Classic leather

The House approved the Working Families Flexibility Act on May 8. For a press conference the day before, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers wore a leather jacket: http://youtu.be/gVmkmlH0q5o



A leather jacket can send many different messages, depending on the style. Sarah Palin made it tough-but-feminine, Rosa DeLauro made it quirky.

In this example, Rep. McMorris Rodgers goes for an updated classic. The blazer style with buttons (as opposed to a motorcycle style with a lot of zippers) sends a preppy message, and the rich brown color is much softer than black but not as conspicuous as pink or red.

If you try this look, remember: simple shoes and a soft layer underneath.

Soft but strong

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers took on the medical device tax issue at the Republican House press conference last week. She wore a silk blazer: http://youtu.be/Q4Qfp_XX0uw

The color, fabric and style of this jacket ensure that there's no risk of confusing it with something a man would wear. But this is still a look of clear strength.  Here's why: it's fitted, but not tight, and the whole look is streamlined, with no accessories or jewelry and a very carefully coiffed hairstyle.

Print power

Last week, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers contributed to the Republican House leadership weekly press conference, as she often does. She wore a black and cream print jacket:

As we discussed before. prints can be challenging to wear simply because the print must be just right or it can go all wrong. Here's why this one works:

• The smooth edges of the print compliment the sleek, smooth lines of her bob hairstyle.
• The robust cream color (instead of more common stark white) warms up the color palette and takes the edge off the color contrast.
• The print is varied, abstract, and in proportion to her features, which keeps it from drawing too much attention.

Longer isn't leaner

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers appeared on ABC News last week to discuss Congressional spending. She wore navy blue:

The Congresswoman paired this jacket with a cowl neck blouse and a long necklace. The neckline of the blouse is just right, meeting her first balance point nicely after her new hairstyle. But the necklace is very distracting. Not only does it drag well below the best length for her face, it competes with the detail that the cowl neckline of the blouse already adds to the outfit. I would skip it, especially with the dangling earrings.

Many women gravitate towards long necklaces and scarves post-pregnancy, feeling self-conscious around the midsection. But it's worth remembering - if you weren't tall enough or bohemian enough to carry off these accessories before, your baby hasn't changed that. Long necklaces, like black, can be "slimming," but not automatically.

The Pledge to America does not include ties

The Republican House leadership held a press conference in Virginia to announce their new policy agenda: "A Pledge to America." Perhaps you've heard of it? The group included three women, but it was the way the men were dressed that was striking: Not a single one of them wore a tie.  Have a look:

The no tie-open collar-sleeves rolled up look is well known on the campaign trail, often in town hall style events. It connotes ease, relatability and a readiness to roll up his sleeves and get to work (get it?). But seeing it here en masse looks a bit odd, not unlike if they were all wearing the exact same tie. Of course, they're not all identical. Some shirts are white, some are blue, some are blue plaid. A few opted for jackets. Rep. Jeb Hensarling wore a red polo shirt that looks like it perhaps was laundered one too many times - a bit too informal in comparison to the others.

But not one, not even the leader Rep. John Boehner, opted for a tie. And that's why it looks weird. They had to have coordinated their outfits. Either way in advance, or right before, urging those with ties to take them off. And how do I know that it's not just a coincidence? Because the women are a lot more dressed up. Rep. Shelley Moore Capito and Rep. Marsha Blackburn are wearing suits with button down shirts and plenty of jewelry. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, sporting a baby bump, went for a soft jacket and bold jewelry. All three of these women are leaders in their party and appear regularly at press conferences like this one. They know what's going on. But odds are, they didn't get the no-tie memo because none of them would literally wear a tie, so they were left without information about how to dress in line with their colleagues.

I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I'm really not. But come on, Blackburn shows up in a full suit and heels and not one of those guys wears a tie? I'm not buying it.

Maternity in the Capitol

This week Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers announced that she is expecting her second child in December. She did not mention during this floor speech last week commemorating the 20th anniversary of the ADA:


When I saw the pregnancy announcement, I immediately thought that it may be challenging for her to figure out what to wear, for two reasons:

1. Her only role model for maternity-wear in Congress is....herself, from her last pregnancy two years ago.
2. She's a pretty stylish lady, as we've seen on this blog, so I suspect she won't be easily satisfied with a Bella Band and some big sweaters.

What to wear? Neutral colors are a good bet, especially for fall. They allow the clothes to be worn over and over in a short period of time without looking strange. Black isn't great on her, so I would recommend medium grays and navy blues. Interesting jewelry keeps the outfits from looking boring:

Motherhood in Congress by StyleofPolitics featuring Isabella Oliver maternity

Who says white can't be tough? Part 2.

A few weeks ago, we saw Senator Mary Landrieu make a strong, bold use of white with a tone on tone outfit. This time, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers cuts a tough image using an opposite strategy - sharp contrast.

By pairing this white blazer with a cool slate gray shirt and red double strand necklace, she suggests the flags behind her without overtly depicting them. This look is immaculate and she's clearly ready for whatever legislative battles lie ahead.

Cathy McMorris Rodgers takes on too much, too soon

Cathy McMorris Rodgers spoke at a Republican press conference this week on earmark reform legislation. She wore a tweed jacket with a purple blouse:

The Congresswoman has put together a fashion forward look that would be pretty successful in another context. But for a Hill press conference, this is a case of too much, too soon. A bold color (purple) AND pattern (black and white) AND texture (tweed) AND an unusual jacket silhouette (no collar, cropped sleeve) adds up to a look that is too far outside mainstream business attire to be truly effective. The visual juxtaposition of her standing between two male colleagues in solid suits, white shirts and blue ties is a strong one, and she doesn't come out ahead. She would have been better served by a plain white blouse here.

McMorris Rodgers vs. Schwartz: Trendy vs. Old School

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the level of formality in what women in the House were wearing during the health care debate varied widely. At no time was the variety more pronounced than when Allyson Schwartz spoke right after Cathy McMorris Rodgers. Here they are:

Rep. McMorris Rodgers is on this spring's military trend. It's a cool look, but the relaxed fit and cotton fabric of the jacket combined with the loosely tied scarf make it rather casual for the House floor. Maybe on a regular session day, but this was a big, high profile day, so I would have gone for something with more structure in a more powerful color.

Rep. Allyson Schwartz went in the opposite direction, both ideologically and with her look. Here we see the classic red jacket, gold necklace and carefully coiffed hair. She wore this with black pants, which kept the overall look more businesslike - had she gone for the matching red skirt and pumps, we might have thought she wandered in from an anniversary party instead of coming deliberately to work. I still think the overall effect is more dressy than professional, but not bad.

At least no one was wearing blue eyeshadow. Oh wait, that's tomorrow's topic!