What Not to Wear -- Elena Kagan Edition?

I'm a little sad that Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan and her White House handlers appear to have given in to the running media 'Kagan is a fashion frump/is she a lesbian' fascination.

This is what Kagan looked like when President Obama announced her nomination -- boxy suit jacket in an odd shade of green with a wash-and-wear kind of look with make-up and hair -- a no-nonsense look from a woman who's got more important things to think about than mascara and eye liner.

And that should be okay. We need Supreme Court justices to be smart, not fashion forward.

But after countless days of stories about her perceived frumpitude or whether her choices in her appearance suggest anything about life preferences, this picture appeared on the front page of the New York Times --

Here Kagan is sporting a much more tailored jacket with a slim belt at the waist and a saucy kick pleat in the skirt. And it sure looks like she's had a professional blow out on her hair, added a few sparkly baubles and a tad more make-up. Were Stacy and Clinton in Washington, D.C. this week? Because if they were and they didn't stop by my house, I'd be a annoyed!

Seriously, though, is this what we have to do to get people to move on to the next discussion item and not obsess over the sexual preferences of a woman who doesn't sport a full make-up counter face every day?

Kagan isn't the only woman of note I've watched this happen to. When Rachel Maddow came on the news scene, she was much less made up for on-air appearances than she is today. Neither Bobbi Brown nor Clinique are going to get rich off the amount of make-up that Maddow uses, but it struck me then and it strikes me again now -- to be accepted, or be acceptable, do women have to conform to a single idea of beauty to be successful, regardless of their professional accomplishments or personal lives?

Don't get me wrong -- I love me some What Not to Wear or a nice rerun of Tim Gunn's Guide to Style so I can get some tips about broadening my wardrobe horizons beyond my work-at-home uniform of jeans or yoga pants. But I just wish we could get past the idea that if a woman is in a position of power, she has to get all gussied up to be taken seriously.

Somehow I don't think anyone was questioning Chief Justice Roberts' fashion sense and what his suits or grooming regimen said about his personal life. I'd bet money that few were wondering about Justice Alito's skin care regimen as he met with Senators during his confirmation process (though applying a little Lubriderm with sun block before heading out for oral arguments never hurts!) Yet, no matter the woman, it seems acceptability comes back to walking that fine balance between how we look on the softball field and how dress for a night out on the town.

I do hope someone on her SCOTUS nomination team has warned her that if she goes too far in the other direction on the fashion spectrum, Kagan risks the treatment that Hillary and her cleavage got not so long ago.

And don't even get me started on the waste of column inches about whether Kagan sits "like a lady" or not. Next thing you know, someone's going ask if she'd like some hair extensions and send her a subscription to Vogue.

When Joanne isn't hanging out with her fellow MOMocrats or at her place, PunditMom, she's waiting to find out the release date for her book about how mothers and social media are revolutionizing politics!

Comments

[Snoskred]

I think she looks good either way, but in the second shot it looks like she has lost several dress sizes. It says a lot about what a bit of tailoring can do. She has a great figure and the second outfit really makes the most of it.

If you do a bit of a google search, she seems to be a fan of bright colored boxy jackets and somewhat scary patterned jackets. The grey outfit is such a great silhouette for her, I would love to see her take that and introduce color.

No, it shouldn't matter what women wear or what they look like. I don't know why it does, or how to change it. The one thing I do know is that men have it easy.

[Lawyer Mama]

I hope, hope, hope she made the change because she saw herself on TV and didn't like what she saw, rather than bowing to pressure about her appearance.

You can bet if I suddenly had reporters lurking around every corner, I would no longer be sneaking out to the Food Lion in flip flops, wet hair and no make up. (-;

I have to admit, I love the new figure flattering suit!

[PunditMom/Joanne Bamberger]

Steph, I agree -- but I've never seen a photo of her this way before. Seems to me like she was perfectly happy the way she was before. But I, too, am a big fain of tailoring!