In an article for Newsweek about the Glamour Women of the Year awards, Robin Givhan grazed the subject of intellect, politics and fashion:

It’s the fashion part that always seems to make some women uncomfortable. Not because they can’t figure out what to wear but because they can’t reconcile limousine heels—the sort that are so perilously high that walking is at one’s own risk—with brain power, chutzpah, and compassion.

This brings up the subject of former first lady Laura Bush and her daughters, Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, who were honored for their charity work. Jenna was hailed for her work in AIDS awareness, and Barbara for focusing on improving health care in poor countries. But it was Laura Bush who, of the three, was the star attraction. In a video biography, she was hailed for her advocacy for the rights of women in Afghanistan who were living under the Taliban, for her work in international health care, and for her global focus. “After Sept. 11, my perspective broadened to women around the world,” Mrs. Bush said in a scene from her video.

…Still, when the Bush trio accepted the award, presented by former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice—a winner in 2008—they performed a lackluster bit of shtick around the premise that the current issue of the magazine is a cross between a sex guide and a Miss Congeniality handbook. Rather than using self-deprecation as a way of injecting humor into the proceedings—and distancing themselves from the glitz of the fashion industry, as they seemed compelled to do—they bit the hand that was stroking them. Their hapless comedy made them appear unsporting, even as they offered words of encouragement to the young girls from local schools who were also part of the audience.

Fashion seems to leave some accomplished women tongue-tied or tripping over their own words. They take on a protective stance in public, and they exude insecurity in their condescension.

Relax, ladies.

Take a cue from Jennifer Lopez. As she accepted her award, dressed in an elaborately embroidered, blush-colored, provocatively slit Versace gown, several young girls screamed, “You look beautiful.” Lopez responded with a simple “Thank you.” She then recalled a bit of advice from her grandmother: “Always go out looking nice. People like that. They respect you.”

This immediately got me thinking about some reading I’ve been doing recently as part of my grad school coursework at Oxford about the relation of the skirt to political power in the 19th and 20th centuries. Basically, skirts tended to become bigger and more ornate during periods dominated by powerful women rulers — think: Empress Eugénie, Queen Isabella, Elizabeth of England, and even Marie Antoinette.

There’s a long history of women leaders who embraced fashion to display their political importance and yet there was always this underlying tension in which many of them were publicly judged and criticized for it, with most of the digs coming from their male counterparts who were promoting this notion that a fashion plate could not rule anything with seriousness. That said, it’s remarkable to see how many intelligent women have internalized this idea that was born centuries ago out of an antiquated form of sexism. It only requires a small amount of self-awareness to break the cycle. Interestingly, Eugénie, Isabella and Elizabeth brazenly pushed their personal fashion forward in the face of skepticism.

This Duran Duran video wins on almost every level (except, perhaps length?) It’s like George Michael’s “Freedom” circa 2011. Fast forward to the 7:20 mark to see what I mean – Naomi kind of kills it.

1 – I was shocked to get a WWD alert on Saturday morning announcing that Loulou de la Falaise, Yves Saint Laurent’s long-time muse, had passed away at the age of 64. What a huge loss for the fashion world. Revisit her most iconic moments with Fashionista’s impressively thorough online tribute. [Fashionista]

2 – Robin Givhan’s sartorial takedowns of politicians are always priceless. Her reading of U.S. presidential hopeful Herman Cain’s double breasted suits is especially good. A few excerpts:

In the matter of aesthetics and nonverbal communication, Cain appears never to have witnessed a 60 Minutes ambush interview, a TMZ video, or a single episode of Law & Order. Otherwise, he would be familiar with the rule: don’t get angry on camera. The candidate understandably has become aggravated by media queries about his past—but such is life on the campaign trail. So he was not helped when he was recently taped snarling “Excuse me, EXCUSE ME!” to a throng of reporters wielding cameras. His image was also not aided by the presence of a hulking bodyguard sporting a pin-striped suit with a Steve Harvey-esque, four-button stance and looking more like a thug named Tiny than a professional security presence.

Cain’s own attire hasn’t been much better, but for different reasons.

No other candidate on the Republican docket has demonstrated the kind of affection Cain has shown for the double-breasted suit—this menswear silhouette with its wide, peak lapels. He has favored six-on-two button suits in solid charcoal as well as those with subtle chalk stripes. To be sure, Cain’s suits are well cut and he has the stature to carry them. Still, they have always been a curious choice and they have now become ill-advised. He would do well to expunge every double-breasted suit from his wardrobe.

And a bit more…

Cain’s love of double-breasted suits also links him to religion. He is an ordained Baptist preacher and a man with a habit of breaking out in gospel song at the slightest provocation. Ministers of a certain persuasion often seem to have a predilection for double-breasted suits, as well as three-piece ones. Some of that must surely be because of tradition and formality, but there is also an element of the hierarchal at work. Instead of choosing the most modest and humble of suits—a sack suit, perhaps—they opt for something more regal. The fancy suit distinguishes them from the mere congregants they lead. It gives them the appearance of clout, dignity, and righteous grandiosity.

[TDB]

Speaking of shiny rock stars, Nicholas King’s new capsule collection for Freedom at Topshop hits stores today. (You may remember King from our chat earlier this year.) The line features Eighties flavored versions of his trademark resin bracelets, with embedded lace, crystal stars, silver skulls, and other glittery ephemera — and at slightly lower prices than his main line to boot.

Today’s Women’s Wear Daily revealed that Prince will be performing at the Versace for H&M show in New York next week and I have been (no exaggeration) talking about this all morning. The problem: I was invited but can’t attend because I live all the way across the waters in England. So I have to console myself with this YouTube clip of him in radiant, gold leggings that are very much in the spirit of Gianni and deliciously bouncy curls (who did this man’s roller sets?) Oh, and Nicki Minaj will be performing at the event next Tuesday too. Best catwalk entertainment lineup ever.

While talking about his new capsule collection for J Brand, Christopher Kane interestingly told British Vogue that he designed it to complement his resort collection. Rewind back to the London shows in September, when our street style photographer, Michelle Bobb-Parris, snapped Eliza Doolittle wearing an expertly styled mix of Chris Kane resort and J Brand (a moment also captured by British Vogue) and it all comes together.

It’s an interesting strategy, designing a lesser expensive capsule collection to mix and match with the main line, and one that maybe the H&Ms and Targets of the world should explore as well? I say this because it seems to be more in line with how women actually dress: Splurging for that one covetable piece and then mixing in more affordable bits and bobs (granted, J Brand is hardly cheap.) Plus, the “greatest hits” approach can only work for so long.

That said, this is also another example of how street style placement has become almost as instrumental in driving sales —if not more? — as the magazine credit. I’m thinking about all of those photo bloggers in Paris who were struggling during the heat wave to snap as many women in aw11 (i.e. the stuff that was actually in stores) as possible after days and days of having to settle for shots of women wearing summery stuff. And then opening WWD the next day to see a giant street style image of that new merch with a caption telling readers to go online to find out where to buy it. I’m curious to know how many women will be motivated to snag Kane’s neon jackets, shorts and flares after seeing images of Eliza’s terribly cute outfit online.

Christopher Kane + J Brand

Christopher Kane + J Brand

Christopher Kane resort (same model and all!)

-street style image by Michelle Bobb-Parris

How does the Versace for H&M collection stack up against the real thing? We put the clothes to the test.

When you consider that they all tend to follow the same formula, it’s hard to believe that collaborations between famous designers and mass market brands can still generate the level of excitement that Donatella Versace’s new collection for H&M has. Each launch, without fail, comes with the shiny “Greatest hits!” label attached. Another opportunity to snag wallet-friendly versions of a pricey, runway look you couldn’t afford to buy when it first came out several years ago. But let’s be honest. Shoppers want dresses that scream designer, not chintzy knockoff — as in, “are people staring at me because they think this is the real thing or because my skirt looks flammable?” Frankly, there haven’t been a whole lot of high-low collaborations that have struck the right balance. So with that in mind, we compare H&M’s latest, which is now just weeks away from hitting stores, with their counterparts from the Versace archives.



For a line that hits stores right before the winter holiday party season, the clothes look an awful lot like spring/summer. Not that we’re complaining. This dress which is straight from the ss ’12 show has that “just off the runway” feeling. The H&M version may not have the leather strips and asymmetry that the catwalk dress does, but it impressively nails the maximal, studded to the Gods look of the original.



Donatella replaces the ss ‘11 original’s Greek key pattern, a trademark of the Versace house that appears on other items in the H&M collection, with graphic hearts. The hand-drawn love symbols don’t exactly scream Versace, but the patterned fringing and cut-out shoulders are just right.



We told you this collection looks very spring. But the colorful trousers make a cute alternative to the festive dress for your office Christmas party. That said, the H&M incarnation out-Versace’s the Versace pants (from ss ‘04) in loudness, even if they are missing the little baroque patterned trim at the hem.



The flashy buckle and gilt waistband are there. But the sad thing is, you know the H&M belt will probably turn silver after a few too many wears. The ss ‘05 original is the clear winner.

The grade: As far as greatest hits collections go, the H&M line feels more like new Versace than old. But it does a great job of recreating the brand’s money-is-no-object look by steering clear of fancy fabrics that are impossible to re-do on the cheap and sticking with the fun details that make the garments stand out in the first place. That said, maybe just steer clear of the gold accessories.