful and attractive and thus try to destroy them by taxing them to death. ..."

There are some ridiculous comments on the discussion board following the posting. To read the whole thing, click here...

– The Capitolist via Wonkette

Shadegg's No Sheer Sucker

I really hate that I'm crediting her, but sometimes she hits it (I said sometimes...).

Is Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) thumbing his nose at a longstanding Senate summer tradition?

The natty dresser was recently overheard ribbing a staffer for wearing his best Matlock suit. "You know why they are called seersucker, don't you?" Shadegg said with a grin. "Sears makes 'em and suckers buy 'em."

But in Washington, seersucker suits are not just a way to beat the city's oppressive summer heat. Since the mid-1990s, Senate lawmakers have observed "Seersucker Thursday" by wearing their best lightweight cotton, stripy suits.

The holiday was founded by then-Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) "to show the Senate could have fun, and it's a little favor from down South, in a way, to beat the heat from up here in D.C.," Lott spokesman Nick Simpson told us.

So suckers don't wear them?

"No," the monosyllabic Simpson said, quite definitively. No Sears, either? "No." Simpson bought his at Oxford, just FYI. ...

... One Hill staffer sniped about Shadegg: "So he doesn't likes stripes, I guess I could understand if it was his fellow Arizonan Rick Renzi, who may soon be wearing stripes of his own supplied by federal tailors," the staffer said, referring to Renzi's current land-deal troubles.

This year's Seersucker Thursday is just around the corner, on June 21.

I am not one for seersucker as an everyday menswear fashion, but I do happen to love tradition. It's fun seeing that photo op every year in which the Congressmen all look so Southern chic - and I think it's quite charming. It brings a lighter side to Congress. It's like hearing about the bets made about home-state sports teams and the wacky wagers. It brings life to stiff politicos. Just take a peek above at how comfortable and cool Sen. Rick Santorum looked (I know, he never looks cool...) on last year's Seersucker Thursday.

Jefferson did something right!

I saw this picture on AP and had to laugh a little. It's a shot of Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., who earlier this week was indicted for bribery and corruption, arriving at federal court this morning.Why I found it slightly amusing is the "others unidentified" according to AP are his Dr. wife and probably one of his five daughters (I assume from the hand-holding) and they both look stunning! I guess Jefferson did one thing right in his years, married that woman and allowed her to make the family's fashion decisions.

The daughters are all amazingly well accomplished: Jamila, a graduate of Harvard College and Law School, is a practicing attorney; Jalila, also a graduate of Harvard College and Law School is a practicing attorney and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; Jelani, the third graduate of Harvard College and Law School, is a law clerk with U.S. District Judge Fallon in New Orleans; Nailah is a graduate of Boston University and a graduate student at Emerson College in Boston; and Akilah is a student at Brown University.

– AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

Puckering up Ted Kennedy

As Sen. Kennedy, D-Mass., departs the Capitol following a news conference on immigration reform we see some puckering action. Time for a new suit Eddy! Just in case you didn't know, when you can hardly close just one of the buttons and that looks as though it's going to pop at any moment, it means your suit doesn't fit.

– AP Photo/Susan Walsh

Shoes Fit D.C.’s Power Women

I just love it when two men try to make sense out of women's shoe-shopping habits. Patrick and Jeff did just that today in Yeas & Nays, talking about the high-power event Wednesday afternoon at the Willard Hotel to celebrate the opening of the Bethesda location of the Little Shoebox, a Baltimore luxe shoe store.

What could bring together several of Washington’s VIP women on a weekday afternoon? Shoes, of course. ...

Their mission? To check out the new lines and offer their opinions on styles and brands. Taking up the store on its offer: Assistant EPA Administrator Lynn Buhl; Lindi Harvey, a top aide to Sen. Elizabeth Dole; Janine Czarnecki and Karen Czarnecki from the Department of Labor; and Adrienne Taylor from Deloitte and Touche.

Emilie Blaze, the store’s co-owner, said, “We wanted this branding session to introduce ourselves to these elite women of power. We recognize that the topography is different in D.C., and we want to accommodate these women, and our designers want to accommodate them as well.”

To read more, click here...