KAREN LEIBOVICI
As a provincial MLA and city councillor for the past 20 years or so, Leibovici has seen a lot of fashions come and go, in both politics and clothing. While she loves to shop, her job doesn't allow her much time for it, so she's become a fast, efficient shopper, she says.
How would you describe your personal style?
“I would say comfortable and, hopefully, stylish. Comfortable means shoes that I can stand in for 12 hours or more and generally slacks ... and always a jacket, because it's always cold indoors ... Most of the environments I work in, the air temperature's geared to men in suits.”
What do you look for when shopping?
“I try and buy pieces that have the jacket, the slacks and the skirt all combined. I also try and buy the co-ordinating pieces with it too so I don't have to search around for the right colour tone. It just makes it easier.”
Where do you shop?
“I go to Winners to check out the tops and the slacks. I go to Dots as well — they've got good brand names at very reasonable prices. Sonia's Runway on the south side is very good, as well as Lilliana's. I try to give some local businesses my business.”
Do people ever comment on what you wear?
“I know many years ago I had someone phone in to say, ‘Is there only one jacket that you wear?’
“You tend to gravitate to the one or two pieces that you're really comfortable with. So what I now do is I try to remember to rotate my jackets and my clothes through, so there’s enough time between them. People are much more in the visual media these days and people do notice whether what you’re wearing is flattering or not, whether it looks good, whether they like the colour. There’s lots of comments on that, absolutely.”
Does that bother you?
“I think, if anything, it shows that they feel comfortable enough to let me know and they're providing me with some fashion hints, so that's all good.
“It’s something that stuck in my mind. You need to have variety — it’s very much different being a woman in politics that way than being a man. They wear the dark suits and the shirts and the ties switch out, but I think with women in politics, people scrutinize much more what you’re wearing and how it looks on you.”
Whose fashion sense do you admire?
“Lately I’ve been paying more attention to this with the role I’m in — both Danielle Smith and Alison Redford. They’ve got slightly different styles but I like both of their styles.”
Do you get fashion advice from anyone? Your husband, or your son?
“My son and my husband never agree, so if I ask both of them, ‘What do you think of this outfit?’ one will say yes and the other will say no.”
Is there any fashion you'd stay away from because of public perception (e.g. the Gilles Duceppe hairnet, the Stockwell Day wetsuit)?
“I wouldn't put on a bathing suit,” she laughs. “That one's out.
“There is a fine line (between being a good sport and looking silly). The issue is it’s hard to know where that is until the picture’s already been taken. For some of it, I guess you’ve got to rely on your gut and hope that if the photo op isn’t quite what you thought it would be, that everyone will not be too critical.”
What is your biggest fashion regret or faux pas?
“Over the years I’ve permed my hair and I’ve had some great perms ... but I remember having one — this goes back quite a few years — and it was just frizz. It wasn’t quite what I wanted, but the nice thing about hair is that it grows, and you can cut it.”