Ladies in Transition Impose Their Style !!

The US First Lady shone for the last time at the Senate balcony reserved for spouses of US Presidents during State of the Union addresses. Her marigold Narciso Rodriguez attire illuminated the room while conveying a feeling of joy and optimism  not seen in Washington lately where somber moods and acid remarks mark these times of discontent and gridlock.

But Michelle Obama has more than one reason to celebrate the landmark. She will soon be free to become herself again!! For an accomplished intellect and  a successful law practitioner  eight years in the freezer supporting her husband’s career must have felt like eternity. By this time next year , she will probably be about to embark on a new life that will allow her to deploy her many talents in a career that both provides economic stability and social progress for the community she chooses to support. Like Hillary Clinton she could enter politics. Unlike Hillary Clinton she most probably stay away from traditional politics to become the standard bearer of a civic society à la Eleanor Roosevelt!!

Hillary Clinton, on her part, made great strides in her fight to be considered a rightful candidate for the Commander in Chief post as she weathered the Benghazi cum e-mails storms. Fighting hard and feisty against her detractors; the Republican Party; Fox News and the Tea Party she finally managed to be seen as a political leader and not the wife of a politician. For this stage of her life she has chosen a totally different style from that of 2008.

The “pant suit sisterhood” brandished the big fashion names including de La Renta; Carolina Herrera; Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors. Bright colors that would differentiate Hillary from crowds were the outfit of choice. Great make-ups and hair styles prevailed along the campaign trail. Today, the for mer Secretary of State has chosen to merge with crowds thereby wearing unassuming dresses and suits in neutral colors that portray her as a working woman and a main street person.

And the transformation is rendering benefits, as men mistrust elegant women while women prefer those that resemble them and their struggle to build economic wellbeing while being mothers and wives. Should Hillary succeed to get to the White House the unassuming style might last at least four years. Should she fail perhaps it will probably not last one season beyond next winter.

Another transition lady is Grace Coddington who decided to step down from the artistic production platform at Vogue magazine to start a life as a brand. Indeed, Ms Codington who turned the magazine into a Hollywood production with hosts of stars and celebs while believing  fashion to be an aesthetic proposal and not a business decided to jump into the super star fray to produce a book and a film. She will also launch a perfume and some expect her to inspire a sequel to the book “The Devil Wears Prada”.

Ms Codington’s legacy is prolific and substantial. She gave life to the supermodel culture; promoted photographic achievement and  launched talented fashion designers; artists and journalists. She refused to blemish the time honored magazine with advertisement that did not pass the great master work test. And by those means she forced a great marriage between Madison Avenue and The Village that generated the best visual testimonies of celebrity life in the 20^th century.