On the move

We've talked before about using color as a beacon when you're in the middle of a crowd. We got two great examples of this technique over the weekend in outdoor events.

First, Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm running in a road race (the video is a little dark at the start - skip to 0:35):


She wears the same tshirt as the rest of the group, with the race logo on it, but while theirs are burgundy, hers is white. This helps her stand out from the others - although her distinctive blond hair helps too.

We get an even better example from Linda McMahon in a Labor Day parade:


In the middle of a sea of supporters wearing navy blue shirts with her logo on them, the candidate wears a bright green blazer. Not only do we see her right away, there's no question who the leader is here. It's a powerful visual.

How to wear coveralls

The need for coveralls, overalls, lab coats, flight jackets and other protective gear comes up with predictable regularity on the campaign trail and in public office, as candidates and officials visit the industrial drivers that make their districts tick. But there are (visual) risks in covering up your carefully selected outfit with the standard uniform of wherever you are.

Governor Jennifer Granholm shows us how to do it right at an aviation plant recently:

She follows the two basic rules:

1. Don't look naked. You have to wear something underneath your coveralls with a high enough neckline to show above the collar. Otherwise, you'll look like you're naked underneath. Governor Granholm's blouse shows nicely above the collar. (For an example of the "naked" look, see her female aide standing behind her, unfortunately.)
2. Make use of your best colors. Now that your blouse is showing, make sure that it's the right color to complement or counteract the color of the coveralls. In this case, the baby blue is a pretty good color for the Governor starting out. But she pairs it with yellow and green that blends together well with the blue and works for her coloring.

Jennifer Granholm introduces Alan Mulally at NGA

Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan introduced Ford CEO Alan Mulally's remarks at the National Governors Association conference. She wore a red pantsuit:

The red jacket strikes again! The governor does ok with this choice, although I do think red jacket and red pants can be a lot for anyone. She does pull it off, mostly because she's slim. Her best colors are cool and more muted though. We also need to try to ignore the bright yellow lanyard that's covering up her lovely pearls...

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.