Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

“Hillary’s look is a practical one”: Can we stop talking about Clinton’s clothes now?
Salon ^ | January 15, 2016 | Mary Elizabeth Williams

Posted on 01/16/2016 2:24:39 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife

In what may go down as the apex of #SlatePitches, on Friday, writer Vanessa Vitiello Urquhart investigated a Democratic presidential contender in a story that declares that "Hillary Clinton Isn't a Lesbian - but She Dresses Like One." You know what, fine, let's take the bait. Because by my calculation we will be having these discussions until at least November.

After Vitiello Urquhart establishes that this isn't about sexual identity per se, she commends Clinton by explaining, "If Clinton were a lesbian, I'd be proud to claim her fashion sense. Clinton embodies something many lesbians accomplish effortlessly: She dresses in a way that does not cater to, or even consider, the male gaze." The author understands that of course there isn't one typical lesbian style, but what she admires about Clinton is her career-long commitment to not pandering. "Hillary's look is a practical one. She chooses outfits that are variations on a relatively narrow theme. Her clothing and hair are neat and well suited to her face and frame," she writes, noting, "It's simply not possible for straight women to dress practically and simply without judgment, reflection, or comment the way men do. Hence the rumors about Hillary's sexuality." And she adds that "The expectation that women must worry about being pretty first, and everything else second, can feel constrictive to all kinds of women, not just to lesbians."

The point, if you read past the provocative headline, isn't that Hillary dresses like a lesbian because lesbians presumably love low shoes and pants, it's that Hillary dresses like a lesbian because she apparently dresses like she doesn't give a toss what men think. Dammit, on behalf of the hetero lady delegation, are we really all expected to be pushing 70 and trying to look like Helen Mirren?

Vitiello Urquhart, a self-described "sweater vest wearing lesbian," has explored the themes of fashion and identity before, and how dressing in a way that feels natural and comfortable can also have unintended attention-getting consequences. On her blog, "featuring Tiny Butch Adventures," she's explored gender and image, cheering for "girls who look like girls, and boys who look like girls, and girls who look like boys, and everyone who likes the way they look, and everyone who'd never make them change it." But is her take on Hillary an accurate one?

It's fair to say that the 68 year-old Clinton marches to her own sartorial drummer. She doesn't go for the steely business chic of Carly Fiorina, or wear her hair tousled like Sarah Palin. And she never, even while she was First Lady, aspired to Michelle Obama's status as a trend-setter - a role Obama has taken in stride right up to that flawless marigold Narcisco Rodriguez number she wore for this week's State of the Union. In contrast, even in her famous 1993 Donna Karan "cold shoulder" dress, Clinton bore the demeanor of a lady eager to slip into something a lot more comfortable. Speaking to Lena Dunham late last year, she admitted that while "I do like to fool around with fashion and have some fun with it... I'm hardly a fashion icon... I absolutely admit that."

Instead, along with her partner in the sisterhood of traveling pantsuits, Angela Merkel, Clinton has forged a different identity, one that has evolved over her lengthy public life but remained eternally unfussy. She is now not young nor not whippet thin; she has not chosen to have the flesh on her face pulled somewhere to the back of her head. She furthermore has a career and an identity distinct from her spouse - a transgressive stance in and of itself. Note how, for example, at the recent Republican debate just this week, Carly Fiorina snarled, "Unlike another woman in this race, I actually love spending time with my husband."

Yup, that's the lonely road that Hillary Clinton, presidential candidate, former Secretary of State, one of the most powerful individuals in American politics, travels. More than 20 years after getting flack for declaring that "I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies and had teas, but what I decided to do was fulfill my profession, which I entered before my husband was in public life," she is still being assessed by watchers both straight and gay on where she falls on the oh so confining spectrum of expected hetero female demeanor. So as a straight woman who aspires to one day be a successful, self-assured senior citizen in relaxed slacks, can I say that I'd be proud to claim her fashion sense too?


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: appeal; clothes; fashion; hillary; hysterics; marybethwilliams
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-87 next last

I'm not sitting here, some little woman "standing by my man," like Tammy Wynett..... I suppose I could have stayed home and baked cookies.

Hillary apologizes to Tammy Wynett if what she said offended her..


1 posted on 01/16/2016 2:24:39 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

The press hasn’t oozed about Mooschell’s “wunnerful fashion taste” in awhile.
Wonder why?


2 posted on 01/16/2016 2:27:47 AM PST by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darksheare
This writer does slip this in:

...And she never, even while she was First Lady, aspired to Michelle Obama's status as a trend-setter - a role Obama has taken in stride right up to that flawless marigold Narcisco Rodriguez number she wore for this week's State of the Union....


3 posted on 01/16/2016 2:32:46 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

All I will say is both Angela Merkel and Hillary have huge asses and stagnation and fat accumulation there is reflected in their brains and heart to where severe eff____ing up their respective nations does not register with them. Both are sociopaths anyway. If Merkel is not booted out in 2016 Germany is well and truly screwed

btw I have nothing against nice fat bottomed grannies who like to look after their grandchildren...they are a blessing.


4 posted on 01/16/2016 2:39:29 AM PST by dennisw (The first principle is to find out who you are then you can achieve anything -- Buddhist monk)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

listening to hitlery i can understand bill’s philandering what I can’t understand is men supporting her wanting to hear her voice for 4 years


5 posted on 01/16/2016 2:46:23 AM PST by RginTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

That’s Aunt Easter on the far right of Mooch_Elle. For a big bone girl Mooch_Elle made the effort, made herself look as feminine as she could (as she could pull off)So I give Mooch_Elle an A+ for effort. Not much brains but lots of brawn and BRAWNDO grows plants (Idiocracy)


6 posted on 01/16/2016 2:46:31 AM PST by dennisw (The first principle is to find out who you are then you can achieve anything -- Buddhist monk)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
"She dresses in a way that does not cater to, or even consider, the male gaze"

More accurately to avert the male gaze.
7 posted on 01/16/2016 2:55:59 AM PST by Telepathic Intruder (The only thing the Left has learned from the failures of socialism is not to call it that)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
"Hillary Clinton Isn't a Lesbian - but She Dresses Like One."

Why does she think that HRC isn't a lesbian?

8 posted on 01/16/2016 2:56:28 AM PST by iowamark (I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Let’s talk about Monica’s dress...


9 posted on 01/16/2016 2:57:38 AM PST by JohnLongIsland
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Sure we can Salon.

How about we move on to how she enabled her serial sex abusing husband?

And then right on to her illegal email server and breaking the laws of this nation by asking her staff to edit classification headers to make them appear non-classified?

And then right on to Benghazi.

And then the Russian reset.

There’s so much to discuss!


10 posted on 01/16/2016 2:59:00 AM PST by Jeff Head (Semper Fidelis - Molon Labe - Sic Semper Tyrannis)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Her choice of clothing is based on whatever will hide the cankles.


11 posted on 01/16/2016 3:08:28 AM PST by joshua c (Please dont feed the liberals)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife


12 posted on 01/16/2016 3:09:15 AM PST by JoeProBono (SOME IMAGES MAY BE DISTURBING ’VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED;-{)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

As soon as Hillary leaves public life and we are so blessed as to not have to see her mug campaigning or ruining people’s Ives in one way or another, well stop talking abut her clothes and everything else about her

And we’ll be happy about it

And we won’t talk about her at all because she is not an interesting person at all. She is not someone we love to hate nor some classic figure. She has never had any accomplishment

She will fade away


13 posted on 01/16/2016 3:11:52 AM PST by stanne
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

What? The Emperor-es wears no clothes?


14 posted on 01/16/2016 3:16:20 AM PST by jonrick46 (The Left has a mental disorder: A totalitarian mindset..)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

I hear the Potato Sack look is in this year.


15 posted on 01/16/2016 3:17:50 AM PST by McGruff (It's us against the Uniparty now.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Ah yes, the venereal urine yellow dress.


16 posted on 01/16/2016 3:24:53 AM PST by Darksheare (Those who support liberal "Republicans" summarily support every action by same.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Perhaps this article is an underhanded deflection from what might be found in Huma Abedin’s yet to be released e-mails.


17 posted on 01/16/2016 3:32:33 AM PST by Artie (We are surrounded by MORONS)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Practical in the same way Pajama Boy is practical ?


18 posted on 01/16/2016 3:33:21 AM PST by IllumiNaughtyByNature (Trump/Cruz 2016 or the other way around.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

Is that the end of a Chastity BELT that Bill has dangling?? OMG...those SHOES!!!


19 posted on 01/16/2016 3:40:08 AM PST by Ann Archy (ABORTION....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: JoeProBono

: )


20 posted on 01/16/2016 3:52:13 AM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-87 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson