So, remember back a week or so ago when I looked at Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt to see how she is projecting leadership and individual style, et al through her choice of attire and accessories? And we decided that she really ought to have a stylist?
I decided to hire myself for the job!
Granted, Mme. Thoring-Schmidt is not a minister. But until I can find a clergy person who is willing to provide half a dozen photos of him or herself in work attire for the purpose of being analyzed for this blog, I have to take my models where I can find them. We have to train our eyes somehow, darlings.
So let’s see what I’ve pulled from the clothing racks of my imagination to show my imaginary client. Remember that you can click on some of the images to enlarge them, and that you’ll get more out of this post if you revisit the first one and look at the choices Prime Minister Thoring-Schmidt, whose name I am getting really tired of typing, made versus the suggestions I’m going to make.
First, let’s look at suits that the PM can wear that aren’t so heavy and boxy and dour. I’m suggesting some face-framing shawl collars and notched shawl collars for her. Very feminine but still strong enough to be power suits. I’d love to see international leaders make more interesting choices with their suit styles. We don’t all have to look like Bavarian bankers. Not that I have anything against Bavarian bankers, you understand. Nor have I ever seen one. I’m just evoking a visual for you; an association.
The first suit is black, and quite elegant. There’s no reason you should avoid having an actual shape to your clothes. Women have such a hard time finding the reasonable, flattering middle ground between too sexy and dreadfully dull. The garments are there; you just have to look for them.
And since she likes red, how about this? So much more interesting and chic:
This is just a fun “feast your eyes” medley of suits here. I think that Mme. Thoringer-Schmidt should look into tweeds and textures. She is from a Scandanavian country and that just begs for wools and furs (faux, of course), touches of leather, whiffs of Nordic romance and power. Sea-faring people! Wealth, Socialism! Hans Christian Anderson, culture, Tivoli Gardens, herring!
The next-to-last long belted jacket is a realistic choice for her (not with the cropped pants – styled with different pants), and that last blue tunic jacket is really quite perfect for her image and context.
If she REALLY wanted to make a statement, I believe that’s red leather.
So much better than this, yes?
If you’re a beautiful, successful Prime Minister of a successful nation and you’re invited to a festive summer soiree with the British royals, you most certainly do not need to show up in a boring, frumpy white suit! A white suit, sure, but bring some flair!
The Brits love huge hats, right? Why not show them that you appreciate their tradition by donning one yourself? She could carry this off if she believed in herself:
Or something chic and sexy. You can be sexy and still appropriately garbed as a stateswoman. Here’s the impeccable Carolina Herrera showing you how it’s done (except I’m sorry, maestra, I do think those pants are a bit long and voluminous):
As Prime Minister, one has to attend formal functions on a regular basis. Girlfriend needs WAY more chic choices:
Oscar De La Renta. The netted top isn’t too risque, and the line of beautiful.
Here’s a beautiful gown with actual accessories! Helle seems to be a big accessory-averse, as are many women who aren’t comfortable taking risks with their look.
You may laugh when you see this pink gown, but I would ask my client to try it on just to see how good she can look in something creative and vibrant.
At this point I would talk with Helle and ask her, “Look, what do you think about making such a huge impression at an important event that you’ll make the international papers the next day? Would that interest you? Would you be at all interested in totally upstaging the celebrities who will be in attendance? Because if so, I have found a label I want you to ROCK OUT. This will put you on the map as a fashionista stateswoman. Think about it.”
At which point I imagine Ms. Thoring-Schmidt might say, “Show me what you have in mind” and I would reveal THESE AMAZING GOWNS from the Valentino Spring 2015 collection. I’m sure that Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli would loan the Prime Minister any of these creations for the press it would get them. I LOVE them for Helle because they’re incredibly gorgeous, romantic and have those folkloric Russian elements. It’s all SO Elsinore Castle! Hold on, let me show you:
This is killer. I’d lose the cape, though. You don’t want to look costumey:
This is very Ophelia — maybe a bit too maidenly for the PM, but I love it and who doesn’t like to look at pretty things?
This just took my breath away and I could see the Prime Minister in this right away. It’s SO Scandinavian diva!
And just to wrap things up, here are a couple more looks I chose for my fantasy client:
And since I suspect she enjoys a really bright, vibrant Marimekko-esque graphic print for casual days, I’m going to throw this fun outfit in, too. Everyone needs a bright, fun pop of color during a Denmark winter.
There! Wasn’t that fun? Did you learn anything? Did you get any new insights or ideas? What are your takeaways? Please share! I’d love to know if you’re benefiting from this!
(Sorry the photos don’t enlarge! I do my best, pigeons!)
Since red is ABSOLUTELY my color, I was drawn to the second suit. I thought you might have been kidding when I read the words “red leather jacket”, but I absolutely adore the one you have here. It’s both chic and powerful.
And speaking of red and power. I am thinking of asking one of our fabulously talented quilters to create a stole for me with red, black, white & grey blocks. A triangle-y looking chalice, perhaps – visible above the pulpit on one side, near the bottom on t’other.
A dear woman on my search committee had a stole made for me that complements the tree quilt hanging above the pulpit. It’s a medium blue with a few falling leaves. It’s lovely, but it’s so soft, it’s hard to imagine wearing it when I lay out my vision for the church or talk about the church’s role as racial justice leader in our city.
I love suits and am having a hard time finding them since the dress has come back in. Where did you find the first two? [I do believe I found those two by googling Oscar De La Renta suits or Carolina Herrera suits, as I felt those two designers would be a great choice for the Prime Minister. I will keep my eye out for suits by retailers that won’t cost you arms and legs, my dear. – PB]
OMG, PB, you can’t be serious about that Ophelia-looking dress! With the rose dots exactly at the nipples and the other rose at bellybutton height? It’s terrible! To me it screams “I have nipples and a bellybutton!” Perhaps not exactly what the PM had in mind… (Plus the model looks like a corpse, but that’s not your fault.)
As for the rest, okay.
[Ah, but mon chi-chi, you are making the typical pigeon mistake of taking the runway version too literally!! This is coutour!! This is couture, which means that the PM’s people calls Valentino’s people and says, “We’re interested in the Ophelia-looking number, but without the roses on the nipples and crotch, obvs.” As in all things fashion, we look at designs to get inspiration and then we style for the individual! – PB]