Tone on tone success for Collins

Senator Susan Collins was on PBS News Hour last week to talk NSA, causes of the shut down, and bipartisanship. She wore green:

 http://youtu.be/a4YMgiIWUF0


If you were ever looking for a model of good style in the Senate, here she is. This green top and jacket are just the right shade for Senator Collins and the color looks good both under the TV lights and against the pale marble backdrop of the Capitol. Her makeup is tasteful - notice how she has chosen to add color on the cheeks and lips but not the eyes, for balance.

My favorite part of this outfit is the necklace. It hits her first balance point just right, and the shape of the pendant softly echoes the shape of her face. 

Collins in color

Susan Collins testified on air cargo security during a meeting of the Senate Homeland Security Committee.  She wore blue:


There seems to be a bit of "conventional wisdom" floating around that wearing a suit in a color is somehow automatically out of style and looks "dated." I hope this example shows you that isn't true. She looks professional, vibrant and strong amongst her male colleagues.

Summer brights for Senator Collins

You know I almost never gush on this blog. Almost. Well, here. I LOVE this dress that Senator Susan Collins wore for an event at the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens:

But of course in my mission to help you find our own good style, dear readers, I must tell you why.

• Bright color. It's summer. It's an outdoor cultural event. She's speaking to a large group. All of these are elements that practically demand brightly colored clothing.

• The right color. Especially near her face. Royal blue is a great color on the Senator. If this dress used, say the yellow from the skirt as the top, but would be a no-go. (But would look great on, say, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm).

• The right style. A full, multicolored skirt says fun. But the jacket and necklace remind us she's still a US Senator making an official appearance.

Military style to present financial reform

Senator Susan Collins chose a military-inspired look to present her financial reform amendment last week:

This look is successful, even as the senator walks some fine lines. Red, white and blue color combinations can be tricky, but this works because of the proportions and the shades involved - the blue is dark and the white is minimal. The prominent buttons that fit this jacket into the military trend are the focal point - her jewelry is minimal and there are no other accessories.

Just like Maxine Waters yesterday, the key is to keep it simple.

Distracting Accessories: Different causes, similar results

Accessories have a special power for women getting dressed. As we've seen over and over, they can add a much needed accent of color or style, or they can distract so aggressively from our message that we almost can't be heard.

Last week, we saw two examples that were distracting for different reasons.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords slipped up by adding too many accessories in one outfit:

Dangling earrings and chunky necklace and flower brooch and cuff bracelet is definitely too much. [As an aside, she has also changed her hair color and style so significantly since her official portrait was taken that I nearly thought I had misidentified her in the video. The flower brooch, though, has remained the same.]

Meanwhile, Senator Susan Collins made a different but equally distracting choice with this two-strand necklace:

There are two reasons why this necklace is distracting. The first is that the shorter strand is too short for her face shape. The second is that the bold shape of her jacket collar probably requires no necklace at all, or at least one that is more delicate and lighter colored.

With accessories, less is frequently more.

Maybe the Senate women should host a clothing swap

Susan Collins was on John Kind USA last week to discuss the Congressional investigation into the Fort Hood massacre. She wore a lilac skirt suit:


I like the style and the structure of this suit on Senator Collins, but the color isn't flattering on her. She does much better in strong, bold colors like red, as we've seen before. In fact, the first thing I thought when I saw this clip is that this suit would look so much better on Senator Mary Landrieu.

Cokie Roberts recently hosted a panel on the history of women in the Senate, where Susan Collins and some of her female colleagues from both sides of the aisle shared their experiences (definitely worth watching). With all the cooperative feeling on life in the Senate, maybe they should host a clothing swap. Senator Collins's suit could go to Senator Landrieu, Senator Landrieu's red suit could go to Senator Collins, everyone could stage an intervention about Senator Murkowski's insistence on wearing pink. It could be fun!

The Red Jacket: Senate success stories

We've talked before about how so many women in politics choose bright red structured jackets because of this myth that this is what you're "supposed" to wear as a female politician, even if it's not the best look for you. But sometimes it is the best look for you, or you can adapt the look to make it work. There were two great example of this in the Senate last week.

First, let's look at Susan Collins during a budget hearing for the Department of Transportation:

Senator Collins went for the classic red jacket look. This warm red color works for her coloring, and she wears it frequently. She stands out behind her microphone, even with the staffer in a busy print behind her. The important thing to remember here is that this jacket works for her. The same exact outfit on someone else might not.

Now let's have a look at Claire McCaskill in a floor speech on discretionary spending:

Senator McCaskill has made modifications to the classic red jacket look. She went for a jacket that is longer and unlined, making it less structured, and layered it over a darker red print top. The length of the jacket and the color variation both help to create a longer body line. Try to imagine Senator Collins's jacket on Senator McCaskill. Doesn't really work, does it? So much structure would make her look boxy.

Don't ever imagine that you "can't" wear a particular color or style or fabric. You just have to find the right shade, the right combinations, the right pieces to make it work for you.