Robin Wright's Stylist Explains How She Got That First Lady Look

Fans of House of Cards know that Claire Underwood wasn’t a typical Vice President’s wife, so many have been wondering how she’s going to take to being a First Lady. While she’ll never be “soft” per se, her stylist tells Women’s Wear Daily that subtle changes have been made to Claire’s look for season three to ensure that her image matches her new place in the world.

What’s notable about this season is that Wright brought in her own personal stylist, Kemal Harris, to help with this transformation (though the show’s costume designer Tom Broecker is still responsible for everyone else’s clothes). Named one of the Hollywood Reporter‘s top stylists in 2014 with her partner Karla Welch, Harris also works with cool girls like Amy Poehler and Carrie Brownstein. For Claire Underwood’s season three transformation, Harris tells WWD that a lot of the look inspiration was designs from the 1940s:

Wright and Harris watched “The Maltese Falcon” and “Adam’s Rib” for Forties-style inspiration and softened things up with slightly ruffled blouses while keeping her tightly tailored pencil skirts and three-quarter sleeves. “You can see Claire is more like a contemporary Princess Diana and less like Jackie Kennedy,” said Harris, who called in pieces from American designers Ralph Lauren, Altuzarra, Michael Kors, Derek Lam and Proenza Schouler, and Europeans Giorgio Armani, Alexander McQueen, Dolce & Gabbana and Max Mara.

And while Claire has rarely been seen in a color that wasn’t black, white, navy or gray, and prefers severe cuts and lines, it seems like they’re loosening up those rules for her transformation to First Lady: she’ll now be wearing (muted) colors and rounder shoes.

Don’t get it twisted though: Claire’s still as much of an ice queen as ever. Seriously, ouch.