First we had Michelle Obama, who put homegrown designers like Jason Wu and Thakoon on the map. Then we had Kate Middleton, who created international pandemonium when everything she wore – from her royal blue Issa engagement dress to her polka dot Topshop maternity dress – sold out in seconds. She even made the seemingly impossible happen: nude panty-hose sales, once a granny staple, rose 500% after she and sister Pippa dared to cover their bare legs. This fashion revolution was instantly known as “The Kate Effect.”

Now we have a new fashionista to follow – and she isn’t a princess or First Lady. She’s Olivia Pope, a political “fixer” on the hit ABC show Scandal.

Liv (played by Kerry Washington) shows us that you can look polished, professional, and powerful while still being on-trend, sexy, and oh-so-cool. Silky blouses, tailored-to-perfection trousers, pointed-toe pumps, and, of course, that white Burberry “Double Duchess” trench coat that caused a social media frenzy and sold out in minutes.

And like Kate Middleton, Olivia Pope also recycles. “I want women to have a sense that Olivia has a real closet,” says Washington, explaining why her character mixes and matches different suit pieces and sticks to her signature Movado watch and long-strand necklace. She also carries one It bag brand each season (unless it’s a flashback, you won’t catch her holding anything except Prada). Who would have guessed that one day we would all grow up wanting to be a “gladiator in a suit“?

Have questions about the latest fashion happenings? Tweet our Fashion Director, Jackie Nasser, at @ruelala with #askjackie.

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Jackie Nasser joined Rue La La as Fashion Director in November of 2012. In close collaboration with the merchandising teams, she leads content production for lookbooks, style tips, and curated Boutiques. Jackie is the former Lead Editor for InStyle’s sister shopping site, StyleFind.com, which she launched. Prior to that, she served as Senior Fashion Editor at Lucky and at ELLEgirl, ELLE Accessories, and ELLE.com.