GOP Candidates' Wives: Do They Have First Lady Style? (VIDEO, PHOTOS)

We've found ourselves parsing the GOP spouses' style in the past, but with the caucuses underway, it's time to get serious and look forward: what will it take for these women to transform into first ladies?

Our friend Lauren Rothman, one half of The Fashion Whip, is on the case. A D.C.-based stylist with clients from Capitol Hill to Hollywood, Lauren sat down with The Insider to give the GOP candidates' wives some fashion advice.

What we learned:

1. Ann Romney brings "a soft look to Mitt" with her personal style, says Lauren. Or, as Ann put it, she allows Americans to see that Romney is the kind of guy who "actually does have his hair messed up most of the time." We'll believe it when we see it.

2. Mary Kaye Huntsman and her husband John are an incredibly well-dressed couple, making them "the political Kardashians." But Mary Kaye's uber preppy look could be a liability, warns Lauren. "Approachability is important."

3. Callista Gingrich, as we've said before, has an incredibly stylized look. "Sometimes it looks like she sort of walked out of Stepford," quips Lauren.

4. Carol Paul could use some gussying up and should add a touch of color to her wardrobe.

But that's just Lauren's advice. Watch the vid, see the pics and let us know what you think about these potential first ladies!

Comments

[henriette and hube]

03:02 PM on 01/16/2012

I didn't know there was a first lady style? I'm thinking of Eleanor Roosevelt, Bess Truman, Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Jackie Kennedy, Hillary Clinton and Michelle. I don't see much in common other than they had children and were married to the President of the US. So someone please explain first lady style to me.

[LiberalLee]

01:51 PM on 01/16/2012

Dull--with weird taste in shoes.
Slightly sleezy.
EEK! A She-Troll!
Washed-out, worn-out, never-had-an-orgasm Dull.
Sigh. This one would have worked fine. Too bad she'll never get the chance.
Yuck, a plastic robot.

[AnathTheGoddess]

01:23 PM on 01/16/2012

1) Ann Romney - looks good in the white suit, but the other two make her look frumpy. Makes me think "And they have the audacity to complain about Michele?"
2) Anita Perry - Southern glam? The dressy outfits don't flatter her at all. Sad when the best outfit is the jean jacket.
3) Carol Paul - I grew up in the Appalachian area, and she would fit right in. A little hillbilly in her tastes.
4) Karen Santorum - sad that the religious n.u.t.'s wife dresses better than the other three. The clothes she wears look good on her. She should give Carol helpful hints.
5) Mary Kay Huntsman - the best dressed and most stylish of the lot. Style-wise she is First Lady material. Her husband was also the GOP's best candidate, but they weren't smart enough to recognize it.
6) Callista Gingrich - though she dresses very well, I agree with the Stepford comparison. She is plastic looking....a Barbie doll-like image.

[Mahi Joe]

01:06 PM on 01/16/2012

All are white and all bleached blonde. Are you sure this isn't an audition for Faux news?

[Whycee54]

09:01 AM on 01/16/2012

Why are they all blonde?

[Mamma Roma]

12:44 PM on 01/16/2012

Funny thing about that. I have brother who lives in Utah. Long story short, he was adopted by Mormons at birth and found me when I was 53 and he was 51 years old. So, I went to see him.

Now, he and I are the reverse of our parents, I'm fair skinned , I have green eyes and HAD dark brown hair, I look like our Scotch-Irish-English Father. Brother has Blues eyes black hair and a touch of olive to his skin, and looks more like our Russian Armenian mother. We both now have striking silver hair.

What I noticed in Utah, all the men were sort of olive, with dark hair, I didn't see a lot of blue or green eyed men, and EVERY WOMAN I MET...........was BLOND and very thin. I think I must have been the fattest person in Utah since I' m more voluptous, like my idol, Anna Magnani (my avatar) and my hair was dark at he time. Boy did I stand out. I could feel it and see it. Even my husband mentioned, where's all the brunettes?

I found out that more people are adopted in Utah than any other state in the country, probably to keep from too much inter-marrying. But I didn't expect that the men would be dark and the women all so blond, like it was planned.

[1088]

10:34 AM on 01/15/2012

None have any style, but with all their monies, they can start the propanganda campign, that Mrs. 47TH, have the greatest style that lived.

[henriette and hube]

03:14 PM on 01/16/2012

So you are saying that the first lady requirements are looks and syle? Is this what America has come to? No wonder we're in the mess we are in. Sorry, I'll take intelligent, well educated and a woman secure with who she is who loves her husband. Hi Hillary.......

[Colmore]

10:30 AM on 01/15/2012

They should ask Laura Bush for the name of the furniture upholsterer who made all her clothes. Some looked like brocade drapes.

[atravelinturtle]

10:51 AM on 01/14/2012

They are just following in a lock-step fashion to Mrs. Nixon's legacy. Such memories!

[JadedNY]

08:56 PM on 01/13/2012

Marcus Bachmann has good first lady style.

[JeanieG]

04:59 PM on 01/13/2012

They all look better than what we have now.

[elle359zee]

05:23 PM on 01/13/2012

meaning they are all white because you must be making that comment due to her color, everyone has repeatedly commented on how great the First Lady dresses

[JeanieG]

06:31 PM on 01/13/2012

You are the one that brought up race, that never entered my mind. I beg to differ with your comment on how great the First Lady dresses. She has no fashion sense at all but that is just my opinion, everyone is entitled to one aren't they?

[Dancenownzen]

04:00 PM on 01/13/2012

I mean , ok I am no fan of SARAH PALIN or MICHELLE BACHMAN - be that as it may both of them are not bad looking women. Both of them have nice figures ..........but WHT can't they dress? I don't get it ...... and the hair?

Sarah and Micheleyou are not an old women ........why do you " do yourselves up " to look so dowdy?

[Colmore]

10:36 AM on 01/15/2012

Both are yesterday's news now, thank goodness.

[Dancenownzen]

03:56 PM on 01/13/2012

ALl these republican women are alwyas dressed so DOWDY and 20 years older than they are. Why ( with all the $$) don't they hire a "with it" stylist. Calista - the ST JOHN suits are so 1980

Nancy REagan was the only one I can think of on the last 30 years who had real fashion sense

[kaysings]

02:59 PM on 01/13/2012

Stepford Wives, all except Carol Paul, and Calista Gingrich looks like an animatronics mannequin.

[RMS Queen Mary]

02:41 PM on 01/13/2012

I wish I could take credit for the idea, but I can't--it was another poster who suggested that all of the wives of the Republican candidates should be required to wear "I'm With Stupid" T-shirts.

That's probably the most eloquent fashion statement ever for the wife of a Repub.

[kaysings]

02:54 PM on 01/13/2012

I read that too, RMS, about a month ago. Best idea I've heard in a long time.

[TeriA1]

04:58 PM on 01/13/2012

Not only hilarious, but you are honest too!

[quintus]

11:52 AM on 01/13/2012

Yes, Huntsman's wife is the only one in this bunch.