A shade too far

We've seen Connecticut Senate candidate Linda McMahon use bright color to great effect in the past. But check out this latest campaign ad:

This iris color is perhaps a bit too bright. She practically glows, probably in part because of the strong reflective lighting at this event. She does stand out against the crowd, but she could have accomplished the same goal with a classic red.

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.

Using the Red Jacket for contrast

Senate candidate Linda McMahon's recent campaign ad pokes fun at her job as the CEO of the WWE, and she uses her clothes to add to the effect:

She wears the iconic red jacket, in a particularly iconic style - the collar and bracelet length sleeves strongly channel Jackie O, which reads as the epitome of femininity. But there's even more going on here. Her chain link choker length necklace adds a toughness to her look, just as she shows "toughness" standing up to the wrestlers in the interspersed clips. Each element of her appearance is feeding back in to the message she's trying to send. Very effective.

Linda McMahon on her run for Senate

Linda McMahon appeared on local television last week to discuss her run for Senate this year. She wore boots!

Knee-high boots don't always work for a professional look, but in this case they do. First, they're brown, which is a bit less harsh than black. Secondly, her complete outfit is demure and not too formal. The autumn color palette keeps each element - dress, sweater, and boots - pulled together. The length of her skirt is so important here. If you sit down on the couch, it's important that your entire thigh is covered, lest you be mistaken for a starlet on Letterman.

I wish the boots fit her a little bit better, to avoid that bunching around the ankle, but overall this is a very effective outfit. If you remember all the, um, attention Condoleezza Rice got for wearing knee high boots a few years ago, I can understand if you're hesitant to try this, but you really can do it!