By Madhusree Chatterjee, IANS,
New Delhi: In May 2009, Hillary Clinton watcher and former editor of Vanity Fair, Tina Brown, wrote in The New York Times, “It’s time for Barack Obama to let Hillary Clinton take off her burqa.”
But that does not seem likely.
The 61-year-old US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has returned to her conservative Illinois roots with her trademark colourful pantsuits that she is sporting in India – a far cry from the show of cleavage in the US Senate in July 2007 where her black top with a low neckline created a virtual flutter.
“It was startling to see the small acknowledgement of sexuality and femininity peeking out of the conservative – aesthetically speaking – environment of Congress,” wrote Robin Givhan in The Washington Post.
But the “huh!” factor that sets the earthy and driven Hillary Clinton apart from the rest of the American power women, is curiously amiss this time. In place is a woman who has eschewed high fashion in order to be taken seriously as an ambitious and no-nonsense policy lady, with facts on her fingertips.
Hillary took on the Indian capital Sunday in a bright turquoise business suit, buttoned to the neck; matching it with a slim platinum-and-gold necklace.
A day earlier, she won over Mumbai in a red business suit and two strands of red beads. Later she appeared in a beige suit. Her blonde hair was shorter than usual and was brushed back from her face.
Never mind the girth of advancing years – Hillary Clinton walks the thin line between being sexy and businesslike. The smile is cherubic; but the shrugs flash the tenor of ruthless steel behind that youthful facade and open demeanour.
Hillary’s sartorial statements over the years have been kind of quixotic – reflecting the different phases of her life. The skirts, short frocks and denims of early youth made way for smart business suits of her professional years.
But as the first lady of US – former President Bill Clinton’s wife – she exuded a regal and defiant aura with off-shoulder evening gowns designed by Donna Karan and elaborate Oscar De La Renta ensembles with long sleeves, high collars and jewelled necklines at inaugurals.
A great believer in importance of clothes, Hillary once told a US magazine, “My puffy-shirt white wedding gown gave Jerry Seinfeld the idea of Seinfeld Puffy Shirt.”
But she has always been critical about her clothes. She shudders at the thought of her long white and blue striped dress, which she wore in 1982 at a mini-golf tournament, and a magenta-and-white checked skirt suit which she teamed with a blue hat in 1983.
“I will never forget that day,” she said later.
Her favourite colour of clothes is yellow as her website says.
“I am great believer in recycling of clothes,” Hillary says.
She promotes organic, natural clothes and traditional crafts. The Rs.44,000 (a little over $800) worth of booty that she picked up at SEWA outlet in Mumbai Saturday included a red stringy corset with mirror for daughter Chelsea, an orange organic dyed kurta from promegranate skin and a bandhni dupatta dyed with natural colours. She has been associated with SEWA for a long time.
Hillary is unlike Michelle Obama, the clothes-savvy wife of President Barack Husain Obama, who graced her cover of Vogue in February 2009 in a stunning magenta silk dress by Jason Wu, the designer who created her white inaugural ball gown.
The style bible billed Michelle as “The First Lady The World’s Been Waiting For” harking back to Jacqueline Kennedy, the wife of the youngest president of US John F. Kennedy, who brought chic and elegance to the White House in the 60s.
“I think Hillary could wear the shift or the sheath dress that is so American. One can carry it off even if one is size six or size 20. Somehow, pant suits do not convey the authoritative state,” Delhi-based designer Amit Agarwal of Morphe told IANS.