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

Bunnies and parakeets, oh my

Michael Chertoff wore a bunny (and gopher?) necktie, similar to John Kerry's parakeets and palms tie, at a news conference at Washington's Reagan National Airport yesterday and it just rubs me the wrong way. The likely Vineyard Vines choice seems completely inappropriate to wear to work at a secretary-level, especially when talking about flight-safety procedures at a press conference you called. The yellow is a good color for him, though, as it balances out his skin tone and (maybe?) softens his facial structure.

– AP Photo/Dennis Cook

Rethinking the bracelet: Pin, set, match

While watching Fox News Sunday this morning with my boyfriend, he pointed out the fact that Fred Barnes was wearing a teal plastic bracelet (probably for prostate cancer, though a google search didn't show any correlation), and I thought about my posting again. So I don't really have any problem with the idea of the bracelets, I mean they're ugly, but that's not really my issue here. It's about wearing them with business suits - it just doesn't really work. I think the much more appropriate item to wear would be a lapel pin, or even a tie tack, or even both! in the shape of the cancer ribbon. Everyone's been wearing the American flag pin to show their patriotism, but you can even combine the two (see pin at left). This is a much more classy option for political figures who want to express their cause.

– AP

Livestrong trend die hard

So after I saw the photo of Tony Snow (see previous entry) and then after I came across this pic of FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach testifying on Capitol Hill (nice cuff links, just ditch the yellower-than-now bracelet), I wondered: When did it become OK to wear these so-2004 plastic bracelets with professional attire. And I secretly want to know which causes these men are supporting. I guess it's just me... Anybody else have an opinion - or more importantly, know what the bracelet says?

– AP Photo/Lauren Victoria Burke

****UPDATE****
After some Googling, I discovered that the White House press office handed out yellow bracelets to reporters in May that say "Tony Snow," who was just overcoming cancer himself. I am assuming now that he is wearing a bracelet with his name on it - like an ID tag, just plastically delicious.

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...

If you can own it, do it

Again, not really on topic, but I guess it could be tied to politics if you remember this incident. Thanks to the boys over at Yeas & Neas for staying on their fashion game.

Celebrity chef Mario Batali dined at Ceviche in Silver Spring on Thursday ... clad in bright-yellow socks and orange Crocs.

I know it's his signature look, but I thought it was just a publicity thing on the show and book covers, not in real life. I guess if you're on your feet all day you can get away with it?

To read about what he ordered and who he was with, click here....

What a Croc contest!

Bill Press of "The Bill Press Show" (creative!) posted a pic of President Bush wearing a pair of Crocs - you know those terribly-ugly-but- everyone-claims-they're- soooo-comfortable plastic clogs - and is asking for creative captions. He's gotten what seems like more than a hundred.

Here are some of my favorite so far:

• "Funding the Iraq War has taken it’s toll on the President’s wardrobe allowance.”
• "Having just eluded the fashion police, Dubya vows never to take fashion tips from Condi Rice again.”
• "Well, uh, Laura ain’t caught up on the laundry yet.”
• "I have these socks so everyone can tell I’m the Prezedent.”
• "With these Crocs and socks, I’ll bet ya didn’t even notice my Barney hat…did ya? Heh, heh, heh…”
• "These are my INTELLIGENCE shoes…see the leaks?”
• "Breaking News: Cheap watch maker Timex to join with cheap shoe maker Crocs in major joint advertising campaign. This planned media surge will promote the exciting new “Presidential Business Casual” look. After the break… Walmart introducing new presidential seal undershorts and matching socks line!”

To see all of the posts or to post your own, click here...

– Courtesy of (must I say it?) Anne Schroeder/politico.com

The Political Face of Fashion

D.C. Style has uncovered Italian Gattinoni's latest collection, inspired somehow by Nancy Pelosi. (The mag-turned-blog pretends she has some style, but that's not a funny joke.) I recommend these as a conversation starter by talking about them, not wearing them, but to each their own.

Fashion has always been a little taboo in politics. Noting the Capitol Hill uniform of the sober power suit accented (only minimally) by a power tie, its clear that understated style is the norm in the world of political correctness. While some say that the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, is merely thinking outside the box with her colorful wardrobe choices, her so-called fashion statement falls short of select pieces from an Italian designer's spring/summer 2007 line.

Enter Gattinoni, who has taken Pelosi's idea and run with it. The Italian's current collection features pieces with some of the world's most influential women printed on them.

What's that, you don’t have a thing to wear to the Democratic or Republican debates? Try donning an elegant frock with Condoleezza Rice’s face on it. Fund-raising fete later in the week? Perhaps a color-block portrait of Hillary Clinton on your skirt is more your style.

If you're not well versed in all things political, jarringly pop-art piece of couture will serve as a conversation piece at least.

To see the article, click here...