Olivia Carolyn Pope is the main character of the show Scandal, a political thriller television series running from 2012 to 2018. The former communications director founded her own consulting firm “Olivia Pope & Associates” where she is noted to not just fix issues but to fix lives with her team dubbed “gladiators in suits.” Olivia wills scandals away just as fast as they come to be, taking on numerous scandals of the political and social elite all while hiding the fact she is a pivotal contender maneuvering events at the heart of it all. Olivia is not only glamorous, eloquent, and charming, but also diligent, perceptive, and beyond ambitious- striving for influence. This is hidden away in her personal life, especially in her hidden love affair with Fitzgerald Grant. As the famous and often shortened Groucho Marx quote goes, “Behind every successful man is a woman, behind her is his wife.” In spite of the fact, that Olivia will often go for an underhanded tactic and at times has a scandalous nature, she is one to set down a path for people to do the right thing.
IMAGE CONSULTATION
A part of Olivia’s consulting firm is image consultation. The main focus of an image consultant is to dress, develop a style, and clothing purchases along with defining body language and etiquette well suited to the client. She is able to improve the appearance, behavior, and communication style of her clients and has a thorough process of evaluating the effect of a person’s imagery as well as extensive knowledge on how to curate in relation to a social function
WITNESS THE STRENGTH OF HER CHARACTER FIRST THING IN THE MORNING- LIVE. LIVE? QUINN, HELP WITH WARDROBE. LET’S GO PEOPLE.
WE NEED CURRENT, BUT CLASSIC. PROFESSIONAL, YET RELATABLE.
As we know our personal style has a psychological impact and communicates non-verbally. At the rate of five to seven seconds, a person will subconsciously form an opinion about you through this intake of visual information. Clothing influences perception and maybe a variable utilized to control the narrative, propel a concept forward, or simply present oneself in a preferred, necessary, or authentic manner. Image consulting allows one to have an expert aid in honing the narrative through a crafted look as well as etiquette in relation to taste, character, and individuality.
MY IMAGE? WHAT ABOUT MY IMAGE? RESEARCH SHOWS IF A WOMAN CANDIDATE IS PERCEIVED AS TOO PRETTY OR TOO PLAIN VOTERS TURN AGAINST HER.
This branch of work was termed in 1975 when John T. Molloy published “Dress for Success” and explained how the art of dress and one’s personal image directly affect personal achievement capacity as well as professional goals. Though fashion, style, and non-verbal communication are often self-perceived by opinion, the book was based on tests and studies conducted around the concept of power dressing.
Power dressing is a purposeful convergence of our own natural identity and body language in hand with culture and style to produce a fashioning of power. By integrating the power dress concept into the execution of a look, you utilize the adornments, color scheme, garment construction, and body lines to produce an impression of dominance, authority, or sovereignty.
AESTHETIC & STYLE
With her background in communications, this way of dress is one in which Olivia often partakes. Traditionally when power dressing is thought of, it echoes menswear greatly, but Olivia’s take on the concept is very individually thought out and unique. Her style is an elevated feminine repertoire derived from the concept of power as well as the classic traditions of the capital style. Lyn Paolo, the show’s costume designer, has utilized high-end and accessible fashion to capture Olivia’s state in a curated manner from Burberry trenches and Max Mara capes to Dior blouses and Armani pantsuits and Jimmy Choos along with many other highly coveted designer pieces that speak to Olivia. Her style is not just present in an everyday setting, but her loungewear carries a similar spirit in comfortable luxurious pieces. When the occasion calls, Olivia elevates her dress codes of dress to sport gowns such as the Jean Fares Couture and the Vera Wang gown. Her penchant for elegant minimal looks enriched with complexity in the details of power accessories was developed earlier on.
In Season 1, episode “Grant: For the People” the defining Olivia Pope look came to be through a stark white Tory Burch trench coat and a Prada bag that would lead to the costume designer dubbing Olivia as a Prada Girl, the most suitable fashion house for the leader of the gladiators in suits. Prada’s mission statement is “Careful observation of and curiosity about the world, society, and culture are at the core of Prada’s creativity and modernity.” The Prada woman sports almost “fashionless fashion.” She has grace, but this doesn’t mean she holds back. For perspective, Prada in relation to the fashion house of Miu Miu, a subsidiary, is similar to an older sister with intellectual flair captured in sophisticated elegance, while a Miu Miu girl holds a naive and looks up to her. This is Olivia’s dynamic in her life.
Prada suits Olivia well and captures her essence as someone who is refined, and considered, and acts of refuting following a path but instead setting down her own while aiding others on theirs. In “The Trail” episode 6 of season 1, Olivia’s origins are revealed. pink bouclé Armani coat over an ivory blouse, pearl earrings, and streamlined elegantly cut grey trousers finished off with a Goyard bag. This is noted to be one of Bolivia’s top outfits due to the connections it has to Fitz and the birth of her team. It also has a great amount of significance in regard to her own personal memories. Paolo stated, “This outfit was the beginning,” The clothing shooting this episode together produced 17 or 18 looks for the episode to capture Olivia’s story visually.
Though Olivia has a look that is unwavering just as she is to the eye through codes of dress, the language of how these elements function reflects her development through the recurring repertoire with a color palette that speaks directly to us as viewers. Her wardrobe consists mainly of whites, blush, greys, creams, and black. The neutralized tones in terms of styling allow for not only versatility in silhouette, line, and accessorizing but also for personality to be embedded into the garments, such as a display of intellect with power. The hues of her looks bring it into not the story of Scandal, but Olivia’s story in her inner life that is concealed.
At times this is more direct and others subtle for example, the contrasting looks such as this Armani black and white chevron (a seamless zig-zag patterned) blazer with black beneath it all- symbolizing the conflict outside and the darkness of Olivia’s inner world at time that she needed to hide. Another contrasting look was from a flashback, a simple and clean Michael Kors dress with romantic black lace embellishments in order to reflect her emotional state as well as her secret involvement as her professional relationship with Fitzgerald evolved into an affair. Olivia looked to resign but went on to become Assistant for Communications which would ultimately lead to her resigning later on once she realized Mellie was aware of everything. The look hints at her awareness, her true feelings, and the iconic established image she always sports to the public.
One of the most emblematic ensembles was even established as a title of the episode: White Hat’s Back On- SEASON 2, EPISODE 22. The term “white hat”, symbolic of goodness that is so often referred to, makes an appearance. The one who sports the white hat is the one who is defined as admirable and honorable. The stark white look conveys Olivia is not only paving well-set paths for others but one for herself amidst the chaos. She takes the metaphorical white had on and off throughout the series, her style tells of this even though there may not be a physical hat present, her distinct shifts are revealed. The way she styles reflects her state of mind and over time moral evolution, the costume designer started the darkening of her looks in season three capturing her personal life more. While she was with Fitz, her codes of dress slowly distanced from its roots and Olivia began to dress in a similar manner to how Mellie initially did to pseudo-fill a role that she knew deep down she did not truly want.
We see the inner life surface more again when she leaves Fits in season five, where moving forward Olivia opts for much more saturated colors such as bold reds and or deep blues over the pastels for instance to signify her spirit of newfound independence in her signature garments. This styling depicts how Olivia is one to be loyal to her look, associates, and loved ones. There is a consistency that grows to be more pronounced, dramatic, and stylish as it becomes evident that she is in charge of taking her life back. This was not a revival of confidence, but a new manner by which she could channel herself in an openly determined manner rather than a subtle and understated one.
Costume designer Paolo developed color codes to give content to viewers directly in regards to Olivia’s feelings in relation to her styling choices. Even if you are unaware of color theory and psychology, the impact of the garment is still felt as we subconsciously take in visual cues while watching. On this, she revealed, “Whenever she wore orange it was because she had to have a confrontational scene with somebody. Red was more for danger. […] “It really depends on her character at the moment, each script we treat as an individual story and sometimes there’s a story arc within that script about that color.”
Into seasons 6 and 7 as Olivia serves as chief of staff and the new command, she crosses to the quote-unquote dark side. Her accumulation of power translates into her new dark wardrobe consisting mainly of black- on the visible spectrum black is the absorption of all color and can be defined as the visual experience when no visible light reaches the eye. The subtle soft tones and vibrant hues of Olivia’s morals have been absorbed into this newfound state. The former soft lines, capes, draping silhouettes, and gloves have been replaced with tight, strong structural almost architectural lines that appear just as cloth armor. Paolo expressed, “She’s still a gladiator in a suit, but she’s also the dark knight now.”
Rather than her previous brands such as Prada, she is now sporting brands that are more avant-garde or more gratifying such as Alexander McQueen, Tom Ford, and Victoria Beckham. The sleek lines do soften though, the return of Burberry and Ralph Lauren reappear as both an homage in hand with Olivia’s character development.
For the finale, she comes full circle back to the staple Olivia white trench and Prada bag. Olivia Pope isn’t just a style icon in the world of Scandal, but also in real life. The costume designer expressed, “”I hope the show has shown women how to be themselves in the workplace and how we can all find our own strut with fashion as our inspiration.”
FASHION IMPACT IN THE REAL WORLD
This intent had a major impact, Olivia Pope was named one of the top ten best-dressed characters of the year in 2013 by Vanity Fair and also had influence over the wardrobe of many. The Olivia Pope look was one to emulate and channel, “Scandal”‘s first fashion collaboration was with luxury department store Saks Fifth Avenue on a window display featuring the designer looks Olivia had sported. Later The Limited released a 42 collection with the show’s aesthetic channeled into signature ensembles and tailoring in Pope’s image such as ivory coats, wrap capes, elegant trousers, and soft sweaters all in the classic Gladior in a suit eta. Olivia’s codes of dress were also integrated into pieces such as dresses to allow wearers to suit their own tastes.
This character is one who has visually dominated on screen and off as her style translates into real life for those who see themselves in it to sport and adorn the codes that provoke essences of beauty, femininity, confidence, intellect, and elegance. Olivia’s knowledge of the world in hand with her personal emotions define her ways of dress. Her color journey adds dimension to the story and her looks are just as daring as she is. Though Olivia is a fictional character with morally dark eras there are many lessons we can take from her sartorial, career, and personal life. She is the embodiment of dress for the job you want, not the job you have, and going beyond what is traditionally taken as a powerful or competent look to curate a wardrobe without ever compromising who she is. In the words of Miuccia Prada in honor of the Prada girl, “What you wear is how you present yourself to the world, especially today when human contacts are so quick. Fashion is instant language.” Olivia’s consultation views alongside her codes of dress and mind state utilize this to not only create gorgeous looks but to transform her life as well as the lives of others. Though she has a complicated relationship with it, Olivia shows us that the white hat can always be picked up again and go with any look as we move forward.
SOURCES: 11 of Olivia Pope’s best looks on ‘Scandal’- https://www.insider.com/best-fashion-on-scandal-2018-11#the-first-time-olivia-wore-a-white-trench-coat-is-so-memorable-1 Scandal: The Secrets Behind Olivia Pope’s Style Evolution- https://www.dispatch.com/entertainment/20171020/scandal-secrets-behind-olivia-popes-style-evolution Costume Designer Reflects on Olivia’s Looks- https://fashionista.com/2018/04/best-scandal-olivia-pope-wardrobe-outfits An Exclusive First Look at the Costumes on Scandal’s Series Finale- https://www.instyle.com/news/scandal-finale-kerry-washington-costumes Farewell, ‘Scandal.’ You brought fresh style to prime time with trench coats and Prada handbags- https://www.latimes.com/fashion/la-ig-lyn-paolo-on-scandal-style-20180405-htmlstory.html The Top 10 Best-Dressed TV Characters- https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2013/03/the-top-10-best-dressed-tv-characters Olivia Pope Personality Statistics- https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/characters/stats/SCDL/1/ https://www.pradagroup.com/en/brands/miu-miu.html
