No cameras are allowed in the courtroom at the State Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan where the Hush Money trial of former president Donald Trump was being held.
We were only able to see a glimpse of Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen as they entered or left the courthouse. Later were got a verbal description and sketches to look at.
It’s clear both Stormy and Cohen were dressed for history and a jury.
Both were portrayed by the Defense as liars and money-chasing self-promoters. But they didn’t look like attention-getters in the courtroom now. The challenge was to be low-key and forth-right, yet authentic.
Stormy wore a scoop-neck jumpsuit and cropped black pants on her first day of her testimony. She had black-frame glasses, little makeup and pulled-back hair. Cohen wore a dark suit and pale tie.
Cohen used to be known for his flashy suits and a European luxury look with Hermes “H” belts, Italian tailoring, and open-necked shirts with loafers and jeans.
Stormy refuses to be type cast. She seems to be telegraphing that she is more than a porn star, she is a writer and director of adult films. She may be a provocative dresser as a film star, but she is unapologetic about her choices and that strength of personality comes through in her clothes and testimony, particularly her testy answers to questions.
How we dress and present ourselves is something we should all think about at the office or wherever we want to make an impression. Clothes talk. Strong visual identities are a quick read. Clothes are one of the quickest ways to communicate a message about who you are.
Clothes are such a strong branding device that for centuries there were laws in many regions of the world about what you could wear. Only specific classes could wear certain colors, fabrics and clothing styles. Few of us face restrictions on how we dress today. But clothes can still make or break you.Think of the drill you put yourself through before an important meeting or job interviews. “What should I wear?” “Ask yourself, what are my clothes, accessories and hairstyle saying to the world?” (And is that what I want to communicate?)