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stump style
November 6, 2012

Ann Romney Versus Michelle Obama: Two Women, 30 Days

By Charlotte Cowles

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Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Today’s election is the most image-driven in our nation’s history, if not the world’s. Pictures from every campaign rally, public appearance, and doughnut-dispersal have been tweeted, blogged, and examined for clues on what each candidate stands for. Meanwhile, both Michelle Obama and Ann Romney have been out in full force to support their husbands’ campaigns, and their presence has been felt to a degree unprecedented by previous first ladies and those who hope to become one. 

Few, if any, Americans will vote based on what Ann or Michelle wears. However, both women’s public images are vastly important to their husbands’ campaigns. Both of them have made dozens of appearances on behalf of their husbands; Ann has been particularly visible in the last 30 days, working persistently to reverse Mitt’s lagging appeal to female voters. 

Newsweek’s Robin Givhan wrote yesterday that the media’s parsing of Michelle’s wardrobe has become tiresome. And indeed it has — as Givhan points out, not every brooch and J.Crew dress that Michelle trots out is pregnant with meaning. The first lady has bigger fish to fry than sending cryptic messages through her choice in skirt color. But it would be wrong to suggest that her sartorial choices are insignificant, and the same applies to Ann. Both women and their respective camps know the importance of public image, and how they choose to dress is in clear alignment with what they seek to project.

As Ann and Michelle have barreled through the final 30 days of the campaign, they’ve each avoided taking chances with their outfits, sticking close to what they (and the public) know. This surely has almost as much to do with their nonstop travel schedules as it does with keeping their campaign messages consistent. Both have repeated designers and garments. Both must be exhausted and don’t have time to quibble over what to wear.

For her own part, Ann has stayed loyal to her two favorite designers, Alfred Fiandaca and Oscar de la Renta — both of whom have dressed female political figures on either side of the aisle — and has bundled up in a red Patagonia jacket in colder climates. She has continued to dress more conservatively than Michelle, opting to cover up her arms at all times. She’s also erred on the more informal side, sometimes just wearing black pants and a button-down-and-blazer combination. This choice is perhaps a combination of her personal preferences — she’s never been a fashion plate and defines herself as a stay-at-home mom — and the need to portray Mitt’s identity as frugal and humble despite his tremendous wealth.

Meanwhile, Michelle has continued to champion the many American designers who, along with much of the fashion world, support her husband. While she hasn’t made any flashy choices — this isn’t the time to make headlines with her outfits — she’s stuck with industry darlings like Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, and L’Wren Scott, mixing in perennial favorites like Michael Kors and Rachel Roy. As Givhan states in her aforementioned piece, Michelle’s sartorial choices can “convey significant messages about economics, female power, and the potency of the creative spirit,” but alternatively, sometimes they’re just pretty dresses and nothing more. Of course this is true. But her image as a modern woman is an immeasurably important factor in her husband’s campaign, and her fashion choices remain an integral part of that picture.

Both Ann and Michelle represent leaders who hope to be great examples — ideals, even — for Americans, female and male. Click through our slideshow to see how they’ve packaged themselves, clothes-wise, in their respective public appearances over the past 30 days. After today, we’ll be seeing a lot less of one of them.

Related: 
Dressing to Stump: Ann Romney’s Campaign Style
Ann Romney’s Favorite Designer, Alfred Fiandaca, on Temple Garments and Who He’s Voting For

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Ann Romney When: November 5 Where: George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia Days until election: One Photo: Charles Dharapak/C... Ann Romney When: November 5 Where: George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia Days until election: One Photo: Charles Dharapak/Corbis
Ann Romney When: November 4 Where: Cleveland, Ohio  Days until election: Two Photo: Charles Dharapak/Corbis
Ann Romney When: November 3 Where: Dubuque, Iowa, with NASCAR driver Richard Petty Days until election: Three Photo: Justi... Ann Romney When: November 3 Where: Dubuque, Iowa, with NASCAR driver Richard Petty Days until election: Three Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Ann Romney When: November 3 Where: Midair, with doughnuts Days until election: Three Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Ann Romney When: November 2 Where: A campaign rally in West Chester, Ohio  What: A Patagonia jacket Days until election:... Ann Romney When: November 2 Where: A campaign rally in West Chester, Ohio  What: A Patagonia jacket Days until election: Four Photo: David Goldman/Corbis
Michelle Obama When: November 1 Where: Miami, Florida Days until election: Five Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Ann Romney When: October 28 Where: Game 4 of the World Series (Detroit Tigers vs. San Francisco Giants) in Detroit, Michigan   W... Ann Romney When: October 28 Where: Game 4 of the World Series (Detroit Tigers vs. San Francisco Giants) in Detroit, Michigan   What: Detroit Tigers hat, Patagonia jacket Days until election: Nine Photo: Darron Cummings/Corbis
Michelle Obama When: October 26 Where: Las Vegas, Nevada  What: Rachel Roy Days until election: Eleven Photo: Julie Jaco... Michelle Obama When: October 26 Where: Las Vegas, Nevada  What: Rachel Roy Days until election: Eleven Photo: Julie Jacobson/Corbis
Michelle Obama When: October 26 Where: On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, New York, New York What: Jason Wu Days until election: Ele... Michelle Obama When: October 26 Where: On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, New York, New York What: Jason Wu Days until election: Eleven Photo: Randy Holmes/ABC
Ann Romney When: October 22 Where: The third presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida  What: Oscar de la Renta Days un... Ann Romney When: October 22 Where: The third presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida  What: Oscar de la Renta Days until election: Fifteen Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Michelle Obama When: October 22 Where: The third presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida  What: Thom Browne Days until ele... Michelle Obama When: October 22 Where: The third presidential debate in Boca Raton, Florida  What: Thom Browne Days until election: Fifteen Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Michelle Obama When: October 22 Where: Broward College in Davie, Florida  What: Dress by Jones New York Days until elect... Michelle Obama When: October 22 Where: Broward College in Davie, Florida  What: Dress by Jones New York Days until election: Fifteen Photo: Alan diaz/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 21 Where: Church in Boca Raton, Florida  What: Dress by Alfred Fiandaca Days until election: Si... Ann Romney When: October 21 Where: Church in Boca Raton, Florida  What: Dress by Alfred Fiandaca Days until election: Sixteen Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Ann Romney When: October 20 Where: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K in Orlando, Florida Days until election: Seventeen Ph... Ann Romney When: October 20 Where: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K in Orlando, Florida Days until election: Seventeen Photo: Gary W. Green/Orlando Sentinel/MCT/Getty Images
Michelle Obama When: October 19 Where: Racine, Wisconsin  What: Dress by BCBG Max Azria Days until election: Eighte... Michelle Obama When: October 19 Where: Racine, Wisconsin  What: Dress by BCBG Max Azria Days until election: Eighteen Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images
Ann Romney When: October 18 Where: The Archdiocese of New York's 67th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Waldor... Ann Romney When: October 18 Where: The Archdiocese of New York's 67th Annual Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation Dinner at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, New York  What: Dress and matching jacket by Alfred Fiandaca Days until election: Nineteen Photo: Carolyn Kaster/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 18 Where: Taping The View in New York, New York  Days until election: Nineteen Photo: Lou Rocco/A... Ann Romney When: October 18 Where: Taping The View in New York, New York  Days until election: Nineteen Photo: Lou Rocco/ABC
Michelle Obama When: October 17 Where: On Live! with Kelly and Michael in New York, New York  What: Prabal Gurung Days u... Michelle Obama When: October 17 Where: On Live! with Kelly and Michael in New York, New York  What: Prabal Gurung Days until election: Twenty
Michelle Obama When: October 16 Where: Chapel Hill, North Carolina  What: Miss Wu by Jason Wu Days until election: 21 Ph... Michelle Obama When: October 16 Where: Chapel Hill, North Carolina  What: Miss Wu by Jason Wu Days until election: 21 Photo: Gerry Broome/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 16 Where: The second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York  What: Oscar de ... Ann Romney When: October 16 Where: The second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York  What: Oscar de la Renta Days until election: 21 Photo: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Michelle Obama When: October 16 Where: The second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York  What: Micha... Michelle Obama When: October 16 Where: The second presidential debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York  What: Michael Kors Days until election: 21 Photo: MICHAEL REYNOLDS / POOL/Corbis
 Michelle Obama When: October 15 Where: Preparing her absentee ballot in Washington, D.C.  What: Cardigan by L'Wren Scott ...  Michelle Obama When: October 15 Where: Preparing her absentee ballot in Washington, D.C.  What: Cardigan by L'Wren Scott Days until election: 22 Photo: whitehouse/handout/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 14 Where: Leaving church in Belmont, Massachusetts Days until election: 23 Photo: Charles Dharapak/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 12 Where: The Franklin Cider Mill in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  What: Patagonia jacket Days until e... Ann Romney When: October 12 Where: The Franklin Cider Mill in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan  What: Patagonia jacket Days until election: 25 Photo: Carlos Osorio/Corbis
Michelle Obama When: October 11 Where: Castle Rock, Colorado  Days until election: 26 Photo: Ed Andrieski/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 10 Where: Good Morning America studios, New York, New York  Days until election: 27 Photo: Harry ... Ann Romney When: October 10 Where: Good Morning America studios, New York, New York  Days until election: 27 Photo: Harry Pluviose ./Corbis
Michelle Obama When: October 10 Where: Fountain, Colorado  Days until election: 27 Photo: Steve Starr/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 9 Where: Fox News's America's Newsroom in New York, New York  Days until election: 28 Photo: Rich... Ann Romney When: October 9 Where: Fox News's America's Newsroom in New York, New York  Days until election: 28 Photo: Richard Drew/Corbis
Michelle Obama When: October 9 Where: Leesburg, Virginia  Days until election: 28 Photo: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Corbis
Ann Romney When: October 7 Where: Port Lucie, Florida  Days until election: 30 Photo: Charles Dharapak/Corbis
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