It isn't summer yet

Rep. Shelley Moore Capito made remarks on the House floor this week about Energy Department funding. She wore a tangerine blazer and a black top:

This color is unexpected for a professional setting, and mostly distracting, especially in the middle of winter. Bright pastels, when appropriate at all, are typically a summer look. It's also tough to pair such a light pastel color with a harsh, solid black layer underneath.

Go nude

Senator Kay Hagan appeared on local television in her home state of North Carolina recently to discuss job creation. She wore her signature color, red:

The senator chose to pair this true red suit with opaque black hose. Although opaque hose are usually recommended for daytime instead of sheer ones, the black and red contrast really sharply here. It makes the legs look heavy and the suit look like it might be out of season. If ever there were an instance for "nude" hose, this was it.

I know some women of the younger generation find the mere mention of nude hose anathema, but I hope here you can see how the senator would have benefited from a sheer leg covering in a color close to her skin tone. It would actually be much more natural looking.

Trend on trend

Rep. Mary Bono Mack made a House floor speech last week on labor contract regulations for federal projects. She wore a black cardigan with a belt:

This look represents an excellent example of translating current trends into a professional look. Sticking to a neutral color palette has allowed her to add multiple other elements to the outfit without being too busy: a wide belt, a print blouse, and layered necklaces. She has also placed her House lapel pin in the position of a brooch, higher up on the shoulder, which integrates in into the look as naturally as it would be on the lapel of a man's suit.

Is blue the new pink?

Rep. Michele Bachmann's remarks opened the CPAC conference last week. She wore a blue suit:

We have increasingly seen Ms. Bachmann appearing in these buttoned up silhouettes and shades of blue. Could her signature pink cardigans and girly accessories officially be a thing of the past? She certainly looks like the major player here that her position on the docket implies. It's certainly a far cry from the playful, colorful look she was sporting on the campaign trail with Sarah Palin.

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.

Small change, big impact

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is sporting a new hairstyle. Check it out in the this video message about Baltimore's mentoring program:

This shorter cut looks great on her.  It's neat and it highlights her cheekbones. Her jewelry also works really well here. She's wearing multiple necklaces in different styles, but she has scaled down the size from previous looks, delivering a more professional effect.

All very good. Is Mayor Rawlings-Blake reading Style of Politics???

Who's that lady?

Did you catch Michele Bachmann on Face the Nation this week? You could be excused if you didn't recognize her:

This look represents a continuation of the more businesslike image she began projecting this fall. Gone are the flip hairstyle and piles of dangling jewelry that have been her hallmark for "friendly" appearances on Fox News. For the network news magazine, her image is sober, serious and down to business. This lady knows what she's doing.

"You would have thought I was walking on the moon."

Today, Barbara Mikulski becomes the longest serving female senator in US History.

Senator Byrd had to "check" the Senate rules before allowing her on the Senate floor while wearing pants in 1988.  My.

Pumping up the volume

If you saw yesterday's Republican Committee Chair debate, then you saw Ann Wagner discuss her candidacy. Please take note of her hairstyle:

I'm all for volume, I really am. But there is too much of a good thing here for Ms. Wagner. It's easy to do. You're working with a round brush and a blowdryer, and suddenly you've gone overboard with the hairspray and you end up with a heart shaped confection instead of individual strands of hair.

It's worth considering, especially in dry winter air, whether you really need as much hold as your favorite styling products provide. Flexibility is key to a natural look.

Wait it out

Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller gave remarks on the new START treaty last week. She wore a red jacket:

This brick red color works for her, but the proportions are off. The wide collar and chunky jewelry are out of proportion with her closely cropped hairstyle.

Considering her facial features, I would recommend a somewhat longer hairstyle, just to give some volume, particularly on the sides. Waiting longer between haircuts might well do the trick.

When the best is nothing at all

Amy Klobuchar's recent video on food safety gives us a great view of her choice in glasses:

Glasses with bold frames are a popular fashion choice right now, but for Senator Klobuchar, this rimless pair is a win. They allow us to see as much of her eyes as possible, which is important since her eyes are a bit smaller in proportion to her face.

New accessories, new look

When the 9/11 Health and Compensation Act came around again last week, Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor. She wore a red dress with a scarf:


Do you recognize her dress? I bet you don't. We saw her wear this dress with one of her signature large bead necklaces earlier in 2010.  But the scarf gives the dress a whole new life, creating a different focal point for the outfit and introducing several new colors into her palette.