Jennifer Granholm discusses job creation on CNN

Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm appeared on CNN to discuss job creation and the State of the Union address. She wore a navy blue blazer and a striped shirt:

Look carefully at the shirt. It has square buttons that are off center and diagonal piping along the edge. These are nice feminine touches, but they aren't enough too keep this outfit from looking rather masculine. Same thing with the pearl earrings - they are too small to have the desired effect. A brooch could have warmed up the blazer, or the same shirt in a different color would have looked less like menswear.

Her makeup is warm and colorful, so no one is going to mistake the governor for her brother, but I'm concerned that this look overall makes her look too young - like an intern who doesn't have a good wardrobe of "work clothes" yet.

Carly Fiorina reacts to the State of the Union

Senate candidate Carly Fiorina broadcast her reaction to the President's State of the Union address. She wore gray:

This medium gray looks good on most people, and Ms. Fiorina does well to compliment the nature shade of her hair. The best part of this video, though, is her makeup. Violet eyeshadow shades like this are usually a good choice on brown eyes, especially with cool hair colors. Soft powdered eyeliner and natural mascara also draw us to her eyes without distracting us. The rest of the face has a natural look - smooth, even foundation, minimal blush and a soft rose lipstick.

Tape up a screen shot next to your makeup mirror, ladies. This is the way to do it.

Senator Landrieu discusses Charity Hospital arbitration

Senator Landrieu discussed the federal arbitration award of damages to Charity Hospital last week. She wore a blue blazer with a scarf:

I think (I hope) by now you already know what I'm going to say. The pattern of this scarf is extremely distracting. We look right at the dots on the scarf first - before her face, before anything else. And even when we look at her face, our gaze is still drawn back to the scarf. The colors are nice on her, but to say this pattern overwhelms her is an understatement. There is also the unfortunate clash between the pattern of her scarf and the pattern of the chair she's sitting on. Seeing that chair should have been a sign to ditch the scarf. Or at least tie it up or something. Please.

Eleanor Holmes Norton reacts to Harry Reid's remarks

Eleanor Holmes Norton was on a local news affiliate to discuss Harry Reid's remarks on Strom Thurmond. She wore pants:

This is a great suit. The shorter length of the pants looks elegant and feminine. If you ever wondered whether dark colored pant suits are "too masculine" to wear for a public appearance, this should answer your question.

Ms. Norton famously keeps her hair quite short, which is well balanced by bold jewelry and bright colors. She might consider a slightly stronger eyebrow color, though, considering that she also wears glasses.

What to wear to the State of the Union

Sorry for the long delay in posting, all. Even bloggers go on vacation (or this one does, at least).

The Cut, New York Magazine's fashion blog, has something to tell us about what to wear to the State of the Union. Hint: not yellow.

Loretta Sanchez on flu prevention

Representative Loretta Sanchez filmed a public service announcement on flu prevention for the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. She wore cream:

Shades of white are not usually recommended for television, and this clip show us why. Her jacket seems to glow a bit, appearing much brighter than her skin or her face. It also pops out the highlight color of her eyeshadow in a way that isn't intended. See how we end up looking above her eyes instead of at them? She would also benefit from some brow filler and less activity with the tweezers. A more even shape to her brows would bring our focus back to her eyes.

Lisa Murkowski: A color comparison

Senator Lisa Murkowski keeps a lot of color in her wardrobe. Let's look at two examples. First, a press conference by Senate Republicans on EPA regulations. She wore fuschia and black:

The style of this jacket is a good one for her, but this saturated color has clearly overwhelmed her delicate natural coloring. We see her jacket first and second and maybe third, and then we see her face, and then we see that her hair looks a bit washed out.

Now let's have a look at her floor speech on health care. She wore black again, but with a round neckline, and this time paired with a pale aqua blue jacket:
This color works so much better for her. We see her face first and her jacket later. It also gives the warmth back to her haircolor.