Over the past nineteen years, I have had various heroes, some vapid and ridiculous, but heroes to moi nonetheless: Halston, Ben Affleck’s post-divorce back tattoo, Mindy Kaling, Anna Wintour, Ewan McGregor’s southern accent, the cast of Vanderpump Rules, Marie Antoinette (as played by Kirstin Dunst), Meryl Streep, whoever can make Rooney Mara smile, Gwyneth Paltrow’s housekeeper, Linda Fargo, the Barefoot Contessa, etcetera, etcetera.
I was never someone who wrote in that inevitable elementary school assignment “My parents are my heroes because blah blah blah.” Just because they gave me life in the literal sense does not mean they ever “gave me life” in the emotional, visceral, watching reruns of RuPaul’s Drag Race kind of way.
I realized, fairly recently, that I have a new hero to add to the top of my list. That person is Claire Hale Underwood. If you haven’t heard of her she is a character portrayed flawlessly by Robin Wright on the Netflix hit House of Cards. I adore the show itself; it’s a fantastic way to save your brain from the headache of the current Presidential race, and I have always especially loved the character of Claire and her perfectly coiffed blonde hair. However, after a weekend of binging the entire Season 4, I realized she is an American hero and I need to become everything she is. Here, I outline her immensely heroic qualities (and spoilers, so watch if you haven’t yet.)
- “We have some pieces from Banana Republic.” “We need more, don’t we?”
I think she is miraculous for so many reasons. The first, and most obvious, reason being her amazing wardrobe. Full of sleek, neutral pieces and fabulous Christian Louboutins, it is how I want to dress for the rest of my life. Costume designer Tom Broecker, who dressed Claire for Seasons 1 and 2, said she wore lots of high-low looks: Theory, Banana Republic, and Ann Taylor Loft with Gucci, Zac Posen, Ralph Lauren, and Narcisco Rodriguez. I could have the same BR blouse as Claire! Blesssed day! However, Claire’s pieces are all perfectly tailored and polished, and I can only dream to ever look that put together.
Whether she is running her environmental non-profit in Season 1, or being the FLOTUS in Season 3, or killing her own mother (who told her to do so, and she was sick anyway, so I guess it isn’t as awful as it sounds?) so she can become a candidate for Vice President and run with her husband in Season 4, she looks fabulous. And any woman with the bone structure to pull off her short crop deserves a Nobel Peace Prize, which is more to Robin Wright’s credit than Claire’s, but still.
- Your past does not define your future.
Claire did not become the fearless woman she is that easily. Unfortunately, like so many other young women and men attending university, she was raped during her time at school. Her rapist is now a high-ranking official in the army. Rather than running away from the situation, she spoke up on national television about her rape, pregnancy, and abortion. Then, she pushed a legislation to support the victims of military sexual assault.
She held onto the public support and momentum from this to help her and her husband move right to the Oval Office. She used her upsetting personal history to help her career, and brought down her rapist in the process. She refuses to allow people and hard situations to stand in her way, and that is an admirable quality.
- Like The Notebook, but with murder.
Claire and her husband Frank, who is played by the miraculous Kevin Spacey, are marriage goals. Sure, they both have extramarital affairs and threaten to destroy one another on multiple occasions, but that is true love, people. They are often compared to Macbeth and Lady Macbeth: both crazy for power, but they work together beautifully as a team to achieve that power. When they are sharing a cigarette out of their Georgetown townhouse window, or eventually the White House, and discussing their evil schemes (sigh), it is a thing of a Martha Stewart Weddings editorial.
After an embarrassing television interview in Season 1, when Frank is still the House Majority Whip, he attempts to apologize to Claire for hindering their plans for his rise in the White House. She deadpans: “My husband doesn’t apologize. Even to me.” Queen of my life. She is her own person in the marriage. At the same time, they make one another stronger when they are working together. Also, I hope to say Machievellian lines like that to my future spouse.
At the end of Season 3, after Frank, now POTUS, has to strip Claire of her UN Ambassador title, Claire chooses to leave Frank. Despite all they had been through to get there, and despite his threats that “without him she is nothing,” she just walks out the door of the White House. This proves just how confident she is in herself that she can just walk away from him. Eventually, she returns, but only to propose that she run with him as his VP. This woman is everything (insert clapping emoji). And look at that fantastic plaid scarf!
They leaned on one another to help rise through the ranks, from House Whip and head of a non-profit organization, to POTUS and Vice President elect. They are in a relationship of equality, mutual respect, but also love. It falters only when that balance is absent. Give me Claire and Frank over some teenage model and her “f*ckboy” boyfriend du jour. The way they depend on one another while also pursuing their own goals is everything I want in a relationship. Minus the murder, I guess.
- Wicked Witch of the West Wing
She is scary. Frankly, she is dead horrifying at times. I think I am way too nice. I like to pretend that I am fierce and fabulously defiant as I strut to class in 5-inch chunky heels, but someone could punch me in the face and I would apologize. As I mature, I aspire to be the kind of woman who incites fear in other people.
Although she is not a murderer like her husband, I consider her equally as dangerous with her words. I mean:
Women like Claire tend to get this blanket idea attributed to them, garnering up negative images of a shrieking woman in a business suit, strung out on caffeine and Prozac. I find that kind of stereotype to be limiting and ignorant. A woman can command presence and authority without being a witch with a “B,” and Claire exemplifies just that. She is stately and cool, but still powerful and ruthless. Nothing about steamrolling over your enemies to get to the top is b*tchy. It is absolutely awesome.
With her pencil skirts, dark past, Macbeth-style marriage, and wickedly withering glares, the character of Claire has given me a woman to aspire to be. No nonsense, no apologies, and no flats. Ever.