Condoleeza Rice: unlikely style icon

Women in politics have two choices when it comes to personal style: they either work against their appearance (think of Sheila Copps and that one red suit she seemed to wear for most of her years as a Liberal Cabinet Minister) or embrace it and suffer the consequences as Belinda Stronach does.

The media portrayal of Belinda Stronach draws from the same vile strain of sexism that brought us the Taliban. Reporters choose how to frame every story they write (it doesn't fall from the sky), and instead of focusing on Stronach's role as the CEO of a billion-dollar company or as a key broker in the merger of two Canadian political parties--a rather impressive accomplishment--or ignoring her if that's what they think her ideas deserve, they've put the focus on two words that appear in every second article: "blond" and "attractive."
That, along with gratuitous references to her marital status--"single mother, twice divorced"--and wardrobe, which is, with apologies to those hoping for cleavage, rather conservative. It's an old double standard: women have to be attractive to get ahead, and if they're attractive, that's how they got there. Either way, you can't take them seriously.

Condoleeza Rice, on the other hand, seems to have found a happy medium. While journalists still do focus on her appearance more than they should (When (Condi's) Size Matters), she manages to convey power and confidence, without resorting to manly tailoring.

I first noticed this watching the news on Monday night. I loved the light grey suit she wore during her surprise visit to Beirut - and she paired it splendidly with a crisp white top (light and airy for the summer heat) and uncomplicated gold necklace and earrings. Thinking this might just be one-time style success, I flipped through photos of her on Google Images, and she almost always looked great. I had never noticed before! And maybe that's the secret of her personal style: she never looks like she's tried too hard.

(The whole time I've been writing this entry, I've been bothered by the triviality of it all. How dare I write something so frivolous about Condoleeza Rice when her role is so important? Dr. Rice, her government, and all of our governments have a chance to intervene and end the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict. Let's trust they will do so before any more lives are senselessly lost).

Stronach Groped by Sexist Scrum

TAGS: Condoleeza Rice, Style Icon

( Add your comments )

Recent Entries:
· Blake Lively's Summer Stunner @ Chanel Show - Paris
· Jude Law Is Ridiculously Hot and Stylish in Japan
· GQ Magazine: Justin Timberlake Is Most Stylish Man in America

[ READER COMMENTS ]

Condoleeza Rice: unlikely style icon

Add your comments...

We kindly ask that you keep your comments relevant to this blog entry. Abusive or inappropriate comments or comments that are specifically promotional in nature may be removed.