When Trinny and Susannah, fashion gurus from England, came downunder to Australia, I was hoping that they might have some fashion advice for the Prime Minister’s wife, Therese Rein. But alas and alack, that was not to be and a golden opportunity was missed. I wrote about Mrs Rudd’s poor dress sense last year.
And now, four months after the election, the newspapers have finally dared to criticise the Prime Minister’s wife’s fashion nonsense.
Out there on the world stage in the U.S, at Nato, in the U.K and wherever else the Prime Minister of Australia has been disseminating his wisdom, his frillyphile spouse has been embarrassing us with her Seinfeld-inspired “puffy shirts”
Seinfeld’s puffy shirt was white but Mrs Rudd has them in many bright colours, her favourite being cyclamen which clashes stridently with her dyed auburn frizz.
Her hems are too short when she sits down and she looked like a Russian mafiosi’s moll when she sat beside the elegant Laura Bush. Her favourite garb is a wide cowl neck jacket over a tight short skirt which resembles a billowing parachute on take-off.
I did think that there was a bit of improved taste when she wore a while tailored jacket with buttons on each side over the ubiquitous black thing. But the rest of her wardrobe needs a real make-over.
I don’t mind that Mrs Rudd is plumpish, but even plumpish women can look very smart in clothes that suit them. Also, if there is a lot of sitting down at functions, she should conceal her ample knees. A neat tailored pair of slacks would be more appropriate on such an occasion. There are times when a tailored pant suit is more comfortable and less embarrassing.
Nobody expects Therese to acquire the fashion sense of Princess Mary of Denmark. One either has taste one or one doesn’t, but there are many advisers in the government and somebody should definitely package her in more suitable clothes.
A friend of mine asked me why it matters what Mrs Rudd wears. Her actual words were, “We elected Kevin Rudd, not his wife” and that is a valid point, but only if Mrs Rudd stays at home and doesn’t accompany her husband on world tours. As soon as she steps into her official role of “First Lady” to the Prime Minster of Australia, she is regarded as an ambassador for our country.
It is possible for Mrs Rudd to maintain a unique sense of self and still look elegant if she just lengthens her hemline, cuts out the flamenco jackets and buys clothes that fit her.
She will never be a fashion icon, nor should she be, but I suspect that at the next Gay Mardi Gras parade in Sydney, there may be several Therese look-alikes flouncing around in cyclamen and turquoise jackets with skirts right up to their assets.
LiliGans.com 
This woman is an ambarrassment, overweight, not a good ad. for obesity. Satins & glitter first thing in the morning, look at the wives of other leaders..no one has to be a model however one could try to look businesslike and ladylike. She will make us look like taseless backwater hicks if she stands in the same photo shoot as Mrs Obama.Money can’t buy taste.
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Helen,
Mrs Rudd is obese but there are many women who dress according to their shape. I remember the late Mrs Gorbachev looking quite elegant even though she was plump. The problem with Therese Rein, however, is that she has no taste in clothes and never looks stylish. Her preference for frills and flounces and tight belts only aggravates the problem. You might have noticed that lately the media avoids photographing her which is due to the fact that she doesn’t look like a prime minister’s wife. I think that her outfits would go down well at the Grand Old Opre in Nashville but not in the corridors of power. Money can’t buy taste, that’s for sure, but it can buy advice but then Therese probably wouldn’t listen to good advice.
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I have noticed the cameras seem to be hiding this tasteless woman. I cringe to think of her representing Australia overseas. Look at Marie Bashir who is a credit, a lady, is, looks & behaves like one.
Rudd “went on”about obesity, why doesn’t he start with his wife who is hardly a role model.
Where is this renowned “beauty” Margaret Whitlam who never shut up about Jeanette Howard…”cat got her tongue”?
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I agree with you completely, Helen, regarding Margaret Whitlam. Do you remember when she criticised the Howards for holding hands in public? Pure envy, in my view. I also don’t approve of Therese Rein staying in the U.K on business when she should have been giving some visible support to the victims of the floods and bushfires. That wouldn’t go down well with the Australian public, would it?
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I feel embarrassed every time I see on TV. She has enough money to hire a team of fashion consultants, personal trainers and dieticians. So please Therese do something to help yourself!
Until now I guess it was not important how she looked (as long as Kevin was happy) but now that she is in the public eye and representing Australia she needs to improve the way she looks and behaves in public.
Maybe Jeanette Howard should give her lessons on how to dress appropriately and to behave correctly as the wife of a prime minister.
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I am glad that she is not my wife!
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I can’t wait to see what atrocity she wears when meeting Michelle Obama. I wonder that someone doesn’t sit on her, she looks like a badly upholstered armchair at the best of times with escaping stuffing. First “LADY” are they kidding us?
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I was very disappointed to see her without either hat or gloves at the service for the bushfire victims in London. She looked like a poor relation next to The Duchess of Cornwall.
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Valerie,
She is a poor relation when it comes to class. Just because she is rich does not stop her from being frumpy. She has no taste and taste is something you can’t buy. You either have it or you don’t.
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You are ALL so jealous. She has far more INTELLIGENCE than yourselves and values more important things like REAL ACHIEVEMENT which I would say none of you have. Keep your silly, trivial attitudes and values to yourselves, as you show yourselves up to be petty and lacking what really makes up class…intelligence, achievement and understanding of your own lack of class.
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Rudd has been so busy with spin that he has failed to deliver anything except for a huge deficit. Now that Copenhagen has been a dismal failure the party is over for Rudd. It is time to do some real work and deliver on the many promises. I am so suprised that there hasn’t even been an attempt to deal with a clear cut minor issue like Japanese whaling. This makes the Australian govt appear so weak. C’mon Rudd It’s Time! Instead of trying to talk like a yobbo and impress some people with Mandarin, get down to “tin tacks” and produce some real results. If you were in corporate world you would be failing on your KPIs
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Now we have Julia Gillard AKA Bozo the Clown.
What will this bring, more spin, desperation to win at all costs, a gigantic ego and most of all a nauseating drone voice!
More broken promises to follow! Hopefully voted out of office.
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Oh no! Now Bob Carr has arrived, the absolute king of spin. He will resign when things start to get too hot though, just like he did when he was NSW premier.
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