For either one, a victory would be a history-making first.
We’re not talking about the first black head coaches in the Super Bowl (in this breath, anyway).
We’re talking about the 2008 election and New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, 59, who would be the first woman president if she won, and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, 45, who would be the first African-American if he did.
It’s early. Indicating only that they will consider a bid, each has formed a presidential exploratory committee in the last two weeks, along with a lesser known Democrat, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who would be the first Hispanic president.
And these three aren’t the only potential contenders in the election. Fellow Democrat and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards made his committee announcement a few weeks ago in jeans at a New Orleans hurricane cleanup site.
Counting Republicans such as Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas, who also announced a committee last weekend, the field of prospects for commander in chief has grown into the teens.
But Clinton and Obama already are considered the front-runners for the Democratic nomination–in an election for which their party has especially high hopes. Which means they face special scrutiny as they begin to walk the line between standing apart and fitting in.
So we at Q Style decided to form our own independent presidential exploratory committee to critique how these two candidates used–or didn’t use–style to help communicate their substance as they announced their committees’ formation.
Our cabinet: William Kissel, contributing fashion editor to the Robb Report luxury magazine; Elena Castaneda, proprietor of New York Image Consultant Co.; Sonny Balani, owner of the custom shop Balani Clothiers in Chicago; and, for a whimsical take on that all-important accessory–hair–Nick Arrojo. He’s a celebrity stylist who will be at the Chicago Midwest Beauty Show on March 4 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont.
Barack Obama
Kissel: He has the perfect lean physique for modern plain-front slacks and form-fitting handmade Neapolitan tailored clothing, yet he leans toward sack suits and slacks with double inverted pleats that would make any man look as if he’s carrying a wide load. He also favors loose, billowy shirts that often look too large. The suit he wore to announce his presidential candidacy online was tasteful, but without a tie, it just looked sloppy. If he wanted to look sporty, a nicely tailored sport coat worn over a knitted polo would have been more pleasing and presidential.
Castaneda: I would have played it safe and gone with a tie. But if the Internet was the venue and they’re trying to appeal to a younger audience, maybe that was a better choice.
Balani: Good balance of casual feel to identify with the public, yet still maintains an air of sophistication. Most important, he looks comfortable. If someone tries to “pull off a look,” the public sees right through it. But, due to his younger age, he needs to invoke a powerful, refined suit-and-tie look to show he can lead the country.
Arrojo: A smart casual look to make him personable to the public . . . but don’t be afraid to grow the fro!
Hillary Clinton
Kissel: Her dark pant suits and cable knit sweaters scream high school principal, which is a person of authority and exactly how Clinton wants to be perceived. Clinton wants to make it clear from the get-go that she has the power to lead America down a different path. The red jacket’s broad, peaked shoulders also send a message that Clinton shares the strength of those men who have worn suits tailored on London’s Savile Row for decades.
Castaneda: She could be more stylish. But that could distract. The red jacket did give her a lot of life and drove attention to her. [With the dark suit] I would recommend a thinner sweater–it looks like she folded the cuff over, which doesn’t look as polished–and a shoe with a thicker heel and a higher vamp. I don’t mind a pump with a wider-leg pant, but with a straighter leg, she should have a different shoe. But the dark stocking makes it look like one piece. A lighter stocking would have made her look shorter, which she doesn’t need.
Balani: She tends to wear textured wools, which tend to look more casual. She would do well to take a lesson from Nancy Pelosi and wear suits with a smoother finish.
Arrojo: Her highlights are too gray and too white. She’s already starting to look like her husband! Warm it up, honey!
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Ringing endorsements of ‘Pelosi pearls’
Like it or not–and many do not–citizens have been talking about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s chic Tahitian pearls.
“People will look in our case and say, ‘That’s a Pelosi strand,’ ” said Inezita Gay, vice president of product development and pearl acquisition for Iridesse Pearls, with stores at Woodfield mall and Oakbrook Center.
Gay reports with corporate-mandated imprecision that her company has been “very encouraged by the level of response.”
“Nancy Pelosi has raised awareness that pearls other than white are available, and that a strong woman can purchase many colors of pearls and combine them to express her individuality,” Gay said.
Sadly, Pelosi’s bold but tasteful accessories–paired with her Armani suits–probably do not herald a broader rehabilitation of Washington fashion, where those two words are still largely an oxymoron. (Think of Dennis Hastert, who struggles just to keep his shirt tucked.)
Nor does the attention to her appearance represent a nefarious campaign to demean women in power. Q’s equal-opportunity fashion critiques, for example, have cited Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito for wearing loafers with a suit and tie.
Of course, what our leaders do and say remains far more important than what they wear. That does not make what they wear insignificant.
“In the end I think personal style is a reflection of the person’s character and ideals,” says William Kissel, contributing fashion editor to the Robb Report. “Someone who considers his or her wardrobe and makes appropriate choices for different occasions comes across as someone who notices important details. And in the end, we want our leaders to be detail-oriented people.”–W.D.
