Monday, August 4, 2008

Purple Reines

It can be challenging to be a Canadian in the United States during an election season (which seems to go on for years). I don’t have a vote for president, but can express my voice by analyzing political fashion.

Don’t worry—this will not be a post on red vs. blue.

Rather, I’ve been thinking about a happy merger of those hues: purple.

On the national front, I loved Michelle Obama’s purple sheath with the super-savvy Alaia perforated belt. I don’t think I ever imagined that a candidate’s spouse (or a candidate) would wear Alaia!


And internationally, it’s hard not to see that purple is quickly becoming Carla Bruni-Sarkozy’s signature color. After all, it’s regal and, as I tell my students, is associated with once-silenced women finding their voice (The Color Purple, the [grim] story of Philomel).


And how unusual that political wives may actually be influencing fashion in a positive manner—perhaps for the first time since Jacqueline Kennedy.

To wit: check out Dior’s fall 2008 campaign above. Starring Daria Werbovy (a Canadian!), it features a mod purple coat grounded with a black alligator bag--not at all unlike Mme. B-S's ensemble.

This Canadian’s voting for Alaia with Dior as VP.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

love purple...it's such a regal color. btw, did you see blake lively's AMAZING dress last night at the teen choice awards? stunning!

WendyB said...

The color of royalty!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I think i'll vote Dior too, where do I register?!

Miss Cavendish said...

C/C--I saw your gorgeous purple post . . . this is a fab color for fall.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully the stores will be full of purple clothes this fall and winter. Such a great color on just about anyone and it "goes" with so many things. I'm sick of black, black, black.

K.Line said...

That post wins title of the week - and it's only Tuesday!

Elizabeth said...

I love this post. I also love that these would-be-first/first ladies are doing interesting things with their looks, despite the strict limits of the political arena.

Anonymous said...

Michelle is such a vibrant figure, and I, too, am thrilled to see what she's doing with her visibility. She's a class act and it SHOWS.

As for purple, it's a perennial fave of mine. Can't wait to see more of it this fall.