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A woman’s image is no small matter. Her appearance speaks for her even before she utters a word.

If, additionally, this particular woman happens to be the president of a country, holds a high-level political post such as minister or is even the first lady, all eyes are focused on her, and especially those of the opposition.

An added encumbrance is that protocol sets certain rules for female dress at public events, in particular official ceremonies. Such controls might end up thwarting the feminine urge to buy garments, if it were not for two things that are more powerful than etiquette — vanity and fashion.

Figures such as Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, deputy prime minister of Spain, Cristina Fernandez, Argentina’s president, Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s outgoing president, Lina Moreno, Colombia’s first Lady, and Piedad Cordoba, a Colombian senator, were young in the 1960s and ’70s.

Those were the decades when youthfulness was almost necessarily associated with fashion trends.

They could choose between miniskirts and hot pants, followed by bell bottoms, very long skirts and a sexy disco style. Today they must change their look, although some may resent it a little.

Cristina Fernandez, for one, continues to use very heavy makeup, with thick eyelids, which was appropriate in the 1980s, but does not gel with the current minimalist approach. “I think I was born wearing makeup,” the Argentine president once said, only half jokingly.

Meanwhile, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega always look like she just came out of the hairdresser’s salon after a punk haircut because her short hairdo makes her hair stand up stiffly.

Female politicians’ choice of apparel will always be important, for better or for worse. If they look elegant and lovely at a gala event, the next day this will be commented on by the media.

If they choose outlandish garb for a major speech, this will be the talk of the town, rather than whatever it was they said in their presentation.

What a female leader wears broadcasts a message she may not have intended. She might come off as ostentatious or bohemian, or plain boring with two-piece outfits bereft of any kind of design, or she may be overly in the grip of fashionable designer names.

For reasons ranging from “good taste” to pettiness, whatever an important female personality wears in public will never leave those watching indifferent.

Because she loves bright colors, Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega could be the government model for top Spanish designer Agatha Ruiz de la Prada.

The deputy Spanish prime minister usually wears a short jacket in all the tones of pink, apparently her favorite color. This high-level official likes to throw in other contrasting colors as well, especially in the lapels and necklines.

At the other extreme lies Chilean leader Michelle Bachelet, who swears by single tone, often dull, calf-length skirts and matching jackets. When she meets with foreign leaders she livens up her dress slightly using fabrics that have a silk finish and a slight shimmer.

But even though she is very sober in style, and almost exclusively uses suits, Bachelet’s attire includes a broad variety of colors. She won’t shy away from a dark red tone, a pastel peach hue, blue or metallic gray.

There are some accessories worn by female politicians that draw a lot of attention, such as the luxurious gold brand name watch Argentina’s president sports, or the turbans Piedad Cordoba is enamoured of.

Cordoba is the only female politician in the West who always wears a turban in public that matches or goes with her tops and blouses. The turban makes viewers focus on her face. Image experts say that this gives Cordoba an aura of transparency, especially in her role as peace mediator.

This Colombian politician also favors large earrings, usually pearls or of the hanging “chandelier” kind. Oversize pearls also constitute a permanent accessory for the Colombian first lady, Lina Moreno, who likes to dress discreetly and favors black and white, worn separately.

When it is a festive occasion or when she appears on television, Moreno wears the emblematic little black dress. After famed designer Coco Chanel insisted no woman’s wardrobe should be without the little black dress, it became a staple of women’s collections everywhere.

One of the trendiest dressers around is Argentine President Cristina Fernandez. Nothing is left to chance. She follows some trends and emphasizes each aspect of her image, from her bangs to the high-heeled shoes she favours.

Fernandez wears fitted suits using brocaded fabrics and knits with golden thread. Under her jackets soft silk blouses can be seen, either print or single-toned. And Fernandez completes her attire with footwear and bags designed by the fashion world’s biggest names.

Louis Vuitton is one of her favorites and it would not be surprising if, once her term ends, the company asks Fernandez to be featured in one of its publicity campaigns, like former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev was a couple of years back. 

DPA