Amy Coney Barrett suits up in stylish 'armor' for SCOTUS hearing day three: Fashion expert says nominee dressed to exude 'confidence and strength' in 'professional, conservative' J.Crew suit - and even paid 'homage' to RBG with a statement collar
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett may have put on a tough show while facing a barrage of intense questions during the first two days of her confirmation hearing, but it appears as though she felt the need for some extra 'protection' before heading into day three.
The 48-year-old made a move away from feminine fashion in favor of a 'more serious and professional' ensemble on Wednesday - an indication that she wanted to suit up in her own kind of 'armor' to go before the Senate, a leading fashion expert told DailyMail.com.
According to stylist Gayle Perry, Barrett - who impressed with her elegant style choices on Monday and Tuesday - had one main sartorial focus when she dressed for today's hearing: exuding confidence, strength and professionalism.
Ready for anything: Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett dressed in stylish 'armor' for the third day of her confirmation hearing, a fashion expert told DailyMail.com
Something to say: According to stylist Gayle Perry, Barrett, 48, chose a more 'masculine, professional' look on Wednesday, having prioritized femininity for the first two sessions
Tribute: Perry believes that Barrett also made a significant choice by wearing a ruffled collar, suggesting that it was a subtle tribute to the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Legend: Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg, who passed away on September 18, became famous for her embellished collars - as well as her policies. Barrett will replace her if confirmed
And while her previous outfit picks were certainly not scandalous, she made a much more concerted effort to emphasize her conservative values with her latest ensemble, the style pro suggested.
'Amy is wearing a tweed skirt suit which is a more structured, tailored, masculine and professional look to reflect her confidence and strength in her conservative beliefs,' Perry explained.
'In addition, a suit acts more like armor than the dresses she’s worn. The jacket adds an added layer of protection and structure... as if to declare she is dressed for the part, ready to stand strong, firm and protected during the heated discussions.'
The wardrobe pick was perhaps a reactive one on Barrett's choice; having faced a tough round of questions during the first two days of the hearing, she may well have wanted to give herself an added boost of confidence in the form of her ensemble, although as it turns out, Wednesday's hearing wasn't nearly so severe as the previous sessions.
Still, Trump's SCOTUS pick didn't let her desire for defensive dressing stop her from reminding the public of her softer, more feminine side, which she played up with her elegant lavender blouse, Perry noted.
'It’s significant that Amy chose a lavender blouse and multi-color suit rather than black or navy to emphasize her femininity and softness,' the fashion stylist said.
According to Perry, the blouse also sent another very significant message: a tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, whom Barrett will be replacing if she is confirmed at the end of the hearing process.
Changes: While the judge wore vibrant, bold colors on Monday (left) and Tuesday (center), she went for a more professional, muted color palette on Wednesday (right)
Significant: While Barrett wore a more conservative suit as a kind of 'armor', she still highlighted her femininity with an elegant lavender blouse underneath it
Balance: 'It's significant that Amy chose a lavender blouse and multi-color suit rather than black or navy to emphasize her femininity and softness,' Perry explained
History: As well as helping to add softness to the look, the lavender color was also significant in demonstrating Barrett's respect for the Supreme Court, Perry explained
Paying homage: 'When judges first started wearing robes, violet was the chosen color for winter, a testament to her respect for the Supreme Court,' she told DailyMail.com
Ginsburg, who passed away on September 18 at the age of 87, became famous for wearing embellished collars with her black robes throughout her time as a judge and as a Supreme Court Justice and Perry believes that Barrett's ruffled collar was her way of paying homage to the history-making woman she may be replacing.
'Her ruffle collar seems an homage to RBG,' the style pro noted.
The color of Barrett's blouse was also an important one, with Perry explaining that the lavender shade not only helped to 'emphasize femininity and softness' under the more masculine suit, it also served as a reminder of the earliest days of the Supreme Court - and sign of the nominee's respect for the system.
'When judges first started wearing robes, violet was the chosen color for winter, a testament to her respect for the Supreme Court,' she told DailyMail.com.
Balancing femininity with a more conservative ethos has been one of the main themes of Barrett's wardrobe during all three days of the hearing.
While Wednesday's suit choice may have had a more stern look overall, the SCOTUS nominee made sure she didn't completely hide her softer side, Perry said.
'Her outfit is a balance between masculine and feminine, structured tweed protecting softness underneath. The color lavender was most certainly a deliberate choice,' she said.
Balance: On Monday and Tuesday, Perry says Barrett struck the 'perfect balance' between showing an 'alluring' amount of skin, while also appearing 'appropriate' and 'conservative'
Vibrant: Perry noted that Barrett opted for bright colors on the first two days of her confirmation hearing because she wanted to appear 'hopeful' for the future
Another theme that Barrett has stuck to throughout the week is the three-quarter length sleeve - which Perry says is a long-trusted style trick is often used by women who want to appear respectful, while also amplifying their feminine, 'alluring' side.
'I always recommend that women roll up their sleeve because that's a very alluring part of a woman's body; it's showing some skin, but not too much,' she said, adding that Jackie Kennedy Onassis often used this styling trick.
'It's almost sexier than being booby. It's a very alluring part of the body and on all body types too. It doesn't matter what your body type is, you can show that area and it will look alluring.'
But Barrett's choice of 'sexy' sleeve length was not about impressing any men in or outside of the hearing, but rather reminding everyone that she is a woman who other women can 'rely on', Perry suggested.
'I think she wanted to stand out and say, "I'm bringing femininity here but you can count of me and rely on me. You can count of me to be here and take care of women,"' the fashion expert said.
However the muted colors worn by Barrett on Wednesday are a slight departure from the more vibrant shades she modeled earlier in the week when femininity was more of a focus.
Perry suggests that the judge's decision to don bold colors and elegant silhouettes was an intentional move to remind the public of her femininity, and to make clear that she is a 'woman who represents women'.
Details: The $425 pink dress that Barrett wore on day one had detailing around the neckline and chest, which Perry said helped to remind people that she is a stylish woman
'Alluring': Both of the outfits worn by Barrett had three-quarter length sleeves, which the fashion expert said help to add a 'sexy' edge to a look, without seeming trashy or flagrant
Demure: While the $425 dress that the nominee wore on day one was more figure hugging, it had a lower hemline than her day two look - an example of the 'balance' that Barrett aimed for
While abortion rights and questions about her personal Catholic beliefs dominated the second day of the hearing, Barrett took steps to ensure that she struck the 'perfect balance' between highlighting her feminine figure while remaining true to her conservative roots, Perry said, pointing to her knee-length hemlines and three-quarter length sleeves as examples of this.
'I think the goal was for Amy to make a statement of femininity,' the fashion stylist explained of Barrett's outfit choices. 'But also the style is very classic. It's not too risky, it's very appropriate. The hem is just perfect.'
The color choices for the first two days were also carefully thought-out, Perry believes, telling DailyMail.com that, while they were bold and vibrant, they stopped short of being too excessive or bright.
In other words, the colors drew attention to Barrett, and helped her to stand out in a dark room filled mostly with people wearing dark suits, but didn't make her look as though she was desperate to being the central focus at all times.
'She wanted to stand out against the dark suits in the room but not in too flagrant a way,' the style pro observed.
'[Barrett] kept it toned back so as to pay mind to her conservative ideology. I'm still a woman I'm representing women but I'm being appropriate.'
Wearing such bright colors was also an opportunity for Barrett to send a message of 'hope' to the public amid the pandemic, with the 'toned back' shades ensuring that she also appeared duly respectful of the somber times.
Changing it up: On the second day of the hearing, Barrett wore another bright color - however Perry noted that the tone was not so bold that it made her look over-the-top
Stand out: The red and pink tones helped Barrett to stand out in a room of dark suits, Perry explained, but the colors were slightly muted in a nod to her conservative roots
Statement: 'I think she wanted to stand out and say, "I'm bringing femininity here but you can count of me and rely on me. You can count of me to be here and take care of women"'
'I think choosing a color like that is very optimistic and hopeful during a very challenging time, obviously,' Perry said. 'She is saying, "The future is bright, and so am I."'
Addressing Barrett's individual style choices for the two days of the hearing, Perry noted that in both cases, the Supreme Court nominee has aimed to strike a 'balance' in so far as representing both a conservative point of view and a feminine image.
The $425 pink dress she chose for day one, for example, was a more figure-hugging style than her second ensemble, however it featured a longer hemline.
'I found it to be the perfect balance,' Perry said.
The detailing on the neckline and chest of the dress was also another subtle reminder to the people in the room around her, and the general public, that Barrett is a 'stylish woman' who has the same interests and fashion interests as other women like her.
'I think that shows a bit of style, but it's still very appropriate,' the fashion expert added, pointing out that the detail serves to draw some attention, without looking out-of-place or extravagant.
Meanwhile, the red skirt suit was baggier and less form-fitting, allowing Barrett to be a bit more risque with her hemline, which rose above the knee, showing off the SCOTUS pick's bare legs and her chic, but sensible heels.
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