Subtle sparkle

Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero led a panel discussion earlier this week for LGBT Pride Month.

She wore magenta:


This deep, clear, cool color is perfect for Ms. Otero's olive skin tone. But what I like best about this jacket is the very subtle sparkle it has, courtesy of some silver threads woven in to it. They add dimension and sophistication to the look, without crossing the line into evening wear (which is always a risk when you add shine or sparkle).

Maria Otero on World Water Day

March 22 was World Water Day. Undersecretary of State Maria Otero gave a special briefing. She wore a printed, beaded jacket:

I can see how this jacket was a good idea in theory. Sort of. But there are a lot of problems with this. The pattern is just too large and there's too much space between the flowers to use it on a jacket - we never see an entire flower except on the side of the sleeve. It starts to look like a mistake, like the jacket was supposed to be made out of something else, but they used this fabric instead.

But even if the pattern were smaller, the color palette and the style of the print just aren't appropriate for business attire. At least not on a jacket. On a blouse, maybe. Or a scarf. Just not a jacket.