Who's to blame for pantsuits?

Robin Givhan's article this weekend about Hillary "the-human-color-wheel" Clinton and the pantsuits was unnecessary for the package and said absolutely nothing that Robin hasn't said at least twice before in her column, but nonetheless I read it and had a couple chuckles - mainly because Hillary's so manly. So here's some of the less boring of the boring droll:

The mind, so easily distracted by things mauve and lemon yellow, strays from more pressing concerns to ponder the sartorial: How many pantsuits does Hillary Clinton have in her closet? And does she ever wear them in the same combination more than once? (Here I have to say, "What?!?" Givhan's clearly never seen my blog and how Hillary wears the same thing 10 times in one week...)

[Pantsuits] can be flattering, although not when the jacket hem aligns with the widest part of the hips (hypothetically speaking, of course). Does she even have hips? (Oh Robin...)

Is even considering the senator's clothes a kind of chauvinistic assault? ... With the male candidates, the nuances of their attire matters ... but with Clinton, one must first get past distractions such as that pink blazer — the one John Edwards didn't like so much — before the details can be considered. What would possess a woman to wear a jacket the color of a geranium in full bloom and then imply she doesn't want anyone to notice or comment on her clothes?

Yes, a woman can still be taken seriously, viewed as tough and celebrated for her ideas even if she is wearing a sunshine yellow suit. But someone, somewhere, is also going to notice that she is dressed like a solar flare. (She said it, not me, but ditto!)

Nina McLemore: Dressing the power elite (and the creator of Hillary's horrid jackets)

An interesting article appeared in The Examiner today, shocking, I know. Part of their weekly Power Profile, Whitney Blake spoke with Nina McLemore, of her namesake line for the power elite as well as the founder of Liz Claiborne Accessories in the '80s. And while I am not personally a fan of the line (or many of the women who wear it, but that's a whole other aside), I find her takes on fashion, business and women in both very fascinating.

“I’m very angry at the fashion industry,” she said. The industry has “no respect for accomplished women,” viewing them as “sex objects, not smart and capable.”

Her line, mainly “jacket driven,” also includes pants and blouses for business, casual and evening attire. She targets businesswomen with high net worth, female politicians — most notably Sen. Hillary Clinton — and what McLemore calls “community women” who are involved in philanthropy or who have husbands in powerful positions. ... (Know we know where Hillary found her amazing taste - and her $795 quilted coats!)

... Clinton prefers longer jackets, and her signature colors include blue and coral, which McLemore said brings out the highlights in her hair. ...

McLemore’s clothes come in five fits to accommodate all body shapes, and she designs them herself with natural fabrics primarily made in America. She recommends bold, vibrant colors for women who often appear in public or on television. McLemore picks versatile styles that can be worn anywhere, and she uses wrinkle-free materials to allow for easy traveling. ...

... McLemore has a keen sense of her customers’ tastes. Women in law, government and business “dress more understatedly and conservatively” compared with women in New York. At the same time, Washington women have an international flair and often pick textiles and colors from, say, Southeast Asia and Kenya. ...

To read the entire article, which talks a lot more about the business side, click here...

– Examiner/Greg Whitesell

It's a slow week

It's been hard to find stuff when the only thing going on is Gen. Patraeus' speech in which everyone knew what he was going to say before he said it, the House was out for the funeral and now everyone's out for the rest of the week because of Rosh Hashanah.

So here's random talk about my favorite fashion disaster, Hillary. I love the photo at right because it looks like Hill's trying sooo hard to stay awake while listening to Amb. Crocker and Petraeus on Tuesday. The glasses give her the I'm-really-trying-to-take-this-seriously look while amplifying the fact that her eyes can barely stay open. I've never seen her done this pair, but I do have to say I like them. Of all the things she wears, especially her oft-tacky accessories, I think these do a good job of staying somewhat-trendy and young, but not in a offensive you're-too-old way.

I also like the pink jacket for the same reason. The pink is a good pop of color for her that isn't too strong, isn't the coral family we've seen way too much of, and doesn't wash her out too much.

– AP Photos/Kevin Wolf and Gerald Herbert, respectively

Have a great weekend!

I figured I'd leave you with a great photo to laugh at for the weekend. I really don't mean to put Hillary up here so much, she just provides so much great fodder. Just keep in mind, this is in no way, shape or form an endorsement of any kind.

I have to say this isn't the worst outfit I've ever seen on her. She's owning the monotone outfits, thinking they make her appear slimmer (I'd argue that, but to each their own). The wool is at least a summer color and seems to be lightweight. What I don't understand, and her being at an AARP convention doesn't save her on this one, is what's up with the floppy handkerchief she's sporting. She's done this a few times now, and it totally looks like her left boob is exploding. Oh well - you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

– AP Photo/Steven Senne

**** UPDATE: She wore that outfit again on Sunday. She always does this, and knows she's in the spotlight being photographed at each event. I just don't understand. It's not like she doesn't have enough money for a full wardrobe - I learned today in Roll Call that she's worth at least $12 million.

Speaking of brassy

This was a very busy weekend for Hillary's newest accessory to hit the campaign trail: a raffia visor.

Many of the maybe-early primary states got to see this tennis-on-top, beach-on-the-bottom accoutrement as the junior Senator went from state fair to state house and back again. I'm not sure what designer made this (I say designer because it has a little silver leaf-shaped emblem on the rim), but Hill, honey, it isn't suit-worthy. If it's that hot and sunny that you need to shade your eyes, go for khakis and a nice button down or something and skip the full-on blazer. But that's just my opinion.

– AP Photos/Charlie Neibergall and Jim Cole, respectively

'The brightest most fluorescent color possible'

Carole Bayer Sager over at Huffington Post had a funny little piece about Hillary at the recent debates. She's spot on - unfortunately because in the spotlight what we usually see is a very scary sight - but what really are the options for men? Here are some excerpts:

Have you noticed that after each Democratic debate, Hillary's numbers rise in the national polls?

The reason is simple.

She enters center stage, in the brightest most fluorescent color possible on the color wheel. She is aglow in bright coral, bright orange, bright yellow; while surrounded left and right by a chorus of dull looking men in seemingly identical dark suits all appearing indistinguishable from one another. What an entrance. ...

She also answers in a softer tone; her manner is less aggressive, more appealing. But she's winning over some of her critics primarily because the male frontrunners simply just don't shine. ... Thanks to the televised debates, the American people got to see Hillary Clinton on stage, her blonde hair shiny, eye makeup, rouge and lipstick in place, standing next to a chorus of men in black -- glistening.

It may be serious business, but it's still show business.

To read the entire article, click here...

– AP Photo/Cheryl Senter

Tired debate attire

Moderator: So, Sen. Edwards, what do you think about Hillary's outfit for this debate?

Edwards: Well, let me start out by saying that I just think Bill is great. He did wonderful things for this country. But could that jacket get any longer? Or mousier? And what is that thing over there? It looks like it's throwing up ribbon. But, yes, I think the Clinton presidency was a good one.

– AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall

What's the opposite of plunging?

Could Hillary possibly overcompensate any more than she did with this outfit at the AFL-CIO forum? This neckline is practically choking the Democratic presidential hopeful. Go back to the V-neck, Hill, we weren't the ones who complained about the not-really-there cleavage, we actually kind of liked it.

– AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast

And a third time ...

I think she's doing this on purpose...

– AP Photo/Jeff Gentner

Clinton's jacket a subject for debate

After Edwards' comment at the debates last week a whole can of worms was opened and there were a lot of google searches that popped up my site. Needless to say, Julie Hinds at the Detroit Free Press found my rants on Hillary's seemingly limited wardrobe from last month and quoted the site - she probably would have quoted me if I didn't get back to her four days too late... Who did get quoted, however? None other than my favorite reporter and my not-so-favorite non-newspaper (I wont mention names, but it's obvious if you read the article and live in D.C.).

On another note, before I let you read the story, I'd like to point out that in this photo, not only is Edwards' wearing one of those bracelets, but also his jacket is pulling oddly and his arms aren't even outstretched - what's going on?

Anyway, here is bits from the piece:

... Some pundits gave Edwards a dressing down for the crack. "Write this down, guys: Attack her policies, attack her past votes, attack her personality ... but don't attack what she's wearing. It looks sexist and cheap," opined Politico.com's Roger Simon.

"I hope his wife gave him a good smack upside the head afterward," wrote Lisa Takeuchi Cullen on her Time blog. ...

... Clinton appears to own blue and yellow quilted jackets that seem nearly identical to the coral one, according to photos posted on D.C. Pleats.

"Does she own anything non-textured?" asks a headline on the politics/fashion blog. Postings describe the jackets as scary and horrid.

"I thought the jacket looked fabulous," says Helena Andrews, who covers pop culture for Politico.com and called Edwards' joke lame in a column. "She looked very sleek."

So did some of the men onstage, but their clothing wasn't a debate topic. ...

To read the whole story, click here...

– AP Photo/Charles Dharapak

Hillary's such a repeat offender

So at least she ditched the coral jacket for a day, but why would Hill wear the ruffles again? I'd much rather see a little V-neck cleavage action with a simple jacket for the Senator at the Friday National Urban League conference. She dresses so much more Buffalo than New York.

– AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

The debate, a week too late

I don't want to keep apologizing in every entry for my slacking blogging. I promise come August you will have me wholeheartedly and I will comment to all of your hearts' desires on our Congressional power players' recess attire - which I am sure will be atrocious since it'll be mainly campaigning with "the people."


Now, to the post. Thanks to reader Becky for forwarding me this link. I wasn't sure what the anonymous commenter meant when he/she asked for me to comment on John Edwards' comment. And still wasn't even aware when I got an e-mail from a reporter at the Detroit Free Press asking my opinion on Hilary's jacket from the debate. That's how crazy this week leading up to recess has been! Now I know. And he was right on. "I'm not sure about that coat..." Of course he's not, who is? Why would Obama stick up for it? He has better taste than that - it must have been a political tactic. Why does she keep wearing that hideous quilted disaster? Branding herself maybe? I do think I have said my peace on this topic, just follow the thread...

My last note: This is a really lousy 100th post. It just shows, though, that I have some fantastic readers who help me out when I'm struggling to keep up and that there's national interest in my blog (which is something I only dreamt of when I started this just a couple months ago)! Thanks to everyone for sticking with me and I do promise it'll be all that much better by post 150, 200 and beyond.

Hillary's dip into new neckline territory

I know I am really late on this, but I promise to be better with August recess slowing things down A LOT! Robin Givhan on Hillary's cleavage (the article's pretty interesting, I am just going to give you the intro, but if you have time, read the whole thing.) It caused quite a stir in blogs across the nation - and while I don't really think it's worth a stir (not like the jacket) - it's well written, though I think it has a slight political bias, but whatever...

There was cleavage on display Wednesday afternoon on C-SPAN2. It belonged to Sen. Hillary Clinton.

She was talking on the Senate floor about the burdensome cost of higher education. She was wearing a rose-colored blazer over a black top. The neckline sat low on her chest and had a subtle V-shape. The cleavage registered after only a quick glance. No scrunch-faced scrutiny was necessary. There wasn't an unseemly amount of cleavage showing, but there it was. Undeniable.

It was startling to see that small acknowledgment of sexuality and femininity peeking out of the conservative - aesthetically speaking - environment of Congress. After all, it wasn't until the early '90s that women were even allowed to wear pants on the Senate floor. It was even more surprising to note that it was coming from Clinton, someone who has been so publicly ambivalent about style, image and the burdens of both.

To read the entire article, click here...

The '90s are back, in ruffly form

Wow, when you think Hill's fashion sense can't get any worse, she shows up to deliver a speech to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund wearing a straight-from-the-90s ruffle-collard shirt with some sort of geometric floral pattern. Seriously, can someone please get her a fashion consultant?!?

– AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

Does she own anything non-textured?

More of the same quilted textures, more of the faux-French cuff, more of the same turquoise blue, but this time it's got a fake double-breasted lapel. Did she get a deal on the fabric or did she buy out the entire line of jackets from Chico's? No word yet from the HilCamp.

– AP Photo/Alex Brandon

Hillary's got coral fever

Hillary brought out her fantastic coral jacket again on Saturday, this time to address the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Then, less than 36 hours later she brought out the same matchy-matchy jewelry as she met with everyone's favorite iPhone-loving mayor, Philly's own John Street, and then later in the day in Iowa.

- AP Photo/Reinhold Matay and Matt Rourke, respectively

It comes in other colors, too!

Thanks to reader Kristine (www.burningelephant.com) who tipped me off that Hil's got that jacket horrid blue textured jacket in pinkish-coral, too. So, I thought an investigation was in order. Thus I turned to my trusted friends at AP archives only to find she has not only worn the pink version - of the same exact jacket, texture and all - in the past two weeks, but she has a VERY similar one in yellowish-mustard (we'll call it golden) and a shiny coral-colored one she wore recently, as well! When something is that bad, it can only get better when bought in bulk!

Pictures in compilation were mainly from a trip to Iowa she made earlier this month - maybe that's where she picked them all up? I'll try making a call to the Hillary camp today and see if I can get anyone to talk to me.

****UPDATE****
After posting this, I noticed that the colors of Hil's three lookalike jackets are very close the the dots on the site's design...

Textured jacket makes it to Wonkette

So my pictorial timeline of Hillary's scary blue textured jacket made it on to Wonkette (my site's made it twice and counting!). As of this posting, 44 people have commented on it - not that anyone would ever put a comment on my site, but whatever. I love some of the observations, plus I found out she's wearing the same jacket on the cover of the current Fortune magazine, too:

• One commenter called it, "Hil's 'lectric blue U-Haul moving-blanket quilted material schmatte" and another, "Electric Blue Flak Jacket"
• "It says, 'Look, I'm not stylish. I'm not rich. I'm just one of you. I shop at K-Mart' "
• "I mean, it is just a 'stylish old lady' jacket, and she doesn't really have the body (even though she has the $$$) for couture. I am more offended by what the average teen wears, so I am just glad she doesn't have 'JUICY' written across her ass."
• "Does Hillary employ an irrepressible, irreverent Austrian novitiate as her seamstress? I suspect there's a pissed off naval officer looking for his curtains as we speak. The hills are alive ..."
• "Looks like she shops at the same place as Kim Jong-Il."
• "I like to think of her as the Quilted Quicker Picker Upper."
• "The color is very nice (including with her coloring - not always easy for the pasty white chics), and the texture wouldn't be so awful if it were done some other way. It would still be way too 'Chicos' however, at least for somebody purportedly appealing to the youth. But the primary problem, as the blogger deftly points out, is the fit. Honey, men have been getting their stuff tailored for generations (some very badly, I'll admit). Laura always looks so nice because she gets her stuff made for her. If somebody made this for you, fire them. If not, get thee to a haberdasher - PRONTO."

To read Wonkette's comments, click here...

Seriously, she wore it AGAIN!

This in now three times in less than eight days - and counting! What is her fascination with this particularly horrid suit jacket?

For the last two bad interpretations, click here and here...







Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks to Democrats in North Little Rock, Ark., Saturday

– AP Photo/Danny Johnston

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