Inspo of the Week: Kerry Washington

The midseason finale of Scandal is tomorrow night, and it got me thinking about the show's star, Kerry Washington.  Scandal is one of my favorite tv shows, and if you're not watching it you should definitely start! But aside from the political intrigue and back stabbing that makes the shows plot lines go round, the show's protagonist, Olivia Pope, is a strong, accomplished woman with great style to boot. Kerry Washington, who plays Olivia Pope, is quite similar to her character in that she too is a strong, accomplished woman with great style. After graduating from George Washington University, she has starred in several Academy Award nominated films such as Ray and Django Unchained. Aside from her professional accomplishments, she also makes time to give back to causes she cares about.  She is on the board of V-Day, an organization that aims to end violence against women, and also sits on the President's  Committee on the Arts and Humanities.  On top of all that, she was recently married and just announced that she's pregnant! If there's one woman in Hollywood who proves that you really can do it all, it's Kerry Washington. To top it all off, the girl has amazing style - here are a few of my favorite looks: 

 

Source: InStyle magazine

Kerry's style is always feminine - in the best way.  This pink Dior confection is a classically tailored fit and flare - a universally flattering silhouette. But the bubblegum pink body with contrasting darker pink stripes around the skirt as well as the shorter hemline make the dress au courrant.  

When Kerry Washington wore this Louis Vuitton dress to the Django Unchained premiere, I just about died.  I had seen this collection on style.com and thought it was perfect: a great mix of 60s mod essentials made modern by the house's then designer Marc Jacobs.  The tea-lenght hem and pointy toed pumps add a lady-like appeal to the bold check board pattern.  The adorable bow headband and bouffant don't hurt either! 

This Stella McCartney dress was one of Ms. Washington's more controversial looks, but when I saw it skimming through a magazine the other day I fell in love.  I'm not always a fan of Stella McCartney's designs, because I feel they can be rather plain, but this dress is anything but.  Wearing her standard pointy toed pumps, this dress is quirky and feminine in all the right ways, and the lack of jewelry and accessories (except for a bold red lip) doesn't detract from the dress' busy embellishments. 

I think that I partly love this dress because I could absolutely never pull off such a vibrant yellow, but this Jason Wu gown is also just gorgeous.  The modern criss-cross back paired with the traditional bustle is perfection - especially in such a non-traditional hugh! Staying true to form, Ms. Washington wore very little in terms of accessories, and kept her hair and makeup simple as well. She could teach a class in the Coco Chanel maxim about taking one piece of jewelry off before you leave the house. 

Finally, this Giambattista Valli dress she wore the Scandal premiere is everything I want in a dress.  It looks as if Jackie O. or Audrey Hepburn might have worn it, with its pale ivory tone and bow detailing at the waist. The proper hemline is set off by her great bangs - she makes me want to go and get mine cut again! 

All in all, Kerry Washington is the kind of woman we should all aspire to be. She is successful not only professionally but personally, and continually gives back to the community that allows her to be her.  Her style is a reflection of that.  She doesn't need to use body to sell herself, and chooses timeless, ladylike silhouettes that flatter her so that her intellect and ability speak for her instead.  But she also doesn't pretend to not care about fashion, and instead embraces being a woman and has fun with it - she shows us that we can be accomplished and wear pink, too. Go Kerry! 

Until next time, 

xo 

T