Sen. Elizabeth Warren wears the $795 Metro jacket by Nina McLemore in blue. She sells Clinton (and Warren and more) those pricey pantsuits

When Hillary Clinton’s campaign store website this week began offering the fashionably questionable “ Everyday Pantsuit Tee,” it got a chuckle. Not only was it a clever item, its existence also demonstrated that the notably unfunny Clinton possibly has a sense of humor—at least about her ubiquitous suits. The red T-shirt features a faux suit-front, complete with “H” lapel pin and a strand of what looks like little white pearls; the back is printed with the words “Pantsuit Up.”

It’s a way for supporters to get behind the Clinton uniform: boxy blazer, shapeless slacks, simple shirt, statement necklace and sensible shoes. As “blah” as that look might be, and for as much criticism as it has drawn through the years, Nina McLemore, the opinionated designer who has sold Clinton the majority of those suits for more than a decade, says it’s not about razzle-dazzle. “Anyone, frankly, who is not a white male, has a difficult time being seen positively because there’s so much going on in our totally unconscious perception that leads us to that conclusion anyway,” says McLemore, who lives in Washington and is married to high-profile antitrust lawyer Donald Baker. McLemore is not merely a designer; she’s a student of human behavior, whose study of how our “silent brain” functions has influenced her clothing, which fills the closets of power women like Elizabeth Warren, Janet Napolitano, Janet Yellen, Elena Kagan and Donna Shalala, not to mention a legion of C-suite corporate executives.


As McLemore says, “People often harp on the whole concept of ‘we shouldn’t be talking about what a female candidate is wearing,’ but we should. It’s a very important topic, in fact. I don’t think a lot of people, women in particular, realize how strong the power of how we look really is.” This, she explains, is why Clinton doesn’t venture beyond the pantsuit: “Once the brain makes a conclusion about a person, based on a first look, whether that impression is positive or negative, it’s done; it’s not just a first impression, it’s a stamp.”

Most clients, Clinton included, personally go into one of McLemore’s 14 boutiques (one in Friendship Heights sees a good deal of power-woman foot traffic). “These women don’t have a lot of time for shopping, so we’ll set aside what we know they like or what works; then they come in, try on the looks, pick and choose and be out the door,” says McLemore.

The next big test for Clinton (or Warren, or Carly Fiorina) is television. “TV is where charisma and attractiveness count for more than substance,” says McLemore, with all the seriousness of a political consultant. “I personally think it’s hard for women to have charisma, where some men have it in spades. We can’t change the fact that we’re women, but we can put forth our best image for the result we want.” Members of McLemore’s cult following obviously believe her philosophy, which is why they don’t question shelling out between $500 and $1,000 for one of her camera-ready jackets and $400 for matching pants. If power dressing is in your future, start saving. Or, you could always just pay 30 bucks and get the T-shirt.

A look at a few of Hillary Clinton's pantsuit choices, through the years: