Image Consultant Sandy Dumont - The Image Architect - Harper's Hunter Look, A Fashion...

Harper's Hunter Look, A Fashion...

Harper's big game hunter look a fashion faux pas, expert says
He should do what high school girls do, writes Joanne Laucius: Find out what others are wearing.

Joanne Laucius, The Ottawa Citizen
Published: Friday, March 31, 2006

Sartorial note to Prime Minister Stephen Harper: lose the vest. And get an assistant to do what high school girls do -- find out ahead of time what everyone will be wearing.

That's the advice of image consultant Sandy Dumont after looking at the one-of-these-things-is-not-like-the-others photos of Mr. Harper yesterday at the Mayan ruins in Mexico's Chichen Itza with U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox, both sporting loose untucked short-sleeved shirts and light trousers.

"He looks likes he's going hunting," said Ms. Dumont, the Virginia-based executive director of the Impressions Strategy Institute.

Canadian news watchers will remember The Vest, or one very much like it, was worn by Mr. Harper during his visit to Kandahar earlier this month. Or maybe it's a Canadian thing. Former prime minister Paul Martin sported a multi-pocketed vest last year at a trilateral meeting at Mr. Bush's ranch in Texas. All three leaders wore their shirts tucked in for that photo op.

Ms. Dumont suspects that Mr. Bush had some help from his aides in co-ordinating his look with Mr. Fox.

"They look too much alike. Bush is not the kind of person who wears a shirt with the tail out," said Ms. Dumont, who advises business people and politicians on wardrobe and image.

In most business situations, it's hard to go wrong with a navy blue suit, but it also depends on where you stand on the power ladder. Donald Trump can get away with hot pink shirts and Nelson Mandela could wear African prints.

It gets trickier in informal situations, especially in foreign countries, said Ms. Dumont.

"When you're in a foreign culture, you need scouts. Talk to the ambassador of Mexico. Are they going to wear tropical-weight suits?"

Light colours are de rigueur in warm climates. Dark colours, like Mr. Harper's brown trousers, retain the heat. "That brown makes you think he must be hot," said Ms. Dumont.

For casual situations like this, a loose shirt helps hide any extra girth. "Fox has a tummy. Those loose tops camouflage it," she said.

Stephane Rondeau, Mr. Harper's deputy director of communications, said wardrobe is not something Mr. Harper would want to discuss.

"We have no comment," he said.

Source: The Ottawa Citizen

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