Women in politics or the legal field come under more scrutiny than men when it comes to their wardrobe because there is no set way for women to dress in these professions. The topic of the NPR piece "The Fashion Laws of Politics: Obama-Style," the focus of the piece is on First Lady Michelle Obama. Obama has shaken up the norm of boring black, navy or gray suits with a sort of rejection of femininity, in favor of embracing femininity, color and fun fashion. Using clothes, mostly dresses, that highlight her curves instead of relying on boxy, masculine pieces allows her to be perceived as both serious and someone who is not afraid of herself, and portraying herself with confidence and appropriateness. While she has encountered naysayers who think that her style choices are inappropriate or not serious enough, there are also those who seem more enraptured in her fashion choices than her actual duties.
Particularly in the political world, women come under questioning regarding how much money they spend on their clothing. An interesting case is that of Michelle Obama, seen as a lover of American fashion and economic supporter of the fashion industry, versus former Governor Sarah Palin, who was hung out to dry for her clothing budget. Reportedly, the Republican National Convention spent $150,000 on Palin's wardrobe for her vice presidential campaign. This, compiled with her touted image as a "hot mom," only served to hurt her image, and portray her as increasingly vain and decreasingly of substance.
The NPR piece "What Is She Wearing? Fashion Laws of Politics" discusses the evolution of women's fashion in the political arena, and provide advice to women at work. "Women are viewed in a very different way, with regard to their dress, than men are." former lawmaker Marjorie Margolies said. Men basically get a pass in fashion, and women are faced with more of a burden of looking responsible, but also being current and simultaneously classic. While it is acknowledged that the harsher view on women could be categorized as sexist, it is essentially written off as the way it is because women simply have more fashion options than men do. "Most people remember what you wear and your tone, over what you say," Margolies said, adding that women need to keep their dress and tone more neutral, and flawless so that the focus is on their message as opposed to the accoutrement.
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