Lobbying for Fashion

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Barrack Obama with Michelle Obama accepting the Democratic nomination at the Democratic National Convention

Hi Miss A,

This is a work-related question. I work in a relatively small Government Affairs office. My question focuses around a woman that joined our office last summer as a federal lobbyist.

She’s a very nice woman, married, and in her late 30′s. She’s thin, and relatively attractive. The problem is, however, she has HORRIBLE taste in clothing. I mean, white socks with heels, clothing that doesn’t match at all – I mean seriously things that must have been in her closet for 20 years. Actually, just recently, my co-worker asked her how many items of clothing she still wears that were from college. There are pants that are too short, there’s even a suit that we call the “zoot suit”.

Most of us in the office have been well aware of this problem, and have been struggling with how to handle it. We’ve passed around work attire books, tried to encourage her to attend a professional attire seminar, and have dropped other subtle hints about this.

The problem lies in the fact that she represents a face of the company in Washington, and not only to the outside world, but also as a PAC manager to the inside. I’ve even had other industry lobbyists make comments to me about it.

However, the clothing issue seems to ultimately stem from other issues which are honestly none of our business at a professional level. Aside from the bad taste in clothing, she tends to be a very anxious person – so anxious, in fact, that she sometimes comes across very awkwardly. I believe the problem may be rooted far deeper.

She honestly is a very hard worker and has a heart of gold. We don’t want to do anything to hurt her, but also want the company (and her!) to be shown in the most favorable light possible.

So, my question to you is: What (if anything) should we do about this? Clearly this will need to be handled with an enormous amount of sensitivity, but do you have any specific ideas on how we can handle it? Or do you think we should just continue on our current path to avoid treading into any deeper issues which may cause further anxiety?

Thanks!

Lobbying For Fashion

Dear Lobbying For Fashion,

Washington, DC has a very bad reputation when it comes to fashion. The rest of the country and perhaps even the world thinks we have no style! This is a misconception, as there is definitely fashion in Washington. DC is maybe even more international than NYC with The World Bank, IMF, and all the embassies which are located here. While we’re on the subject of embassies, Fashion for Paws which has taken place in the French and Italian embassies, has been a huge success, raising over $200,000 for the Washington Humane Society thanks to the hard work of Tara de Nicolas and Stacey Kranitz. This fashion show fundraiser which I am proud to be a part of not only showcases the latest fashion on celebrities and notable Washingtonians, but also features the latest in canine couture! This fashionable event is growing every year!

I feel as if fashion is on the rise in DC. The fashion industry must agree, because when Neiman Marcus launched CUSP, the smaller and edgier concept store geared toward the young and hip, they decided to open a store in LA, Chicago, and TWO stores in the Washington, DC area (Tysons Corner and Georgetown). Additionally, The Washington Post just launched a new magazine, Fashion Washington, which will hopefully show the world that Washington can compete with other national capitals like Paris, London and Rome when it comes to fashion! Even though I supported McCain, and adore Cindy McCain’s style, I firmly believe that Washington will get even more fashionable once our new, younger President and First Lady come to town. I also suspect that DC will have lots of fashionable and trendy visitors, as it seems most of Hollywood, professional athletes, and rockstars seem to be huge Obama fans! I think Washington is going to be rocking and rolling come January! It’s going to a very exciting time to live in Washington!

It’s tricky to be fashionable when you are in a woman in politics, though. Men have it much easier. They just throw on a dark suit and tie, and they’re done! Whether you work for the government, or do business with the government,  you must be careful about how you dress, if you’re a woman. It’s hard to dress in a way that makes you look feminine and fashionable, yet serious and powerful. Cindy McCain was criticized for spending too much money, as was Sarah Palin. Senator Clinton was criticized for her preference for pant suits. Michelle Obama seems to have survived the fashion police, although I have to say the Narcisco Rodriguez dress she wore on Election Night made her look pregnant with the placement of the red. Now wouldn’t that be something to have a baby born in the White House! I’ve really liked Michelle Obama’s other choices, especially the purple dress she wore the night Obama accepted the Democratic nomination (top photo).

As for your co-worker, it sounds like you and the other co-workers have done as much as you can. I know this must be difficult to deal with. You do not want to risk creating a situation where your co-worker feels harrassed, and you don’t want to create an uncomfortable work environment for her. I wouldn’t be surprised if this did stem from a deeper issue, but like you said that isn’t really any of your concern. There are many people who suffer from anxiety and other mental illnesses, and honestly I feel as if they should be treated with compassion. I don’t think they should be treated differently just because the ailments are mental and emotional, rather than physical. You sound as if you’ve been really understanding, and not judgemental, and I applaud you for that! This a very touchy situation. It is up to the company and her superior to enforce the company dress code. This is not your responsibility, and you all would probably do better focusing on your work, rather than what she is or isn’t wearing. I would suggest that you take this up with Human Resources, since it seems to be causing a problem with your clients, and others outside the company.

I hope that this helps! Let me know what your HR department ends up doing!

- Miss A

Andrea Rodgers is a Dating & Relationship Expert for HealthCentral’s Sexual Health Connection. Email questions to missa@askmissa.com.

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