Over the weekend, the Washington Post‘s style editor Robin Givhan extolled Hillary Clinton as the visible inspiration behind every famous designer‘s New York Fashion Week collection.
Apparently, Hillary exudes a “strength” for the ages, and an esoteric sense of power that designers were just itching to inject into their Spring/Summer 2017 runway collections. Everyone from Derek Lam, Givhan to Michael Kors to Victoria Beckham simply couldn’t resist imitating Clinton’s fashionable form.
Givhan, who calls Clinton an “unconventional fashion icon,” is desperately trying to shoehorn a trend towards polished lines and feminine patterns as an “inventive, charming and reassuring” way of demonstrating female power through fashion.
Not to worry, though, we get what Givhan is saying. Clinton has a style all her own: an ambivalent, boring and even deliberately banal professional style that blends custom-made boxy jackets, with patterns largely found on over-sized living room furniture.
We dug up her top-five looks of the 2016 campaign, so you can style your own Clinton-inspired spring wardrobe.
1. The Classic Pantsuit. It’s custom made and completely shapeless, but it fits every occasion, from an impromptu press conference to a session of light automotive repair. Clinton loves it so much she has the exact same suit in at least four colors.
2. The Velveteen Retirement Jogger. Clinton obviously seeks comfort over tailored style, and nothing says you’ve given up on flattering your changing figure than a front-zip velveteen jogger jacket. Clinton prefers these to have Nehru collars, likely so that they don’t require ironing, but seems to have made the exception for a spread collar at least once, perhaps for those perfectly over-sized pockets.
3. The Magic Eye. Is it black? Is it green? If you kind of cross your eyes and squint, will you see a hidden 3D picture? It’s always a surprise when Clinton dons her signature, $10K-or-more boucle jackets, for important speeches on income inequality. The patterns hide food spills, confuse onlookers, and confound fashion editors.
4. The ‘International Celebration’ Print. Clinton was once Secretary of State and she’d prefer you not forget it. To that end, she frequently sports ethnic-inspired clothing probably purchased in far-off bazaars, while she was wandering off alone, without a handler to help her make better decisions. Fashionistas may want to adapt this look sparingly, though—Clinton has the protection of Internet feminists, ensuring she won’t be accused of cultural appropriation.