Blue on Labor Day

It's Labor Day - a day of rest for most of us, and a day of casual clothes. For her Labor Day address, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson chose a cotton blazer:

This cornflower blue works for her, although the epaulettes are adding an unnecessary distraction on what is already a busy outfit. And while Labor Day is casual, the setting of this video is not - cotton jackets and leather bound books don't go that well together. Too bad they couldn't find a bit more relaxed spot for this one.

Wardrobe versatility

Are you a new employee at the EPA? Because if you are, you may have seen this message from Administrator Lisa P. Jackson:


For this appearance, Ms. Jackson chose a white jacket and a black top with a very unusual neckline. It features a keyhole opening in the center, with a metal and fabric chain that goes up around her neck, presumably like a halter. Technically, there's nothing wrong with this top. It doesn't show too much skin or cut to low and reveal cleavage.

But the feeling of it, the spirit of it is sexy. The whole idea of a keyhole is to reveal a little bit of skin for the purpose of suggesting more skin. The chain going from her neckline up around her neck all attached demands visual attention that makes you wonder how it works, and how she got it on this morning. A regular top with a regular necklace doesn't do that, even though the lines are very similar. I wouldn't recommend it.

All about the bangs

This is National Public Health Week, and EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson recorded a message:

Ms. Jackson has kept a short hairstyle since we first saw her on camera for the EPA, but this is a new style that is shorter on the sides and longer on the top. It's a chic look for her, adding height on the top and elongating her face with long bangs.

Short sleeves are short sleeves, not long sleeves

I don't want to keep calling out EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. I really don't. But she could do so much better. She recently wore a short sleeve jacket with a long sleeve blouse for a speech on energy independence:

First of all, don't wear long sleeves under short sleeves. I can't think of a (non-casual) outfit where this looks good. All this cream also does nothing for her. Beige clothes and beige backdrop quickly comes to equal beige face.

This is not to say that she can't wear white. Or short sleeve jackets. Or feminine details. She just needs to try doing them in a different way. For example:

Short sleeves for summer by StyleofPolitics featuring Alexander McQueen accessories

Here we have saturated color near her face, white on the skirt, a short sleeve linen jacket (with a slightly longer sleeve to smooth out the arm), and feminine embellishment all over.

Ms. Jackson isn't my client, but I hope she's listening.

On the waterfront, but too casual

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson has run into some trouble again with her clothing choices for a public appearance. She made remarks outdoors on the EPA strategy for the Chesapeake Bay watershed:

Ms. Jackson did make a good choice of color here. Chartreuse is not for everyone, but her coloring takes it well. DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton is a fan of this color too.

The color is the best part of this jacket. This style of jacket is far too casual to begin with - flap pockets, shank buttons and cotton fabric are all hallmarks of a traditional denim jacket, which is one of the most casual garments you can wear out of the house. The contrast of the style with the suits and ties of men in the background robs her of the gravitas she should have in this situation.

The style of the jacket also demands to be worn unbuttoned, which makes her look much wider in the torso than she actually is. The wide ribbed texture of the shell she's wearing underneath amplifies that effect even further.

Here's what I would have chosen for her instead:

Chesapeake Bay Watershed by StyleofPolitics featuring 3.1 Phillip Lim dresses

I suspect that part of the reason Ms. Jackson errs on the side of too casual sometimes is a desire for simplicity in dressing, so this outfit keeps to a minimal number of individual pieces. She also usually gravitates to feminine items. So a dress with a jacket is a great choice. The fly stick pin is a nice nod to the setting, too. A white jacket on television? Being outdoors means natural light, which won't cause the reflectivity problems that incandescent light indoors would.

EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson on greenhouse gases

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson gave a press conference on greenhouse gases and climate change. She wore a silk blouse under her suit:

In general, I'm a great fan of pairing a silk blouse under a suit, even one with some sheen to it, like this one. But I think Ms. Jackson has a combination of wardrobe factors going on here that have conspired to create a look that is pretty, but perhaps not as professional as it could be. As I said, shiny silk is fine. A little bit of ruffle is fine. Together, probably still ok for the office, but not on the day you're giving a press conference.

There is a similar situation with her jewelry. Big hoop earrings (of good quality) are fine. A stylized cross is fine, on a rope instead of a chain, probably also acceptable at work, but not on camera.

Ms. Jackson has a great hairstyle. Very short looks can be work to maintain in terms of the frequency of the cut, especially when keeping your look consistent is important. In this video, I would guess that it was just cut, within a week or so, and probably looked even better a week or two after this. But short cuts can be great on women with straight hair and fuller faces. The very short bangs help keep this style looking current and youthful.

We know grooming is important, but there is such a thing as an over groomed eyebrow. Ms. Jackson might do well to back off the tweezers a little here and maybe even add some brow powder to her makeup bag.