In her study, English points to the fact that getting dressed in the morning is easy for men. All they have to do is put on a suit and tie, and slick their hair back, and they are ready to go.
However, “Women really are the ones who still have the burden of getting up in the morning and putting something on that is, for whatever reason, responsible,” says Marjorie Margolies, a former lawmaker who now helps women prepare for leadership roles in politics and advocacy (The Fashion Laws Of Politics, NPR: 11/12/08)
This is what you see in Washington, DC: Black, grey and navy, with sensible pumps and some haircuts that have come from the halls of the National Portrait gallery. Washington, DC is not the center of style, and we all know it.
Female politicians and lawyers are not seen as legitimate if they stray from this sense of conservative style. English points to the fact that if women wear a blouse or top that has a lower neckline, they are automatically pegged as using their sexuality to get further in the workplace. If a woman wears a skirt-suit instead of a conservative pantsuit, she is being too provocative. First Lady Michelle Obama has been widely criticized for her sense of style while the majority of women I’ve spoken with see her outfits and fashion sense as refreshing and reflective of what they would like to wear or do wear. Women have to look put-together, with their hair pulled back in a tight little bun because long hair worn down is seen as too provocative. Why do women have to wear a certain outfit or their hair a certain way to prove that they are professional, intelligent and capable? Why does it matter?
Today's female politicians, and lawyers, also have to look stylish, but not too stylish, or they're dismissed as indulgent. I think that is why there has been so much said about Michelle Obama having bought the majority of her wardrobe in stores that the common middle class woman could buy from. Women cannot wear flashy jewelry, or they’re seen as indulgent, so many women in DC are seen sporting the good-old-fashioned string of pearls around their neck.
As seen on the NPR website, wardrobe pieces are even checked against stage lighting like before Sen. Hillary Clinton spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
About Me
- Kasey
- I will be graduating from Arizona State University in December. Even though I feel like I have made the most of my college career, I am scared about what the future holds for me. Graduate studies are in my future, but what I ultimately want to do with my life, well, that is in limbo. I want to make a difference. I want to be challenged and challenge other people. I am an alumni of Omega Phi Alpha, National Service Sorority. I served as president in my final year, and it was definitely a challenge. Now, I am helping to found an organization on campus called Running Start, which is a non-profit geared toward getting young women interested in running for political office.
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