How do you feel about Olivia Pope’s clothes on Scandal? Let’s discuss her character’s fashion choices!
(It has been eons since we did a 360 Review — if you’re not familiar with them, our reviews examine a fictional “professional” woman’s attire and critique the wardrobe from all perspectives: underling, boss, friend.)
Readers have been fans of Scandal for years, but I am late to the party — after this clip on sexism in politics made the rounds (and seeing Kerry Washington’s awesome appearance on SNL, including the parody of “What’s the Fox Say?”) I finally invested the appropriate amount of time to binge watch the first three seasons. New episodes start on February 28 (eee! yay!), so now seemed like a great time to discuss. Two more miscellaneous notes before we begin: a) I’m still disappointed that the love of her life is the bad guy from Ghost — not my favorite actor or character, and b) The New Yorker recently had a short fictional story about Olivia Pope helping Chris Christie, which hilariously nails the more absurd lengths to which the plot’s been taken lately. But ANYHOO: Fashion. Let’s talk.
The first time that we as viewers meet Olivia, she’s already a big deal — we know from the first few minutes of the show that the mere mention of her name has made a potential hire stop breathing; her interviewer jokes that she would “kill puppies for this job.” Her first outfit shot is this white trench: gray trousers, white trench, white blouse. This is a big trend for Olivia Pope — she often wears very light colored outfits, even more impressive considering the only food we ever see her really consume on a regular basis is red wine. Some thoughts:
As her boss: Ha! Olivia Pope has no boss. (In a fairly great speech, she even yelled at the President (of the United States) that he should “earn her.”) Let’s assume she has some superiors, though — I would think she looked great.
As her equal: Ha! Olivia Pope has no equals. Still, let’s assume she does — if I were working at the same level as her in a job I would probably be a little/lot jealous, unless I also had impeccable hair and the ability to effortlessly maintain the whiteness of white trenches. My opinion of her would probably be a bit that she was a princess — a woman who takes cars everywhere and does not do the heavy lifting.
As her underling: I’d be in awe of my boss’s impeccable hair and effortless, all white/gray/beige wardrobe.
No one messes with Olivia Pope’s coat collection — it is almost as varied (and expensive) as her bag collection. This “pearl” pink coat from Ferragamo — which actress Kerry Washington allegedly hated at first because she thought it was too girly — is one of her iconic looks. But is it a good one?
As her boss: I wouldn’t think too much about a pale pink coat, honestly — it looks amazing with her skin tone. The off-the-shoulder drapey thing would make me wonder, but it doesn’t seem to inhibit her movement, and actually looks kind of great over a blazer (in the first picture).
As her colleague: Seething hatred. Flames! Flames, on the side of my face. I can barely get to work without spilling coffee on my black coat and she’s prancing around in a pink off-the-shoulder coat? Are you kidding me?
As her underling: I would live in awe of my boss and her perfect pink coats. Unless she was mean to me, in which case I would probably mercilessly mock her OCD habits behind her back — if I dared.
OK. If I’ve seemed slightly critical of her wardrobe, it’s just my snarking on her impeccable white/gray/beige wardrobe. In reality, this show is a fashion bonanza — particularly for blazers. She has an extensive, fun, fashion forward blazer collection — she wears things with a vintage vibe, she wears things with a military vibe, she wears things with fun button/pleating/peplum details — and it’s a joy to see her in them. I’m sure the average price of each of the above blazers is $1000, but I still think this idea — in spirit — is something that every woman can use for inspiration for her own working wardrobe. (Hat tip to The Vulture.)
Boss, Colleague, Underling: She looks amazing and professional.
In my mind, here is how we know that she’s truly a character instead of a person: her hair is too perfect. How many hours a day does this woman spend with her curling iron? Honestly, I feel like this is where we enter the territory of “curly hair isn’t professional“ — I think naturally curly hair by itself is fine, but big crazy curly hair that obviously takes 60 minutes or more doesn’t seem professional to me. (Sometimes hair can be sneaky, of course — I spent all last season of The Americans obsessed with Keri Russell’s seemingly effortless hair, and when I finally found a tutorial it sounds like it involves straightening her hair, setting it in pin curls, and then flat-ironing it, which I can’t imagine being a slow process (or terribly healthy for her hair). On the flip side, for some women it really is the easiest thing to sleep in curlers and wake up with bouncy curls — but it looks like it takes hours, so people think it isn’t professional. No, we can’t win.) Even Veronica’s wardrobe on Better Off Ted just let her go with the “I’m busy and going to whip this hair into a bun” look. I’m also not a fan of the 70s flip for the office — but maybe that’s just me. (Hat tip to BlogHer, which has an entire “Olivia Pope weave history.”) (Update: And I’m going to take out my comments on “professional women don’t spend three hours each day on their hair,” since some readers are taking the comments in a really wrong way, which makes me think I’ve written it poorly and picked a poor time to introduce the topic. My apologies to anyone I offended.)
That’s my $.02 — what do you guys think of Olivia Pope’s fashion? Do you agree with me that it’s just a leeeetle bit too perfect — or do you think it’s something to which you can realistically aspire? Which blazer is your favorite? What story line are you most looking forward to seeing when episodes start again?
Anonattorney
02/18/2014 at 2:31 pmI do love her clothes, but am I the only one who doesn’t like this show? I find it very one-dimensional. I feel like it’s a step above Leverage (or White Collar, or Suits), but two steps below The Good Wife. I’ve tried to get into it, and have watched 5 or 6 episodes now, but I’m just struggling. Does it get a lot better in the second half of the first season? Second season?
Disclaimer – I do not mean to offend, I know a ton of people love this show. I have weird unpredictable tastes in TV shows and sometimes just don’t get shows that are universally loved. For example, I can’t stand How I Met Your Mother, but I love Bones. My favorite shows are The Good Wife, V-Mars, Buffy, Bones, New Girl, Grimm, and pretty much everything on HBO (emphasis on The Wire, Girls, Rome, GoT).
Ellen
02/18/2014 at 2:38 pmI also love her clothe’s, but I also love the Good Wife and her clothe’s on the show. I think I like to be like them in court, tho I am limited in the type of case’s that I do. Right now, I am onley a litiegator for WC cases, but the manageing partner want’s me to get into IMPORT/EXPORT law, and he say’s there is alot of litiegation on that issue with the Chinese coming in and selling cheapley and we would either defend them or else sue them. I am not sure which way the manageing partner wants to go. He is researcheing this issue NOW with some consultant, who says the field is WOOFULLY UNDERREPRESENTED by council, so that is why the manageing partner is pressureing me to get up to speed. FOOEY! He does NOT know anything about it himself, but he is makeing me the expert? How am I suposed to be the expert when my onley resource is google.com? DOUBEL FOOEY!
I got a text from Sam saying that he wanted to take me out for Italian food, but that I was not pickeing up my phone. That was b/c I went home for pie, which I brought back with me. Myrna and I am goeing to eat a whole pie tonite at her house while watcheing TV! She has some episode’s on NETFLIX that she want’s me to see. I hope there are some cute guy’s on whatever show she is talkeing about YAY!
Em
02/18/2014 at 2:41 pmIt doesn’t get more “dimensional” per se, but it does get batsh*t crazier. You really have to be in it for the soap opera nuttiness.
Anonattorney
02/18/2014 at 2:44 pmI do like soap opera nuttiness, and Shonda Rhimes (I still love Grey’s), so maybe I just keep going with it.
Mpls
02/18/2014 at 2:47 pmYes – it’s a soap opera, so you have to take it in that vein.
From what you do watch, it sounds like your more into a serialized story that is heavy on mythology (backstory). I’m right there with you, although Bones has gotten a bit stale for me.
You might try Supernatural, if you haven’t already.
Anon
02/18/2014 at 2:49 pmAnd Sleepy Hollow
Anonattorney
02/18/2014 at 3:32 pmThanks! You nailed my taste in tv. I will try supernatural (thankfully on Netflix instant) and Sleepy Hollow. I may have to wait on the second one until the first season is on Netflix.
kitty
02/18/2014 at 2:44 pmYes. You are the only one who doesn’t like Scandal.
Wildkitten
02/18/2014 at 3:35 pmI much prefer the Good Wife. The climax of every Scandal episode seems to be Kerry Washington whisper-screaming a lecture at someone, which isn’t very exciting to me.
AIMS
02/18/2014 at 3:16 pmI recently binged on 2 seasons of it on Netflix and will say this: I thought it was not nearly as clever or as good as people tried to make it; it is definitely beyond incredible and very soapy; and yet something about it is very easy to watch episode after episode after episode. Oh and also can I just say how much I do not get the whole love interest part of the story (trying to be discreet here)? I haven’t seen Season 3 yet but if the whole “will they/won’t they” continues I may give up. I mean this relationship is like the worst idea in history, I just cannot. And especially not with the bad guy from Ghost! Eesh.
That said, the only credible part of the whole show for me is her clothes (in that they are actually professional as opposed to “TV Lawyer in way too tight/low cut for real life suit”) and her apartment (which is nice but not Friends or Will & Grace or any other “never happening for less than $2.5 million in NYC nice”).
Also: where can I watch Season 3?
ExcelNinja
02/18/2014 at 11:21 pmIf you have a US cable subscription you can watch the last 5 episodes on ABC.com…or the full season is available on Hulu or Amazon I believe.
My thoughts on Scandal:
– Love her clothes and the white theme
– I cannot believe I got sucked into a crazy soap opera but I can’t stop watching
– I hate, hate, hate, the main love story. I’m sorry, but you can’t keep it in your pants for less than 4 years?? I can’t respect you. (trying to keep it spoiler-free!)
Anonymous
02/18/2014 at 5:47 pm150,000 % with you.
I wanted to like, failed. Also hate How I Met Your Mother, but love Bones, and Buffy is my #1 favorite TV show of all time. TV show buddies!
TO Lawyer
02/18/2014 at 2:34 pmI love Scandal and Olivia Pope and her coat and blazer collections. Also love her wine drinking clothes although let’s be real – if I had cream wine-drinking clothes, they would very quickly become red wine-drinking clothes…
zora
02/18/2014 at 2:43 pmi LOVE Olivia Pope’s clothes and want them all. But, a lot of Kat’s comments make sense in real life, but not in the context of: This is a TV show. The creator Shonda Rhimes specifically decided to put Olivia in white when she is playing the role of the “White Hat” in the story line. So, yes, she wears a lot of white. That is a symbolic decision more than a fashion decision. Also, about the curly hair comment, I happen to know that Kerry Washington’s hair is naturally curly ringlets, so I think the curly hairdos at the bottom probably take LESS time than the perfectly straightened look. Just because a woman’s hair has awesome curls doesn’t mean it takes more time to style it. I kind of have an issue with that.
I DO want all of the amazing sweaters she wears at home to drink wine in, but I would get them in black or grey, ;o)
SF
02/18/2014 at 2:48 pmAgree regarding her home “lounge-wear”. So snuggly…
Polished Pinstripes
02/18/2014 at 4:43 pmI never really got into the show but I LOVE her outfits and Kerry Washington looks beautiful in everything she wears both onscreen and off. And for my .02, I think her hair looks amazing and very professional. It would never cross my mind that hair like that would look too “done up” for work.
http://www.polishedpinstripes.com
OMG ENOUGH
02/18/2014 at 2:39 pmThe curly hair BS is enough to make me quit this site.
Anon
02/18/2014 at 2:43 pmOMG agreed. Seriously. I read that paragraph (that never seemed to end) and thought “in what world is this blogger living?!?!” And I say that as a white woman with straight hair who would love to rock curls but just can’t make my hair do that.
Olivia Pope’s hair is as fabulous as her wardrobe. Sorry Kat but your comments on her her curly hair comes off as racist to me.
zora
02/18/2014 at 2:50 pmYeah, this is bugging me, too. But I’m now feeling like it’s potentially racist, but not necessarily exclusively. I mean, what if a white woman with straight hair *did* get up 2 hours earlier in the mornings before work to curl her hair perfectly because she likes her hair like that? Why does that make her “unprofessional”? What does that have to do with how she does her job? Why does anyone else need to care?
And then, yes, you can’t judge how long it takes someone to do their hair. She has a different texture of hair, maybe curls are easy for her, how can you possibly know?
Kat G
02/18/2014 at 2:57 pmWow — seriously do not mean anything racist by my comments; I apologize if that’s the way it’s being taken and may go revise. To address it directly I’ve been thinking about the curly hair thing for a long time and have been meaning to bring it up — in my mind anything that approaches “Dolly Parton hair” is inappropriate (takes hours and hours to do). I suppose it’s unfortunate I chose to mention it in connection with a (beautiful, fabulous, multi-talented) black actress.
Maybe it’s coming too close to home for me — I have natural ringlets (like you can see the actress has also, as you can see in the BlogHer link) that start at the top of my hair (whereas some women start midway down) as well — so any look with a curling iron requires me to first completely straighten my hair (45-60 minutes), and then curl my hair with a curling iron (another 30-60 minutes). That’s the time it takes for professionals to do it. And of course it only lasts one day — the next day it looks horrible. So as someone else who starts with ringlets, her hair is obviously a two hour look.
zora
02/18/2014 at 3:01 pmI lurv you, Kat, but you are making a whole 5-gallon bucket of assumptions there. I don’t think the pics above are “crazy, big curly” hairdos. And different hair types are so different, I just don’t think you can judge how long it takes someone else to style their hair in a certain way. And I think we do have to get over the “appropriate kind of curly” thing because that is essentially (if unintentionally) racist.
Anon
02/18/2014 at 3:06 pmI think there is a world of difference between this –
http://news.instyle.com/2013/03/28/dolly-parton-tumblr/
And Kerry Washington’s hair pictured above.
RR
02/18/2014 at 3:27 pmAs someone else with naturally ringlety hair, I would never consider straightening my hair in order to make it curly? I either wear it with its natural curl, or, if the natural curl isn’t cooperating, assist with pincurls while it dries or a curling iron or curlers on some sections. But I don’t straighten it and then curl it. So, I wouldn’t assume two hours for her hair. Depending upon her hair type and styling, it could be 15-30 minutes (although, of course, her hair probably does take 2 hours because she’s an actress appearing on HD televisions everywhere).
And while I wouldn’t pile my curls up on top of my head to make them as big as possible a la Dolly Parton, I very well may rock some big curly hair because it looks awesome and is so.much.easier to do than straightening my naturally curly hair.
I’m a successful partner. At a big firm. Pretty sure there is no question regarding my professionalism.
Katie
02/18/2014 at 4:16 pm“I apologize if that’s the way it’s being taken”- that’s not a real apology.
Blonde Lawyer
02/18/2014 at 4:50 pmAs to Katie’s comment -while I normally dislike non-apologies, I don’t think this is such a case. Kat isn’t going to say “sorry I was being racist” when she wasn’t being racist. She is going to say sorry I wrote that poorly and it *sounded* racist. BIG difference.
If I say something that unintentionally hurt someone, I’m not going to say “hey sorry for hurting you” cause that sounds like “hey, I meant to hurt you.” Instead, I’m going to say “hey, I would never intentionally hurt you. I’m sorry it came out that way. What I was really trying to say was _______.” That’s not the same as saying “sorry you can’t take a joke.”
January
02/18/2014 at 2:59 pmI agree with this. There’s nothing “unprofessional” about Kerry Washington’s hair, even if in real life a woman might have to get up 2 hours earlier to style it that way. Some people get up 2 hours early to work out. Who are we to judge if she wants to use that time to get her hair a certain way? Her hair is not in her face, and it appears to be clean and styled. Why does it need to meet any other criteria to be “professional”?
Anon
02/18/2014 at 3:00 pmExactly. Kat’s comments regarding Kerry Washington’s hair just come off as ignorant and stupid which I further interpret as racist. Besides the stupid “curly hair can’t be professional” ridiculousness that this site sometimes perpetuates, she comes off as completely ignorant about Black women’s hair and how it can be styled/weaves/how long it takes/etc. It makes me feel icky and I just wish she would have left Kerry’s hair alone.
Kat G
02/18/2014 at 3:08 pmPlease consider this an invitation to guest post on the topic — I would love to have a woman of color address the issue again. (Again: I think naturally curly hair looks great. And you’re right, I don’t know much about weaves at all, only how long my own naturally ringletty/curly hair would take to style and maintain like that.)
OMG ENOUGH
02/18/2014 at 2:53 pmTo add one more point… so now we are judging how long hairstyles take AND how long a random person thinks they might take?
Do you even realize how long it takes to straighten curly hair?
Seriously.
Anon
02/18/2014 at 2:56 pmHaha, for real. My hair will be straight only after 1.5 hours with a round brush and flatiron. And serious damage to the strands. So we can file that in the “not gonna happen” pile.
And I feel pretty happy with where I’ve risen to in the work ranks, so I guess having curly hair (and showing up with it still damp CLUTCH YOUR PEARLS) didn’t destroy my professional image.
zora
02/18/2014 at 2:57 pmyeah: I just reread and “obviously takes 60 minutes or more to do” really?? it’s really obvious and you’re sure you know that?? that is not cool.
Godzilla
02/18/2014 at 3:17 pmSince we’re all being judgy on here anyway, people with straight hair always catch my eye. And I wonder about how long it took for them to blowdry their hair. And then I shrug and get on with my life.
Keratin!
02/18/2014 at 3:22 pmIt used to take me about 45 minutes to blow dry my hair the way I liked it. I have what my hair dresser calls “wooly” hair. It’s not curly and it’s not wavy but it’s also not really straight. It’s a bit coarse and can look great when a professional blows it out. I finally succumbed to the siren song of keratin treatments. It has revolutionized and streamlined my morning routine. My poor blow drying skills can get my hair looking the way I want in about 10 – 15 minutes now. I can also air dry my hair and not look like a puffy frizz ball.
SoCalAtty
02/18/2014 at 4:52 pmIf you see me…the time is…zero! I had never thought about it from that angle, but someone asked me the other day how long it took me to straighten my hair. My response…it just dries like that.
The 8th sign of the apocalypse is when it is humid enough for my hair to start to curl!
straight hair
02/19/2014 at 1:08 amMe too. Straight hair, spend exactly zero minutes on blow drying. I never knew before how much white women obsessed about other people’s hair.
Anonattorney
02/18/2014 at 2:59 pmOh man, I don’t see this as racist at all. I think I know what Kat is talking about – I think she’s leaning more toward very “done up” women, like those who have very hairsprayed, curled, fluffy hair. Not naturally curly hair (she actually specifically said naturally curly hair is fine).
I do think that if you look like you’ve put hours into your beauty routine people may take you less seriously. It’s the same with makeup. Tasteful make-up is great, Kim Kardashian sprayed-on layers of foundation and eye makeup, maybe not so much.
Should they take you less seriously? No, you should be judged on merit alone. It’s the same thing with stiletto heels at the office (which we’ve talked about here before). But, the reality is that people will take you less seriously, so you should still proceed with caution.
January
02/18/2014 at 3:13 pmI agree with this interpretation…except that I don’t think Olivia Pope’s hair reaches that level of overly done. I don’t really see why her hairstyle would be considered any more or less “professional” than, say, Claire Underwood’s.
Anyway, I need to do some actual work now.
Kat G
02/18/2014 at 3:17 pmBut don’t you think Claire Underwood just slaps on some sculpting cream and runs out the door? I don’t like her hair, but in my mind it’s more realistic as a “busy woman who wants to look professional” look.
January
02/18/2014 at 3:54 pmProbably, but I guess with respect to both characters I just feel like, “Meh, it’s her hair, she can do what she wants with it.” Plus, Claire seems to be a dedicated runner, so obviously she doesn’t have time to fool around with a curling iron. ;)
I suppose what I just said about Claire not having time to do her hair because she’s a runner goes to your original point – overly “done” hair might give the impression that one cares more about one’s appearance than one’s job or physical health or other hobby – but then I guess you could also make the argument that Claire cares more about, I don’t know, murder or extortion or whatever she does (I haven’t seen Season 2 yet) than doing her job.
I think my real point, if I have one, is that curling one’s hair, if that is what one likes to do (perhaps as opposed to running marathons or some other activity) shouldn’t have a huge impact on one’s presentation as a professional. That, and I don’t think Olivia Pope’s hairstyle is so overdone as to lead to questions about how “serious” she is. Though I do like her hairstyle better than Claire Underwood’s.
Anonymous
02/18/2014 at 3:18 pm+1 this is exactly how I read it.
LucilleinVA
02/19/2014 at 11:13 amClaire has the “kind” of hair that she slap something on it and run out the door and look professional. Most women don’t have hair like that. Also, what honor is there in being “crazy busy”? Some people organize their lives in way where they have time to look “perfect”, while also attending to their other needs. Is there something wrong with that?
Monday
02/18/2014 at 3:00 pmThis is in context too of black women and girls being told that cornrows, braids and locs are unprofessional. So if their hair looks too non-white it’s unacceptable, but if it’s styled fine and wavy then they’re trying too hard? Sounds like a no-win. I think overall white commentators need to be much more sensitive to this stuff. (I am white.) Yes, we’re talking about a tv character here, but the review is based on pretending she is a real working woman.
I’m a little surprised to see this after all the feedback that happened on the “Is curly hair professional?” post.
zora
02/18/2014 at 3:03 pmyes, this
Anonattorney
02/18/2014 at 3:07 pmUnderstood. I should retract my statement above and educate myself more on the issue. FWIW, I was not picturing a black woman when I said “done up” women can look unprofessional – I was thinking more of the (white) Dolly Parton archetype that Kat mentioned. Either way, I should not contribute to the inappropriate and unfair stereotype that styled hair is, or can be, unprofessional. I have natrually curly, unruly hair, and I know how difficult it can be to find a style that works.
Alana
02/18/2014 at 3:07 pmThank you. I read that a teacher treated a black female student with disdain because she had many braids. He assumed she was not serious about her studies because he assumeed that she took the braids down and redid them daily. Generally, people don’t do that and they just wash their hair with the braids in.
Considering how long it would take Olivia Pope, whose hair is natural, to blowdry and then straighten her hair, curling is just another step. Kerry Washington saves time by wearing a weave, and Bellamy (Mellie) wears a wig.
Anon
02/18/2014 at 3:09 pmAnd Julianna Marguiles wears a wig on The Good Wife. Her hair IRL is super curly and she just didn’t want to deal with the time/damage from straightening.
Anon
02/18/2014 at 7:34 pmWow, I didn’t know Julianna Marguiles wore a wig. I always envied her curly-hair-turned-straight style…
Kat G
02/18/2014 at 3:14 pmOK. Now I feel truly horrible. And clearly need to educate myself better about weaves. Sigh.
I guess I'll Google this
02/18/2014 at 3:31 pmI realize I don’t even know what a weave is. I thought it was like a wig or extensions.
LayDBug
06/09/2014 at 6:22 pmAs a black woman with natural hair, I was not offended by the hair comments. I found it a little ignorant, but not racist. Olivias hair is pin curled. It probably is a weave that she wears, but I actually wear this style pretty often. It takes 30-40 minutes to wash and blowdry 20 to flat iron and ten to pincurl. the trick is that you just pincurl the hair at night and take it down in the morning. Black women don’t have to wash their hair everyday. Our hair does not produce oil so twice a week usually works well. Anyways if your really curious just google pincurl pressed hair. Now that bone straight look she’s been rocking that is work! Its difficult to get and super hard to maintain with naturally curly hair.
Wildkitten
02/18/2014 at 3:46 pmGood analysis, Monday. Well said.
Pink
02/18/2014 at 3:35 pmI also just want to add that my straight hair doesn’t take long to blow dry, since I air dry but then apparently coming to work with damp hair is “unprofessional” too on this blog.
Also, I cannot believe that there are people judging a woman’s “professionalism” based on her curly/straight hair… isn’t it just wether the person is wearing a rats nest that smells and looks unkempt vs not? ( I once met a higher up woman from UBS with waist length salt and pepper hair pulled back into a pony tail–the rest of her outfit screamed “i can give zero focks because my skillz are highly desirable”; other than that, I never notice hair)
Lastly, I realized years ago that some people have naturally cooperative hair (I just assumed mine wasn’t) and that with enough $$ and the right professionals, you can get your hair done so it’s semi permanently kate middleton style (except that the procedure lasts like 3 mos on me and then I have to pay more money to get it back).
The world is tough enough without having to worry if the natural state of your hair is holding you back.
sheesh.
Anonattorney
02/18/2014 at 3:46 pmStepping away from the curly hair thing and focusing just on hairstyle choice in general, isn’t your second point just wishful thinking? If we assume that everyone just focuses on a person’s skills, then we wouldn’t have any rules about what to wear to an interview, how to style yourself for different clients, what to wear in front of a jury, etc. I agree that you shouldn’t judge someone based on their hair, but . . . people do. Just like people judge you based on your shoes, or the cut of your suit, or the flashiness of your jewelry.
Of course, you can always just say f*** it and do your own thing, but I still think that should be an informed decision. You need to know what some people are going to think about you, even if their opinions are stupid.
And, as to one of the commenter’s point above, someone who is a successful partner in a law firm with 15+ years of experience can likely get away with a lot more because they’ve already proven that they have skills. People who are starting out don’t have that luxury. They are judged based on demeanor and appearance until they have developed and demonstrated their skills. Those initial impressions can stick with someone for a long time.
hellskitchen
02/18/2014 at 4:55 pmI agree with you to a point. The problem arises when the judgment is based on standards that are narrow and exclusionary to begin with. For instance, the author of this blog set a standard in which Kerry Washington’s hair is considered too big and too curly. Imagine if tomorrow someone were to set an arbitrary standard that said that unless your hair is stick straight like many SE-Asian women’s hair, it is considered unprofessional? All of a sudden, hair that is wavy or shaggy-bobbed or lightly curled or anything except stick straight is now unprofessional. How would you feel? Wouldn’t some part of you feel you are being discriminated because of your race? (assuming you are not a SE-Asian woman with stick straight hair). It is not wishful thinking to hope for a more merit-based and more inclusive world, but we won’t get there until the people who set these arbitrary standards and proceed to judge others, are called out and challenged.
Charlotte
02/18/2014 at 11:52 pmGood lord yes. I haven’t visited this site in quite a while because honestly the super catty comments were getting tedious and the one day I decide to see what’s on it, I see a “curly hair isn’t professional”? Seriously? I see not much has changed. Sigh.
Kanye East
02/18/2014 at 2:41 pmCan we stop to acknowledge that Fitz is The Actual Worst, though?
PS I like to think that Kerry Washington woke up like this (flawless) e’rry day.
Em
02/18/2014 at 2:42 pmTHE WORST.
zora
02/18/2014 at 2:44 pmTHE WORST OF ALL TIME FOR EVER
Catherine B
02/18/2014 at 2:49 pmTHE WORST CHARACTER ON TV.
There are some characters that you love to hate because they’re interesting and bad and sneaky and smart… he is just the worst. He is not interesting. He’s just mean and stupid. I hate hate hate how everyone was all “Oh, but you’re the best candidate! We rigged that election because YOU deserved this!” Really, they all just wanted to be in power because he does zero interesting things and has the charisma of a rock.
Cb
02/18/2014 at 2:54 pmUgh, he’s awful! I don’t get it.
zora
02/18/2014 at 2:58 pmI just want to yell: OLIVIA YOU DESERVE BETTER!!!!
ExcelNinja
02/18/2014 at 11:27 pmI actually do yell that at my TV, often.
hoola hoopa
02/18/2014 at 3:19 pmHe’s awful! I was so disappointed when she got back with him.
AIMS
02/18/2014 at 3:31 pmSo the worst ever. I literally yell at my TV anytime that happens.
Olivia Pope
02/18/2014 at 3:50 pmTHE WORST. Also, the show never really established what all the other characters see in him. Several characters talk about why they “believe” in him, including Olivia, but the show never shows any reason why.
Platinomad
02/19/2014 at 1:46 amTHE WORST AND CREEPIEST
Awful Lawful
02/19/2014 at 2:10 pmI do think they have great sexual chemistry, though. Which is good because otherwise his character is lame.
Team Mellie
02/18/2014 at 2:43 pmOverall, I don’t like this show b/c there is waaaay too much talking. I TiVo it and then watch it on fast forward and pause for the Mellie moments.
Catherine B
02/18/2014 at 2:47 pmI loved this show in the first season! Olivia Pope was so great, and her team was so interesting. They (well, mostly Olivia… let’s be honest) were at the top of their game. They had interesting clients! They found interesting solutions! And it was kind of a side story that Olivia was the President’s mistress. She was such an empowering character, and I really wanted to be her.
Now… it’s all about the God-awful Olivia-Fitz relationship. She’s not Olivia-Pope-Force-To-Be-Reckoned-With, now she’s Olivia-Pope-The-President’s-Sad-Mistress. Now it’s just Olivia drinking wine, crying, and… well, I don’t know what else she does. Nothing. So I’ve totally given up on the show, apart from watching some FugGirls recaps to see the amazing outfits. There was hope when she took on Lisa Kudrow’s character as a client, but that ended quickly. Booooooo, Scandal. I hope the writers are ashamed at what they’ve made this show into.
So that’s all Scandal has become for me: the best fashion inspiration on TV. And my God, is it good fashion. That is 100% the best thing about the show.
Kate
02/18/2014 at 2:47 pmI’ve only watched a few episodes, but I wish I could one-click order her wardrobe (and figure!)
DC Association
02/18/2014 at 3:16 pmAm I the only one who thinks her pants don’t fit her correctly? they are way too long in the cr*tch. Now that I’ve pointed it out, you will notice.
Stephanie
08/23/2014 at 1:15 amYes! 90% of the pants she wears are so bad in the crotch. I had to do a few Google searches before I found your comment. I thought I was the only one who noticed.
I Do Not Like the Cone of Shame
02/18/2014 at 3:20 pm90% of why I watch this show is Olivia’s outfits. To. Die. For. I spend the whole time coveting her clothes, in the same way that I coveted Diane Keaton’s house in “Something’s Gotta Give.”
10% of why I watch the show is the delicious conniving that is Mellie (who I secretly cheer for).
The rest of the characters and plotlines just sort of annoy me. It’s hard to keep up if you’re watching on a weekly basis (I mean, does anyone really keep track of Olivia’s parents – which one is good or evil in each episode?) which makes this show perfect for bingewatching.
LH
02/18/2014 at 3:23 pmCan I put in a request for an Alicia Florrick 360 Review? Love, love, love her clothes.
I Do Not Like the Cone of Shame
02/18/2014 at 3:25 pmyes!! And Alicia’s boss, Diane Lockhart, too.
LH
02/18/2014 at 3:29 pmYes! I love Diane’s clothes as well. I think I forgot about mentioning her clothes because Diane herself is so awesome it doesn’t even matter what she wears.
Wildkitten
02/18/2014 at 3:39 pmYes I want to dress like Diane Lockhart when I grow up. She is fabulous.
Awful Lawful
02/19/2014 at 2:15 pmGood recommendation. Also, Jessica from Suits? I think her wardrobe is gorgeous and I often think about her character when I wear dresses without suit jackets to the office.
Olivia Pope
02/18/2014 at 3:48 pm1. I obviously love all her clothes. Even though the character (and everyone else on the show by now) makes horrible life choices all the time! The show is nuts and I enjoy watching the nonsense.
2. As discussed above, the hair comments are all stupid. Judging someone by their hair IS. STUPID. It can also be tinged with racism, various privileges, and self-involement (it takes me X amount of time to look like that, therefore it takes everyone to look like that). But even without the nastier aspects, it is still a stupid thing to do.
I spend a lot of my non-work time binge watching television and reading. Other women spend a lot of their non-work time curling/straightening/dyeing/whatevering their hair. To each her own. How well we do our jobs should be based on…how well we do our jobs. Not whether hair styling is our hobby.
3. Find out what a “half-wig” is and change your life. It look me $20 and less than 10 minutes to have waist length curls for my wedding. Half-wigs that looked like my hair were a game changer when I still blow-dried and flat ironed. If I didn’t feel like it doing my hair, I could straighten my bangs, put on a half-wig, and leave the rest hidden and undone. (Then I stopped to think about why I spend so much time, effort, and money to damage my hair into looking straight. I didn’t like the reasons I found and stopped. I highly recommend it curlies!)
4. Every woman you see in a magazine, a movie, or a television is usually wearing at least some fake hair. If you want your hair to look like that without extreme damage, just get some fake hair.
SoCalAtty
02/18/2014 at 4:57 pm+1000 to the fake hair!! We did this for my wedding. My hair is fine, stick straight, and there isn’t a ton of it. I wanted all of my hair up in a pretty design, and no way did I have enough hair for it…so we went and got some hair, dyed it to match my highlights…ta dah! Perfect hair.
Ash
02/18/2014 at 4:09 pmI love Olivia Pope’s outfits and have been using her style as inspiration as I try to have a more grown up/professional wardrobe.
Ash
02/18/2014 at 4:10 pmCan we add Claire Underwood from House of Cards to the list for 360 reviews?
Anon
02/18/2014 at 4:12 pmNo need – just read this –
http://www.neverunderdressed.com/people/news/claire-underwood-house-of-cards-the-clothes-bags-shoes-glasses-in-her-wardrobe
Chris Slocumb
02/18/2014 at 6:34 pmIt’s pretty easy to make a size 2 like Kerry look good in Armani and equivalently-priced suits and coats. Daniel Lawson the costume designer on The Good Wife does a far superior job in dressing his actresses in a wide range of brands and prices. Yes, he throws in a bunch of expensive Escada, Rena Lange, etc but he also uses more accessible brands such as Karen Millen, LK Bennett, and Number 35. He also wonderfully dresses the guest starts which are, at times, larger than a size 4.
Like Scandal, but love the Good Wife and fashion is just a part of it.
Anonymous
02/18/2014 at 6:51 pmAgreed re: Claire Underwood. Now if only I could recreate that look for my size 10, short chubby self, I’d be in heaven!
lindsay
02/18/2014 at 8:25 pmYes, love the Clue quote. Madeline Kahn is the best.
Cat
02/19/2014 at 5:42 amThis looks like a perfect time to use this space to promote some black beauty bloggers and ask for their opinions on the matter. Would highly recommend doing so, if you’re not already in the process of doing that already.
LucilleinVA
02/19/2014 at 10:51 amKat, are you in or have you been in the position to hire people? What kind of assumptions have you made about the professionalism of candidates based on their hair? Do you think that it’s possible that women have not gotten jobs that they were qualified before because someone like you thought that they take too much time on their hair and appear to be unprofessional? That kind of discrimination is bordering on illegal, women and ethnic minorities are in protected classes.
By the way, someone with fine textured straight hair could set their hair (slightly damp) on rollers at night, and wake up with curls like Olivia Pope, she can take out the rollers and shake out the curls in 5-10 minutes, is that professional enough for you?
LucilleinVA
02/19/2014 at 10:58 amAlso, you didn’t “explain yourself poorly”, you were able to articulate your opinion well, and with many words. Given your clear outline of your opinion, I am sure that your readers did not “take the comments in a wrong way” since you did articulate your thoughts well, and you and others know that the readers of your blog are generally educated women. Certain readers just thought that you were wrong, and you didn’t apologize, you just insulted their intelligence. You don’t have to apologize, we are all entitled to our opinions, it doesn’t help to say “I’m sorry you were offended”, that’s a waste of words.
Noodles
02/19/2014 at 3:48 pmJust here to offer support to Kat. As a white, curly haired woman, I am here only to second what Kat is saying. My hair is naturally wavy (so not quite curly, not quite straight) and as a result, unless I spend an hour straightening it totally looks undone. I believe it is MY TYPE of hair to which Kat is referring (regardless of skin color), and I’d respectfully suggest that maybe it is the “in betweens” where the problem arises. I know many white/brown and everything in between who have curly hair – they look great. It’s my wavy girls who have the challenge. Just something to consider!
cierra chubb
08/24/2014 at 11:13 amI am mixed, black & white, I have naturally, extremely curly hair. I do not often wear my hair in its natural state. I’m sure you aren’t aware Kat, but you can also curl your hair with a flat iron. I very consistently wear my hair curles because with the humidity of my state, I coupd never keep it completely straight all day long. Because I don’t have oily hair I only wash it every twn days. Therefore the pongest curling process is the first day. After that every morning I only do touch uos that take around ten to fifteen minutes but my hair is just as “done up” as Olivia Popes. I feel that someone eho wasn’t white should comment. You were not trying to be racist, but it was quite judgemental to be so ill informed. Nonetheless its nothing you should have been attacked or berrated for.
I love Olivias clothing, and hair. I aspire for my work wardrobe to be on that level. Thabk you for the ariticle.