Hillary Trying too Hard in Red (Mirror Image)

Hillary Trying too Hard in Red

I'm not anti-Hillary Clinton. Up until now, I haven't been particularly interested in Clinton's wardrobe even as she elbows her way into my consciousness on her campaign to become the Democratic Presidential nominee (And more importantly, the first woman with a real chance to win.) But as the camera panned through the audience during Monday night's State of the Union Address, try as I might, I couldn't miss Clinton's boringly cut, fire engine-red pantsuit. Doth this lady try too hard! Since the days of Nancy Reagan, red has traditonally been the color of the First Lady. In fact, Laura Bush wore red last night and flanked between her daughters, Barbara and Jenna - known in the fashion world as designer Zac Posen's biggest fans - Bush appeared regal and supportive of her husband. In contrast, Clinton - who I don't remember to be a fan of red when she was The First Lady - appeared tacky and loud. After her big loss in South Carolina this weekend, it felt like Clinton was announcing: "Look at me, I'm still in the race!" She wanted to be seen in the sea of navy and black business suits.

While I'm not a fan of pastels in the dead of winter, I have to say that Nancy Pelosi's tailored lavender option was a much better choice. The lines were clean. The suit was classy. She looked quietly confident. It's true as the first viable woman candidate with a shot at the Oval Office, Clinton has a huge cross to bear. How exactly does a the first woman President of the United States dress? Not like this. Monday night's red suit was the wardrobe choice of someone crying for attention, rather than cooly running for the highest office in the land.

Posted by Elizabeth Wellington on January 29, 2008 1:56 PM | Permalink

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Comments (1)

gerri boyle:

I,too, saw Hillary Clinton at the State of the Union Address. I thought she looked striking in her red surrounded by the dull, dark suits of her male counterparts. If she were a he no one would have mentioned what she was wearing. You, as a woman, should be sensitive to that. I guess we know whom you are backing in the Democratic race for President!

Posted by gerri boyle | January 30, 2008 10:25 PM

Posted on January 30, 2008 22:25

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The Mirror Image team consists of Inquirer and philly.com writers with a passion for fashion and an eye for the trends. We live to shop and shop to live, but always appreciate a good sale. We know that “What I am going to wear?” is a serious question, possibly requiring consultation and multiple outfit changes. We believe beauty treatments can be a necessity instead of a luxury, and consider awards shows required viewing. Above all, we strive to bring style into our daily lives – and have fun telling others about it.

Contributor Elizabeth Wellington has been the Inquirer's Fashion Reporter since 2003 and writes the Mirror, Mirror column for the Sunday Image section. She is a bargain shopper who hates buying pants and rarely meets a dress she doesn’t like.

Contributor Chris Gray is the editor of the Image section, and has been a reporter and editor at the Inquirer since 2001. She believes you are never too tall for heels and considers text messaging a vital form of communication.

Contributor Karen Heller covered fashion for several years, nationally and regionally, and has an enduring interest in style and fashion. A finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in commentary, she reports on popular culture. Her column appears in the Wednesday Daily Magazine.

Contributor Kristen Graham is a Philly.com producer and columnist. She is still recovering from her mother dressing her in homemade cotton plaid bell-bottoms as a toddler, and regards religious Project Runway and What Not To Wear watching as the only way to make amends.

Contributor Jodie Chester Lowe is a Philly.com Entertainment producer and a member of the Great Expectations project team. By college, she knew she needed to expand her wardrobe beyond casual shirts and jeans. She’s branched out with the tops, but denim still gets its own drawer (or two) in her dresser.

Contributor Ellen Dunkel is the Philly.com Entertainment channel manager. She was almost literally born to shop, having grown up in Paramus, N.J., the No. 2 ZIP code in the United States for retail sales. She often serves as a personal shopper for family members who are missing the fashion gene.

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on January 29, 2008 1:56 PM.

The previous post in this blog was Red Carpet Faves .

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