State of Style

The Secretary of State's Most Memorable Looks

by Jen Larkan

For a woman who's worn so many hats on the public stage, it's no surprise Elaine Barrish has seen her fair share of fashion criticism. However, at the Washington Globe, we think Elaine has gotten a bad rap. Over the years, she has had some missteps [we can all remember scrunchie-gate...], but, overall, Elaine's style has been both elegant and inspiring. Here are some of our favorite Elaine fashions over the years.

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Regal in Red

Elaine Barrish beaming with sophisticated red at a gala thrown in her honor by the President of France. Gorgeous dress, cute hair, and a figure that suggests she sprinted her way across the Atlantic.

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Coordinated Class

A featured speaker at the N | B | G | O conference, the former FLOTUS teaches a lesson on wearing blocks of color. We love the high contrast between the coat and jacket. The little bit of sparkle on the bottoms of her pants dresses it up just enough, without adding any more color. Elaine knows how to keep it simple, without looking drab.

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Garden Party Glam

One of the world's most influential women appropriately dons a powerful crimson dress after hosting an event at the White House. Fresh, comfortable with a mature simplicity. Elaine's best go-to look.

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Applause Worthy

What a difference a divorce makes! Elaine's clearly on the market again as she shows off her sexy side at the Susa De Evenia launch in New York. She is absolutely killing it with the lingerie-inspired top and trendy black pants. Hair and make up are fab. Earrings are on point. Standing ovation, Miss Barrish.

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Breaking the Rules

Barrish's elegant violet gown shut down the red carpet at the annual Genist Quam Ceremony. We love how she lets her neck breathe. Despite the fact that Elaine breaks a traditional fashion rule by mixing black and blue, we still give this gorgeous dress an A+.

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Risky Business

One of the reasons we love the former First Lady is because of the risks she takes—personally and politically. For instance, not everyone can pull off the draping on this gown, but we think Elaine wears it like a charm. Thankfully, her famous bravado carries beyond the situation room to the choice of her silhouette.

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Channeling Victory

Elaine Barrish turned heads at an event celebrating the Supreme Court appointment of her long-time friend and mentor, Justice Nash. Barrish wears victory—and peach—well. This is one of Elaine's top-ten looks, by far.

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Dressed to Impress

A stunning Elaine Hammond made a rare public appearance in this one-shoulder gown after Bud's infamous sex scandal.

...If only her taste in men was as good as her fashion sense.

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Ravishing Velvet

At the Ovid Utest Benefit for Breast Cancer, Elaine donned a glamorous velvet evening gown with a sleek modern clutch purse. The hair and jewelry? Two snaps up. A perfect winter look.

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Green with Envy

You may have know that Elaine Barrish speaks fourteen languages, but were you aware that she's also a master of accents? While leaving a Gala event in New York City, Elaine shows how to effortlessly throw neon into your repertoire. The hints of green set off the otherwise black outfit perfectly.

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MFA in Chic

The hottest woman in politics waves at supporters in a silky gold wraparound shirt. She goes casual with loose black pants, then dresses it up nicely with pointed toe low heels. It's no secret she's mastered the art of war in politics, but this outfit shows that she's mastered the art of casual-chic, as well.

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Sapphire Suiting

OElaine, then campaign front-runner, posed for pictures after her foreign policy speech in Chicago in one of her infamous pants-suits. We love how Elaine re-claimed this style on the campaign trail. Bold is beautiful, Ms. Barrish. Not many women would be able to pull off a head-to-toe color like this, but the double breasted jacket and chunky necklace make this outfit sing.

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