Lawmakers of the 82nd legislative session are trading in their suits and ties for Hawaiian shirts and Bermuda shorts now that special session is over at the Texas Capitol. Until this past Wednesday, the fashion sense of the legislators ranged from Wall Street professional to unintended impersonations of Yosemite Sam or KFC’s Colonel Sanders.
Because of the wide spectrum of fashion faux pas observed by the Capitol’s press corps section, The Daily Texan has chosen the best and worst dressed at the Capitol this year.
The Best
With the biggest Texas hair and the highest heels in the Capitol’s rotunda, Sen. Wendy Davis, D-Fort Worth, is the tallest person in the Senate, and she may be only 5’6”. Both reporters and politicians took notice when the Southern sweetheart wore flats on the last day of regular session. It was incredibly out-of-character. But it turns out she traded in her high, high heels to filibuster the Senate, which required her to stand for nearly two hours. In doing so, the filibuster earned her political celebrity status amongst Texas Democrats and allowed constituents to gawk over the Senator for an additional 30 days.
Davis is intimidating, not only because of her new celebrity at the Capitol but also for her immaculate dress and her mesmerizing charm.
Honorable mention for the best goes to Sen. Glenn Hegar, R-Katy, for his sharp designer suits, Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, for his bold blue seersucker suit and paisley ties, and freshman Rep. Stefani Carter, R-Dallas, whose charisma, good looks and fitted suits put her at the top of our list.
The Worst
Some congressmen know how to dress, but some don’t care whose name is on the label of their jackets, or even if it fits. Leading the pack of the least fashion conscious is Rep. Ken Legler of Harris.
It is hard to describe the interesting clothing choices made by Legler, who once shown up to work dressed exactly like Colonel Sanders character. And on the last day of special session, Legler sported a yellow polo buttoned to the brim, a black scarf tied around his neck with a pendent in front and a navy blazer. Needless to say, color coordination is not the Representative’s strong point, and neither is his laughable sense of style.
Honorable mention for the worst is awarded to Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, for his boring blazers and unfitted pleated chinos and Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, for her turtle necks in 100 degree weather.
