THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 4, 1996 TAG: 9611020053
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MONIQUE WILLIAMS, SPECIAL TO THE DAILY BREAK
LENGTH: 93 lines
HILLARY? LIDDY? It's time for a last-minute, pre-election chat.
No, this isn't about Whitewater or that mysterious 15 percent tax cut. This is more of a girl-talk - fashion, style, allure.
First to you, Mrs. Clinton. Dear - may I call you Hillary? - you don't have any problem voicing your opinion, but when it comes to your wardrobe, you seem to have an identity crisis. You're unsure, so you take no chances. You hesitate between wanting to be the first lady and the first mother.
Your style, hon, begs for criticism.
I understand. You know you can't win. Nancy (Adolpho) Reagan was derided as a clothes horse. Barbara Bush was condemned as dowdy, downright garish. So who can blame you for playing it safe? Except that your safety is - forgive me - boring.
Where do I begin? There were the hats, the headbands, the scarves, the garish colors and the skirts cut off at the knee. The hair, hair, hair.
A site on the Internet (Hillary's Hair) claims that you've had 320 hair styles since Bill was elected in '92. The one I like the most was a bob nicely stacked in the back and cut a bit below your ears. The ones I liked the least made you look matronly or dated - like when you tried the flip.
You must have the best first hair that ever lived in the Big House. If you have some secret pomade that keeps your hair impervious to Washington's humidity or criticism, you should - in the name of national interest and solidarity - share it with your sisters.
Your jackets are way too big and boxy on you.Like many women, you apparently have bigger hips than waist, so you are buying suits to fit your bottom half.
Have you thought about getting a tailor? Or just buying separates?
Having your skirts fall right in the middle of your knees is very unflattering on you. It makes you look dowdy. Your legs, dear, aren't exactly Rockettes-class, and the midknee cut makes them look all the more stocky.
May I make some suggestions?
Wear long skirts. This fall they are the chicest thing you can wear. There are some wonderful ones out there, and you'd look smashing in them.
And pants? You've earned the right to wear pants in the White House (everybody says you already do anyway). Not tight-fitting pants, but nicely tailored slim pants that can camouflage your un-mastered thighs.
As for colors, stay away from garish colors (leave those to Steely Liddy, who needs them to get noticed - you already have the job).
Stick to earthy colors, like taupe, sand and the neutrals. And wear pastels too - you looked good in a soft pink sweater set that you wore once when you stepped off a helicopter on the White House front lawn. And wear black too, and if you tire of that, wear brown. Brown is the new black for this season, and it is just as elegant and slimming as black.
May I recommend some designers for somewhat Rubenesque women such as yourself? Try Ellen Tracy or Dana Buchman. Buchman's color story this fall is right on target. Her choice of fabric is exquisite and she is quite affordable. Since you live in public housing, balancing your budget is of paramount importance.
I read that Marie Gray, the designer for St. John Knits will be providing you with knits for this season. I think knits are great, they give in where they need to, but I'm not too keen on Gray's styling. She is very (here comes that word) conservative and very much a Washington-type designer (read: uninspiring). You need a designer who is as outspoken and free-spirited as you are.
Donna Karan may be the one. She fearlessly speaks of her penchant for communing with crystals and of her association with the New Age movement. I can see you two really hitting it off - she could talk about crystal power and you could talk about Eleanor. I remember when you wore her ``cold shoulder'' dress, you looked smashing. Modern, sophisticated. Just like a first lady should look.
It's obvious that you love accessories, but please don't pile it on. Remember that sometimes less is more (oops, that sounds like a Republican motto). You don't need to wear it all at once - the scarf, the brooch, the earrings, the necklace, the bracelet.
Leave something in your closet, hon.
And now to Liddy. Listen up, Mrs. Bob Dole. Your garish ensembles resemble suits of armor.
You admit to liking bright colors but refuse to discuss any style preferences, fearing, perhaps, that discussing style detracts from a woman's intelligence. Wrong, of course. Style, intelligence and maturity make for a dynamite trio.
You must crave a lot of attention to strut out in blinding colors like that. Maybe you feel the need to balance the somber, morose look of Mr. Dole? It'll take a lot more than color or the Red Cross to resuscitate that dog-and-pony show.
Glaring yellows and reds aren't exactly suited for a 60-year-old woman whose hubby is seeking the highest office in the nation.
Have you never heard of power colors? And the hems! That dowdy below-the-knee mark forces you to take geisha steps in those 3-inch heels. Either raise your hems or lower your heels.
You don't seem to have any thigh problems - I understand yours are honed on a treadmill and, probably, on Lean Cuisine.
Liddy, you could look quite elegant (like a Lauren Bacall) if you just tried a bit. by CNB