It isn't summer yet

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito made remarks on the House floor this week about Energy Department funding. She wore a tangerine blazer and a black top:

This color is unexpected for a professional setting, and mostly distracting, especially in the middle of winter. Bright pastels, when appropriate at all, are typically a summer look. It's also tough to pair such a light pastel color with a harsh, solid black layer underneath.

Go nude

Senator Kay Hagan appeared on local television in her home state of North Carolina recently to discuss job creation. She wore her signature color, red:

The senator chose to pair this true red suit with opaque black hose. Although opaque hose are usually recommended for daytime instead of sheer ones, the black and red contrast really sharply here. It makes the legs look heavy and the suit look like it might be out of season. If ever there were an instance for "nude" hose, this was it.

I know some women of the younger generation find the mere mention of nude hose anathema, but I hope here you can see how the senator would have benefited from a sheer leg covering in a color close to her skin tone. It would actually be much more natural looking.

Trend on trend

Rep. Mary Bono Mack made a House floor speech last week on labor contract regulations for federal projects. She wore a black cardigan with a belt:

This look represents an excellent example of translating current trends into a professional look. Sticking to a neutral color palette has allowed her to add multiple other elements to the outfit without being too busy: a wide belt, a print blouse, and layered necklaces. She has also placed her House lapel pin in the position of a brooch, higher up on the shoulder, which integrates in into the look as naturally as it would be on the lapel of a man's suit.

Is blue the new pink?

Rep. Michele Bachmann's remarks opened the CPAC conference last week. She wore a blue suit:

We have increasingly seen Ms. Bachmann appearing in these buttoned up silhouettes and shades of blue. Could her signature pink cardigans and girly accessories officially be a thing of the past? She certainly looks like the major player here that her position on the docket implies. It's certainly a far cry from the playful, colorful look she was sporting on the campaign trail with Sarah Palin.

Longer isn't leaner

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers appeared on ABC News last week to discuss Congressional spending. She wore navy blue:

The Congresswoman paired this jacket with a cowl neck blouse and a long necklace. The neckline of the blouse is just right, meeting her first balance point nicely after her new hairstyle. But the necklace is very distracting. Not only does it drag well below the best length for her face, it competes with the detail that the cowl neckline of the blouse already adds to the outfit. I would skip it, especially with the dangling earrings.

Many women gravitate towards long necklaces and scarves post-pregnancy, feeling self-conscious around the midsection. But it's worth remembering - if you weren't tall enough or bohemian enough to carry off these accessories before, your baby hasn't changed that. Long necklaces, like black, can be "slimming," but not automatically.