In an Ivory Ralph Lauren Pantsuit, Hillary Clinton Dominates the Third Presidential Debate
She’s our Olivia Pope, our Jedi master, our pillar of strength in a white Ralph Lauren suit. At the third presidential debate, which held forth at the University of Nevada – Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada, Clinton, former Secretary of State, faced off against Republican nominee Donald Trump, former reality television mogul. At the first debate, Clinton wore a bright red pantsuit; at the second, a deep navy suit with periwinkle contrast detail; and at the third, an asymmetrical, tulip-hemmed jacket with matching pleated pants — both in ivory.
Hillary Clinton in Ralph Lauren at the third presidential debate in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2016.
And when she stepped onto the stage in her latest pantsuit, Twitter broke out in spasmodic joy with some of the best memes of the presidential race thus far. (Comparisons to Kerry Washington’s Scandal character, Tupac Shakur, Luke Skywalker, and the First Wives Club all circulated.) The social media glee is a close proxy for Clinton’s overall success on the debate stage; her on-point looks are just one more element proving her qualifications for the presidency. As the Trump campaign has unraveled, undone by recordings of Trump’s gleeful admissions of sexual harassment and groping and the candidate’s total lack of policy knowledge, Clinton has held her own, consistently arriving prepared (sometimes to cries of ‘over-prepared’) and poised to each debate so far. Her looks — a series of pantsuits from a self-professed “pantsuit aficionado” — are just the finishing touch. Though, if elected, she’ll have quite the act to follow in Michelle Obama, who has become the new benchmark for powerful political fashion, Clinton has developed a style all her own, both on stage and in her wardrobe.
Who: Hillary Clinton.
When: Wednesday, October 19.
Where: The third presidential debate against Donald Trump in Las Vegas, Nevada.
What: An ivory jumpsuit by Ralph Lauren with a dark red lip.
Why: Clinton has worked with the quintessential all-American designer Ralph Lauren from the outset; they go together like Ciara and Roberto Cavalli. For the final presidential debate, the Democratic candidate radiated strength and tranquility in her all-white ensemble with its high collar, off-center buttons, and quirky tulip hem. From her wardrobe choices to her total composure on the debate stage — and her undeniable foreign and domestic policy savvy — Clinton made this debate her moment.
