Customer Watch: Taking Style Clues from the President and Watching the Female Contender

With all the excitement over the presidential primaries today, I’m going to postpone my planned topic and talk about a phenomenon that occurs in American society: American business people take their style clues from the President of the United States.

 

To date, that has meant that businessmen follow the lead of the President in the color of their neckties, since the business suit is the only acceptable option in professional wear for a successful businessman and conservative styles consistently have reigned. 

 

Think about the color of neckties popular during Bill Clinton’s presidency. Do you recall? Yellow was all the rage during that era, as that was the color favored by President Clinton. President George W. Bush tends to favor light blue ties, and men’s fashion has followed.

 

For the first time in history, there is a woman who is a serious contender for the position of President of the United States, and it’s worth taking a look at Senator Hillary Clinton’s style to anticipate what fashions, and in particular, what styles of jewelry, might be preferred should she be elected President.

 

She has done a wonderful job of finding a style that works for her, and the good news is that jewelry is a key component of her look. Pantsuits are flattering to her shape and have the bonus of being more comfortable than skirt suits for everyday wear. They also work better with lower-heeled shoes. Typically Senator Clinton wears a jewel-necked blouse and a princess-length necklace that lies above the neckline of the blouse. She prefers interesting short earrings that sit on her earlobes and do not dangle or otherwise distract from her message. From time to time she adds a brooch to her jacket.

     

 

These jewelry styles—the short earrings, the princess-length necklace and the statement brooch—are appropriate in the most conservative business setting and are wearable by women of every shape and size (provided that the necklaces are at the correct length for the individual). The necklaces and earrings can be rendered in metal, pearls, stones, or a combination of materials.

 

As I write this, of course, it’s too soon to know whether Senator Clinton will be the Democratic candidate for President, and, if so, whether she will be elected President. If she is, I anticipate that businesswomen across the country will be emulating her style. If businesswomen’s apparel looks to her for style inspiration, watch for these items of jewelry to become the mainstay of many a busineswoman’s jewelry wardrobe.

And if one of the male contenders is elected President, it will be business as usual from a style perspective, having impact primarily on necktie designers.

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