Saturday, November 14, 2009

What to Wear When You Run for Political Office in CA

The upcoming gubernatorial and senate races in California will be interesting to watch from the perspective of how women political candidates dress. What these women wear sets the tone for their campaigns and for women in business. We have not come as far as we think as it is still all about the suit.

Barbara Boxer has some nice red ones, but who can forget the shimmering salmon "cocktail" suit Carly Fiorina wore at the GOP Convention. I think these two women will up the ante as their campaigns progress and we should expect to at least see more colorful suits. Would either candidate dare to put on a dress?

Meg Whitman, on the other hand, using her signature style of man-tailored suits and dress shirts, and competing against men, is at the opposite end of the spectrum. I think her brand as a brilliant CEO is well-established and she can afford to be both powerful and feminine.

Can I be so presumptious as to offer her a Hallet Sweater Art statement sweater to wear with black slacks instead of her iconic denim work shirt, high waisted khaki's and penny loafers?
"We Dress You in Business Class"

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Quite a provocative blog. I too wonder what female politicians will contribute to the professional fashion pallet. Simply changing the color would make an enormous difference. It seems that glaring red is the ubiquitous color of choice among our congresswomen—at least during any televised sessions. It's easy to spot the red uniform when viewing any joint sessions. Too bad those who are already elected don't expand on this issue, but the same might not be said for those still on the stump.
janpan