THE BOMB LIFE

The Bomb Life

2 In Bomb Life 101/ Claire's Life/ Style

#ImWithHer: Being Taken Seriously as a Woman in Politics, Fashion, and Beyond

Fashion and politics rarely go hand in hand, except when it comes to women. As I wrote on Fashion Bomb Daily, women in politics are expected to be classic and chic; smart, well versed, experienced, and preferably nice to look at. While we can mildly recall the days of Camelot with fashion icon Jacqueline Kennedy, it’s all good: we have our current day Camelot with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle. Part of what we love so much about our first couple is not just their charisma and brilliance, but also how good they look together.
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Enter Hillary Clinton, who certainly has the chops for the gig, but just can’t seem to get people fired up. On FBD, I wondered if more people would stand with her, “if she chose to wear something we could sink our sartorial teeth into.”
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But yet, a weird dichotomy exists in the work world. As @PoshAfricana pointed out on Instagram, “When women are seen as highly fashionable or into their beauty routine, they are also deemed less committed to their work.” So, women are charged with either paying attention to their looks to popular acclaim…but being dismissed as less intelligent. Or dressing simply, but then working harder to get noticed.
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When I first started in fashion, I was not a blonde haired fashion plate. I preferred a repertoire of J.Crew separates and boring blazers. But I was a hard worker. I had a glittering resumé and an Ivy League degree. But I got nowhere.
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A few years into the game, I realized that a lot of my colleagues were getting way further by being the face of their brands, and the transformation began. I colored my hair, started getting my makeup done, and wearing more trendy items. The recognition I received was so swift that I wondered why I hadn’t dressed the part in the beginning!
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But then…the disrespect. When I recently posed for a picture on vacation, one of my family members likened my role in the cultural discourse to the Kardashians. It was somewhat dismissive of all the hard work I’ve put in over the years (if you were to believe the Kardashians do little more than preen and pose for photos). I quickly had to tell her that I didn’t go to Harvard to take pictures, and that I now only take pictures because it helps people notice my work. Simple.
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The women I looked up to as a young fashion journalist included Robin Givhan and Suzy Menkes. Though exceedingly smart, these women are not peacocking in front of photographers in the latest Prada at fashion shows. They are getting to work.
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But when I tried to present myself as a cerebral journalist, I was torn from the frame! For years, people told me I couldn’t dress. It was as if my knowledge of fashion was undermined because I wasn’t wearing the latest and greatest Gucci shoe.
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I stepped up my style game because I had to in this current social media rich climate.
But in the case of our Presidential candidate Clinton, she seems damned if she does and damned if she doesn’t. She could go Palin and wear knee high boots, but will people pay attention to her thoughts? Or will they comment endlessly about the price and fit of her wardrobe?
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At the end of the day, #ImWithHer. I must admit, when I first started following the race, I wished our Senator would put on a higher heel! But I’ve realized that she is doing the exact right thing for her line of work. The focus should be on the issues, not on her attire.
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You simply do what you have to do to be taken seriously in your respective fields, whether fashion, politics, or beyond.
What do you think?
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