Here are some photos of Amal Clooney (The Artist Formerly Known as Amal Alamuddin) in Athens, Greece yesterday. Do you like the white suit? It’s Chanel. I disliked it when I first glanced through these photos, but after seeing it in motion and in different lighting, I like it more. She wears designer clothing very well. It doesn’t seem like “Look at me, I’m wearing Chanel!” It’s more like “I’m Amal Clooney and I’m awesome, and I happen to be wearing Chanel.” Amal visited the Acropolis Museum and she and her legal partners did a press conference. There’s video of her and her entourage – the press attention on her is really, really crazy. There’s some Duchess Kate-esque stuff happening here too. Hair-touching, buttons, a subtle eye-roll.
And if you’d like to hear more of her voice, here you go:
Okay, I love her voice. So posh! And now I’m kind of obsessed with her eyebrows. Do you think she gets them professionally shaped? And did she travel to Greece with a hairstylist?! Did Karl Lagerfeld make that suit for her? So many frivolous questions, I know. But don’t you want to know?
As for what she actually says, she once again drives home the point that the British Museum needs to return the marbles. Someone also asked her about George Clooney’s position on the marbles (he discussed the issue back in February). Amal said: “I would just hope that, even at this very early stage in marriage, I am wise enough to know that it’s up to my husband to choose which cause he wants to support or not.” So George isn’t hen-pecked. Yet. But when is she going to Duggar this bitch and get knocked up?
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet.
Ugh. Forever jealous of people who can wear white and keep it stain free all day.
Same here!!
^^^^This +10000000000
This is me at the dry cleaners – “that’s red wine, that’s white wine, this one has some spaghetti sauce, oh, and sorry about the cat hair…”
omg, the cat hair… I just always feel like I have to apologize for the state of my clothes when I take them to the cleaner.
i’m pretty sure that our dry cleaners don’t take out red wine and red sauce stains on purpose to teach me a lesson. haha
Wine??? My everyday avocadoooo!!!!!
Yes! In my 20s i used to wear cream shirts all the time till someone pointed out that i always had a coffee stain on my shirts….so I switched to black.
I am afraid to wear white pants cuz i just know I would sit in chocolate and not notice all day!
Yeah, Im the living embodiment of PigPen in a GOOD day so white and me don’t go
LOL back in the late 80s I lived in Manhattan for a while and I met this woman who had worked with my uncle in advertising (think “Mad Men”) and she was in head to toe winter cashmere white to die for. So elegant. I knew she had bank because who in NYC could afford to keep it all clean. Le sigh.
I was going to post on the article yesterday that had her in all white with a glass of red wine in her hand that I can NEVER do that- if there is a remote possibility of being around that and/or tomato sauce- white is not a clothing option! Given the amt of replies reflecting this same issue-wonder if we have defective DNA?? LOL! She looks amazing-chow down and drink up Amal, on behalf of all of us white wearing challenged women if the world!
The suit is gorgeous! I really like her office style.
And 1000% yes on being jealous of people who wear white with no stains. I love the look of white clothing so much but I always mess it up. My plans are always foiled by coffee and red wine.
Serious question to all the ladies who can pull of white, do you eat in those clothes or are you just very very careful? What about pet hair?
I love the suit! I want one too!
Sunny, I just wear white when I feel like it and continue with my day as normal. I like to be daring like that.
So far, no catastrophes. But even if it did happen, I wouldn’t get that upset. It will make a great story.
Oh, and I don’t have any pets with hair. I have a parrot. 🙂
I rarely ever get stains on my clothing, but I don’t really know why. And I do drink coffee, red wine, love pasta sauce, ethnic foods, etc.
I think she looks fabulous and is very poised…love her voice. She seemed a bit shy in the video…don’t understand the snark…big ups to her for furthering her career if that happens…at least she exudes class and is educated. Don’t understand the FW comments! I’m happy for her…GC was apparently going to marry someone…WHY NOT her?!
I have a theory about the so called vitriol directed at Amal. I think it may stem from George selling their relationship. It just left a bad “taste” with many people – and that is seeping through to the opinions about Amal.
Good point! totally agree, we know nothing about what she was like before, only the very orchestrated roll out
I think that’s it, for me anyway.
He went from being a fairly private person to being photographed out for cosy dinners, gazing lovingly at each other in every magazine.
That suit is divine though.
+1 People dislike fame whores whether they be Kimye or Alamalooney.
This
Be fair and add Brangelina.
Jennifer
The media makes that relationship a thing. Aniston does her part too. Brangelina stay largely out of the spotlight. They can’t fairly be compared to these couples based on facts. There must be spin and bias to add them in.
@FLORC I do not see the reason to always bring Aniston when someone brings up B&A I’m not even a fan of hers but it gets old and tiring. Anyway, the comparison between B&A and Clooney is fair since they both sold their wedding spreads to people magazine and donated the money to charity.
MsMercury
And I don’t see why this is always point it out like there’s a line in the sand. Sounds snarky, but not meant to be snarky.
I used her name to make a point. Not to trash on her. And at this point it’s hard to do so on either party because they are both so webbed together. Sun/moon. Beach/sand. Brangelina/Aniston.
I do disagree. I think Clooney pushed for greater headlines and coverage. That every detail was constructed for later sale. Brad and AJ had their day and cashed in on an opportunity to fundraise. They didn’t plan the whole thing with the idea of press coverage and mag covers. If we’re only talking about sold wedding pictures then I can draw the comparison.
Outside of that 1 is more candid, the other custom built by Wintour. And there’s just too many differences overall.
You got it!! That was my first thought when I heard all the controversy about her changing her name to Clooney. The reaction wasn’t totally because she took his name. It was because this was just one more publicist-generated tidbit to show how they are really a couple instead of the fake PR marriage that lots of people believe they have.
She wears designer clothes really well and the white Chanel suit is beautiful on her. White is the most unforgiving color on the body (highlights every bulge and imperfection) as well as keeping it clean.
White/offwhite here is laid on a fabric that won’t show every imperfection. If it was skin tight or a fabric that clings to the body I would agree. This looks more wool/tweed and will shape itself.
And the relationship is oversold. The name change controversy seems manufactured too. It’s not without Amal’s help though. She came out on a few too many pap strolls and appeared to seek out the lenses. That didn’t help.
oh so he is forcing her to look for the cameras, smile for the cameras, flip her hair, and wear clothes that are too young for her? (Although her style has changed dramatically since her marriage, thank goodness)
+1
Yes! Total PR overkill. Sometimes less is more…
I can only speak for myself, obviously, but that has nothing to do with why I dislike this woman and this marriage.
A lot of celebrities sell their wedding photos and have a massive amount of publicity. Remember all the hoopla surrounding Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s wedding? The famous picture of them that was on the cover of People (I think) with their matching highlights and he touching her waist? No big deal, I thought it was adorable. Plus, they had a long courtship.
In my opinion (and I will just bullet point my reasons to try and keep this short), these are the reasons why I dislike her and the whole marriage:
1. I don’t like her, or her families’, politics.
2. I think she is a famewhore.
3. Clooney rushed into this marriage like no ones business and the duplicitous nature of the whole arrangement wreaks.
4. One can only conclude that Clooney is looking to enter a new phase of his life (running for some kind of political office) and he thought she would “appear” to be a suitable match. I feel like their whole marriage is a PR stunt. Get ready for the next stop on the Alamooney train, babyville. You think the publicity is overkill now, just wait-LOL!
Trust me, if she didn’t marry Clooney, no one would have ever heard of her and she wouldn’t be on this site every day. Speaking of which, this is taking the place of LeAnn Rimes in terms of an overload of attention for someone who is basically irrelevant in terms of being a “famous celebrity.”
Agreed, LS. I find myself just really irritated by the cranking gears of the Try-hard Machine, this grand spectacle of wanting and needing this woman to happen just because she’s married to a movie star who’s no Einstein. So she’s an educated, stick-thin mannequin. Big deal. I’m beginning to wonder what she brings to anyone’s table other than designer suits, structured bags and a nice, long, bushy beard.
I don’t agree with the cynicism – however, time will tell.
@Alicia: I agree with you. I think she is lovely and if he had not done the ridiculous roll out and PR to sell this relationship, people would be more curious and interested on her with more positive things to say. Til this day I roll my eyes to “she is at his level”…
It didn’t leave a bad taste in my mouth. In fact, I didn’t understand why people were so cruel in the first place. This isn’t Tom Cruise we’re talking about.
@Alicia. For sure.
The whole bit about Georgie meeting and marrying someone ‘at his level’? Yeah I think she’s way above his level. He’s dragging her down!
Something tells me Amal has George’s “marbles” in a firm grip.
The way Cloonzy’s been looking lately, his “marbles” need all the help they can get.
Yuk yuk.
Second day in a row of white to work? Says “I’m carrying this bride thing as long as I can.”
And she looks gorgeous in it.
Yep Happymom
She wears it so well. (It’s a relief to see Chanel worn without the current ‘street’ vibe and scowling model!)
That’s what I noticed as well. And they have another celebration coming up in London.
White seems like a weird colour for a barrister to wear; I expect something a little more serious, not a glamour puss. It certainly stands out though against a phalanx of sombre suited guys.
It’s interesting that we get details on what she’s wearing. Does her PR put it out?
IMO, the whole thing stinks.
That didn’t even cross my mind. I feel like white fits well in the Mediterranean setting, it looks great on her, and white is pretty popular right now in all kinds of clothing (coats, dresses, sweaters, etc.).
Well, at least she has an excuse for not sending us a Thank You note for those serving platters we got them on their registry.
oh, i kept those. shipping to italy was too pricey.
AG!!! Thanksgiving is going to be super awkward now…
not at my house…
She is the youngest at that table – I guess this is what the wedding brought her! Even when she speaks, she poses.
She was very accomplished before her wedding. I think she’s likely been the youngest at the table for awhile, Its just that no one was filming those tables.
I never needed to be told that a person has accomplishments, I always was able to figure that one out for myself.
What kind of ‘accomplishments’? She has a couple of degrees and works as a junior barrister.
Oh please. She appeared on TV twice after her association with Clooney and sounded just as any junior lawyer would sound. No way is she qualified to sit among those QCs. It’s all about the publicity, as the Greek government itself has said, they want to capitalize on her newfound fame while it’s still fresh.
als, from Wikipedia about her career:
She worked at “Sullivan & Cromwell in New York City for three years as part of the Criminal Defense and Investigations Group, which included the criminal probe of Enron and Arthur Andersen. ”
She worked in the “Office of the Prosecutor at the UN Special Tribunal for Lebanon and at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. She has been involved in high-profile cases representing the state of Cambodia, the former Libyan intelligence chief Abdallah Al Senussi, Yulia Tymoshenko and Julian Assange, and is an adviser to the King of Bahrain in connection with the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry headed by Professor M. Cherif Bassiouni.”
In 2013, she was “appointed to a number of United Nations commissions including as adviser to Special Envoy Kofi Annan on Syria and as Counsel to the 2013 Drone Inquiry by UN human rights rapporteur Ben Emmerson QC into the use of drones in counter-terrorism operations.”
In May 2014, she worked with “Foreign Secretary William Hague and a group of leading female campaigners “to discuss how to drive forward international action to protect children in conflict zones from rape and sexual violence” before the June 2014 Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, held in London as part of the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, which was launched by the Foreign Secretary in 2012 and which is aimed at strengthening international efforts to respond to sexual violence in conflict zones. She is a member of the multidisciplinary Team of Experts established on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.”
@Tiffany,
Although her wiki CV sounds impressive. there is no indication of what her practice entailed – what did she actually do?
Moreover, anyone can edit the wiki, including George’s PR team.
If she is being appointed to UN Special Tribunals, clearly THEY know what she does and they think she does it well. That isn’t something that can be edited by PR teams.
Do we ask these questions of men? Yes, they are a doctor/lawyer/engineer…but what do they actually DO?
Tiffany, that wiki “resume” reveals very little about her real experience. It may sound impressive but it may mean she was one of six attorneys working on the thirteenth count of a 100 count indictment. So far almost everything I have read about her is vague and full of puffery. That doesn’t mean she’s not smart and that doesn’t mean she’s not ambitious to be a great lawyer which I hope she becomes one day. But so far for a lawyer her age I have not read of any major accomplishments or legal achievements. Has she ever even tried a case? Has she ever handled a complicated case on her own or as lead attorney?
I remember when I kept reading she had been a law clerk to Judge Sotomayor when she was a federal judge. Well that would have been very impressive as those clerkships are hard to get, prestigious jobs after law school. But as it turns out she was never a law clerk but a volunteer student intern in the office. That is a HUGE difference and unless you’re in this field you probably don’t realize it. It’s always unseemly to pad or even in any way misrepresent your resume but for a lawyer to do that or allow it to be done is much worse. A lawyer’s integrity is paramount to their reputation.
I do know the meeting with Hague at the June 2014 Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict was just a meet and greet with a group that supported the initiative. Those type of “meetings” are not substantive. Hell if I go with my professional association to meet the President of the United States at the White House to join in his campaign about [fill in cause here] that does not make me a presidential advisor.
Maybe much of this puffery has been executed without her knowledge or approval but I am beyond amazed at how easily people are impressed just because a woman has an education with an advanced degree and a job. In Washington I barely know any women without those attributes. And most of them have real accomplishments under their belts with verifiable details and results. What they don’t have is either a PR team or a publicist. None of this makes me a “hater” – I wish her well. But her reality so far hasn’t matched her PR. And yes she is lovely looking but again that’s irrelevant to accomplishment and busy, busy working women barely have time for what seems like a great deal of personal maintenance.
@als How do you plan to figure out that she’s accomplished by yourself since you don’t know her. Or you could just believeher crendentials.
You don’t want to be told about her career for the past ten years yet you don’t hesitate to imply that she is standing (sitting) there only because she’s married to George Clooney.
In this case, she is there primarily because she is married to George Clooney. How do I know this because the Greek Cultural Officer and the head of the British Repatriation of the Parthenon Marbles stated it. They said we welcome the celebrity attention to our cause. That would be her.
Now I realize Robertson, her boss the QC, previously was consulting on this case in 2011, and as one of his barristers she works with him on some of his cases. I really don’t think she had much if anything to do with it until recently because and for the publicity. If she did she certainly would have been a bit better at the conference, as I have seen her on issues she knows well and she seems a bit better than that. But I could be wrong.
A barrister with Doughty and working with Robertson is nothing to sneeze at. It is impressive, but I fail to see the need to keep inflating everything on her and making her seem like she is always fighting for the just and human rights.
Perfect example is Tiffany’s Wikipedia siting. The Sullivan and Cromwell entry makes it seem like she helped convict Enron and Arthur Anderson. This is total bs, Simon and Cromwell work for the financial institutions that helped Enron commit the fraud. They helped the banks limit their liability and fines. Arthur Anderson was their client too. They were helping them get out of security fraud. You know what is funny is if you go to the link at Wikipedia attached on it, it takes you to a Forbes article that states the clients were Enron and Arthur Anderson. The wording on that is deceiving. Why white wash her? I just want to know it is so annoying.
I’ve seen her on television news programs before she became Mrs. Clooney – she’s was as articulate, polished and knowledgeable then as she is now. The wedding didn’t bring her that, she already had it in spades.
This exactly. She was a high profile, well spoken, accomplished woman way before she met Clooney.
Lies. She appeared twice this year and sounded just as most junior barristers sound. She is not qualified to sit with those QCs. It’s all about the Clooney association. This is not to deny that she was accomplished before Clooney, but I don’t think she would have been sitting alongside Robertson on a panel if it hand’t been for Clooney.
@Sara – well I guess you have the inside scoop from all of Amal’s contemporaries, shame on us all for even presuming she has a brain inside her head that didn’t come from Clooney’s groomers.
Word of advice – don’t accuse people of lying, it’s rude. She’s appeared on television long before Clooney came into her life. She didn’t sound like some junior barrister either.
Sara, how do you explain that she was chosen to work on several UN tribunals BEFORE she even met Clooney?
@Sara, She has sat along side Geoffrey Robertson QC during press interviews before her association with Clooney. Here is one time on 5th November 2012 when she was working one the former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko release case. The same case she was talking about this year. So she was working on this case very closely with Geoffrey Robertsen QC since before October 2012- http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/laywers-amal-alamuddin-and-geoffrey-robertson-qc-address-a-news-photo/155559871
You also misunderstand the difference between Junior Barristers and Queen’s Councils. A Junior Barrister is not the same as some Junior lawyer in the US. To get to be a Queen’s Council you usually put in about 15 years working on all sorts of cases and then if you want to become a QC you have to apply to the UK board which is full of sexist/racist people who have only allowed very few females in and even less people who are not white British. Some have been Junior Barristers (and very accomplished) for decades without being allowed to become a QC. It does not mean they are crappy junior lawyers.
I know lots of people on here have a strong dislike for Amal, so I will be in the minority but she is really winning me over. I like her. A lot.
Me, too, MrsB.
I think she is incredibly pretty and she’s got to be smart since she’s built herself a good career.
I wish she would trim her ends here (her hair is looking a little sloppy at the ends) and NOT fiddle with her her hair, ever. Those things really detract from the gravitas of her professional role.
Other than that, yeah, I’m with you. If she’s bearding George, well, that’s their thing. I hope that she isn’t and that they’re happy. That said, I don’t know them so it’s not a big deal to me. It’s just that she seems pretty and smart, he’s dapper and has never done anything to harm me, and so…why not wish them well and be done with it?
totally. people get hate-ons for the weirdest things.
Yes! Girl need a trim- not another blowout.
She is so accomplished. It’s in how she dresses herself and some mannerisms that make people think immature. She wore a pair of heels that looked just like a pair I had from that lifesized barbie doll. Pink and purple. Only mine were plastic.
I think there’s only dislike (hate is too strong of a word for this) for Amal because she was sold so heavily to us. Like Lupita. She was fine, but people became annoyed at hearing the same stuff repeated in different ways and getting continuous praise. Amal is the same. I blame George.
LOL @Florc, if that’s the case J-Law would be buried in backlash. But she’s a goofy little white girl so she gets passes for everything.
@ K I’m happy to see that in every article you are somehow able to bring it back to how much we should all hate JLaw. I think we can all agree that was the real message of Amal Clooney in Greece.
@Ag, Yeah. she’s an almost innocent in all of this.
“I blame George”.
Wow, FLORC, you just relegated Amal to secondary, passive, disenfranchised wife.
hmmm
Did I? Amal is going back to business mode. Her career has not taken a backseat now that she’s married. Her husband is also going forward with his career. He’s going to press and coverage. I don’t see how I made Amal sound passive. She just can’t be bothered or doesn’t see what her husband is doing. Or maybe it’s just not on her radar. That doesn’t make her passive.
If you still feel that way please explain.
K
I’m curious as to how you linked this to Jlaw. That seems to be a stretch. And she hardly gets a pass. She’s attacked for minor things like how she dresses post gym workouts. That’s all i’ll say. This isn’t a thread about Jlaw.
I like her a lot too.
I would be crushing hard just based on that amazing hair alone but the fact that she’s quite eloquent, quite educated and can look that boss in a cream suit? Yeah, it’s starting to verge towards girl crush territory #sorrynotsorry 😉
I have to say I didn’t care for her at first but after seeing their wedding gift photo and how she handles herself I like her more. Also I am in love with her clothes.
I think their wedding was a bit OTT, but I like her too and I’m gonna take it a step further; I like her street style. There I said it. I think she looks cool and edgy.
I’m just a tad bit excited I got to hear her speak for the first time. Love the the accent. She seemed a bit off or slow in her speech and this I put down to nerves as there was a tonne of press there.
I think she’s wonderful! She’s intelligent, well spoken, and dresses nicely.
I really like her too! I’m a big fan AND profoundly jealous of the suit
And me Mrs B
I like her too. I really enjoy that she is educated and strong in her career.
I hat to admit it, but me too. Hearing her speak has intrigued me more. Maybe SHE married down??!!
I hat to admit it, but me too. Hearing her speak has intrigued me more. Maybe SHE married down??!!
No problems here. In fact, she’s the thinking woman’s Cinderella along with Melinda Gates and Mellody Hobson Lucas. In other words, they were successful BEFORE they met their husbands.
Maybe they are more similar than you think and maybe she doesn’t want kids?
I kind of love her after her answer about the Cloonster. Because that’s what I always say to people, as well (except, you know, not at press conferences… I don’t have any of those). I don’t speak for my husband & he doesn’t speak for me and I hate when people act as though being married makes you one person of one mind on every issue.
I think more partnerships would succeed if they were truly acknowledged as two complete individuals choosing to work together, rather than the “two become one” bs we’ve been fed since antiquity.
Not only do I dislike when people make that assumption, I dislike when couples ARE like that. It’s just so annoying.
If I could recommend this, I would +1 million.
Exactly! My husband and I do not agree on certain issues and that’s ok. We didn’t sync minds upon exchanging vows. Her answer is awesome. That and her dealing with the marbles makes me like her more.
Her voice reminds me of Gwyneth P’s voice.
Do you mean the one Goopy wishes she had?
the greek gov and the international art community (including art law circles) has been all about repatriation of the elgin marbles for decades now. decades. i guess it’s a nice effect of the clooney marriage that now this is getting major press. (and a nice tie-in with his “monuments men.”)
as an aside, unless it’s a joke, i can’t even with “george isn’t hen-pecked. yet.”
Was it just me or was she pausing a lot in awkward places? She had a very “Duchess Kate way” of looking at her notes in silly places (I.e. when the next words are predictable). It caught me off guard because it seems like she’d be so good at public speaking. My gut assumption is that all of the press attention was throwing her off. I thought she’d be used to it (and looked like she was enjoying it previously).
Her professional dress sense is great. Her street clothes, however, are perplexing.
George really over-sold her. I see what you’re seeing too.
Maybe Amal is more shy and insecure than we’ve been lead to believe.
HH
Her pink suit that looks fit more for a childs taste was her work outfit heading into the office. She didn’t dress well before George.
History shows George has a type. The type always gets a makeover too. Hair, clothes, makeup. Amal looks 100x’s better than pre george. I think her improvements are all George.
And Amal’s sister has the same bad style.
Haha. I forgot about the makeovers, but I will *partially* agree. Until I see her casual wear, we will not know if this was simply a fluke. 😉
Well, she DOES have Anna Wintour as her fashion consultant, thanks to George…
I liked her street style too, except for the Hello Kitty t-shirt.
Thank you. As a lawyer isn’t a basic preresiquite speech? You shouldn’t have to look down at your notes so much (it gives a negative impression) and you should be able to speak fluidly, without pauses (makes it seem like you’re too dense to find the right words).
Sorry but I don’t see it. Her name is attached to some vague work with the UN and Julian Assange, ok what else have you done? You’re in your 30’s, lawyers in England begin young (in their early 20’s, 22 I belcie) so show me what cases you’ve won, give me some point of reference for why you’re getting all of these accolades because all I see now is a woman that is all smoke and mirrors. I wouldn’t have a problem with it if she weren’t being touted as the second coming.
And please with the “she’s a high powered lawyer”. I know this might shock many of the people who can’t believe she’s not a WAG but smart women exist, and gasp! some of them are lawyers. She’s not the first, get over it. Go out and meet more people if you’ve never met a female lawyer or doctor or whatever.
Exactly, @iseepinkelephants.
It seems to me there is a lot of puffery going on. All I see is someone attached to some big names, but have no idea of what she’s actually done or accomplished .
There are tons of intelligent women out there, but anyone can be smart and grasping at the same time. Maybe Amal is just a better quality fameseeker. So far, that’s what it looks like to me. And her “accomplishments” don’t mitigate that perception, IMO.
Yes and no Pinkelephants
Yes public speaking is part of it, but that doesn’t mean it’s commonly practiced. Skills can get rusty when you’re just researching in dark, dusty corners for months at a time.
And she didn’t want to mess anything up. I bet she wrote her notes. And she did speak well while rading off of them.
I do start out soft though. Time will tell.
Nobody is as lame a speaker as Duchess Kate. She is the absolute worst!
What I find interesting is that she’s reading everything she says word for word (apart from the reply about her husband), whereas her colleague Geoffrey Robertson next to her who has a brain the size of a planet can just talk without notes. I don’t doubt that she’s smart, but she’s very much the junior partner here, even if she is getting all the attention.
What I find interesting is that you “don’t doubt she’s smart”, but spend the rest of your comment talking about how intellectually inferior she is to her colleague. Kind of a mixed message.
I get this comment, and I don’t see the mixed message. He is saying she is smart, but definitely the junior partner not as adept at speaking publicly about her case.
Also just because she doesn’t appear as smart as Robertson a very seasoned professional doesn’t mean she is also not smart. This probably wouldn’t be noticed if George didn’t sell her as a brilliant saintly barrister helping the downtrodden.
No mixed message for me either. You can be accomplished and not know every little detail about 1 of your many cases so well that you never need notes. Especially when there are cameras and you know your every word will be analyzed. There’s working behind the scenes and working upfront. She might have been far more behind the scenes. Or at least not giving sound bites all too often.
Some people are just bad public speakers. It doesn’t mean they aren’t intelligent and even accomplished people can’t be good at everything. I’m a terrible public speaker, have always had to use notes to back myself up. Part of it is shyness that took me a long time to battle, part of it is nerves. Perhaps public speaking is one of the things Amal struggles with as well.
She’s actually a good public speaker under normal circumstances BUT NOT NEARLY AS SMART AS THE QCS AMONG WHOM SHE SITS IN THIS VIDEO. She is way out of her league and very much the junior barrister. She would not be sitting alongside Robertson under any other circumstances. It’s kind of sad that even in the law, fame can buy you prestige. But the Greek government itself wanted to exploit her new-found fame, so I’m not surprised Robertson went along with it. I find this whole charade quite strange and unprofessional. She just seems to be posing at this point and not doing any actual work.
Uh, she’s worked on many cases with Robertson, you can find plenty of pre-Clooney photo’s of them working together.
i was expecting a posh accent, but i also thought i was a higher pichted, more annoying voice. she has a beautiful voice in my opinion.
I like her so far but I feel a bit turned off by the way she was posing while delivering a professional speech. Too much airhead behaviour coming from this woman. Strange.
I don’t find her particularly impressive. Her accent seems affected and she can’t finish a sentence without checking her notes. Very Kate Middleton.
If Kate could deliver a speech as well as Amal, then that would be a huge improvement. Kate’s speeches are always cringeworthy. She can’t even say three sentences without looking at her notes 30 times and flicking her hair about that many times, too.
I first heard her voice during her interview with CH4 after her client, Yulia Tymoshenko of the Ukraine, was released from prison. She spoke knowledgeably and without notes. And no posing like she’s doing here.
Apart from the too short day-after-wedding dress, which I loved but for the length, I am enjoying seeing a grown woman dressed like a grown woman. This is conservative fashion parade I can get behind.
Kaiser: her suit is Chanel 2012 collection.
VERY interesting.
Yeah I recall watching that video too. Maybe it was different because that was a TV interview while this is a higly publicized press conference?
LAK
Moi aussi…..this is one of the things I like in Amal, she shows us beautiful clothes on their own terms. (I like it in Angelina J too, though she’s not at all as clothes-conscious as Amal.)
It’s my age speaking I guess, but as you say, it’s good to see beautiful grown women dressed as adults. ( Still, I think Amal’s casual stuff we saw before is generally good too because she understands the look she’s chosen and doesn’t fart about with otiose bling or gratuitous heels)
Tiffany 🙂 : I didn’t realise she sat for an interview with the BBC. Clearly she went on a media blitz because I saw same interview as far as content is concerned, but with channel 4.
Interesting, LAK. I am not familiar with UK television, so I didn’t know if BBC was on channel 4, or if Channel 4 was its own thing. I know with all of the violence over the last year and a half that the Ukraine political issues were in the news quite a bit.
Was it this interview from the BBC?
http://vimeo.com/90740322
I find the jacket to be just a smidge to short. Esp in the back, it kind of made it look unfinished.
My main takeaway was just like Kate-she needs to wear her hair back in professional settings. But her public speaking is much better.
Every sentence, she has to look at her notes. Then flips her hair and pose.
I like her voice. It’s very Cate Blanchett.
Damn… he did really good with her. She knows how to handle her business in front of those cameras.
The suit is gorge and the hemline is perfect. I’m looking at you, Kim K!
Wow, more cameras going off than a red carpet event. How could she see after all that? It all looked like some royal taking a tour in another country. Yep, George certainly propelled her into the stratosphere, I’m sure he’s very pleased with himself.
Genuinely curious how she is going to be able to keep doing her job long term if this is the media attention she is getting. She is not a movie star and is not at a premier so I can’t imagine her colleagues / clients / business partners will put up with this level of attention for long. It has to take away from what they are doing.
I think her business partners will handle her new fame very well, as in they will use it as much as they can, just like they are using her here – by the way this is called a press conference but she was adressed only one question and it was about her husband, she made a few statements that were pre-written (her talking would bring even more publicity) and then they took her for a walk, wine (with paps standing by) and a photo session.
With the issues she takes up, the fame is helpful to her so she can get press for her cases. She’s not a typical 9-5 lawyer, she takes up hardcore international cases that take years to build up and get a conclusion for.
@Talie: the girl is a lawyer that is payed to take up international causes – as in she goes or she is sent where the money is. A gun for hire is far away from a humanitarian. She may be a great gun for hire (like the PR machine presents her) but she is still just that.
Lawyers love attention. Geoffrey Robertson will be delighted right now, he’s getting press without even trying.
I ‘really’ don’t think people are hating on Amal. I honestly haven’t read anything here that can remotely be considered ‘cruel and unusual’ shade … just normal gossip fueled by the fact that George and Amal have steadily been in the news since their wedding.
Gossip is speculation that is sometimes actually based upon a grain of fact. Given George Clooney’s past track record with and behavior towards women, I don’t find it much of a surprise that Amal and George’s marriage is grist for the gossip mill. I, for one, am more interested in why the usual ‘banter and shade’ that goes on here is suddenly considered vitriol and dislike towards Amal.
People are hating on her. There have been a lot of comments about her appearance. Comments about why she changed her last name to Clooney. Some of these comments are incredibly insulting and more than just ‘banter and shade’.
For the most part not hate, there are a few but mostly people are commenting on the usual, and she does have a fair amount of overly in love defenders. Read some of the other threads and you will find some real irrational love and hate. Amal just gets snark or gush.
I don’t get the extreme emotions either way. She seems very middle of the road to me, albeit a bit oversold by Clooney’s PR machine. Her style is great sometimes, others kind of crazy. What’s there to love or hate she really hasn’t done anything yet.
I do understand the WTF mentality a lot of people have, because granted George is an A list actor, but he really hasn’t been in a major hit in years mostly smaller respected films. His leading man star is waning quite a bit. Mr. my private life is private, but I will never marry again gets married and we are treated to a royal wedding with paps and press hanging out in boats to get pictures in Venice. Also, marrying against type to someone most don’t know who seems very comfortable if not enjoying the attention, hair flips and all, her and Charlie Crist need to get together with the fan. This seems like a movie, a.k.a. Notting Hill perhaps. Wish movies were real, but they generally aren’t.
@FingerBinger, who wrote: “Some of these comments are incredibly insulting and more than just ‘banter and shade’.”
Really? Such as?
She’s not a very natural speaker in this video. At least not on this topic. Very awkward. Why in the world would she need notes for what they gave her to say? Surely she was fluent in those few facts. What would she do if she had to give an hour long closing argument or longer? She’d drive a jury mad.
Robertson is definitely trying to groom her and use her new, higher profile by giving her these opportunities to be seen and to have a talking role. Her true role in the case may be another matter but if someone were truly immersed in the case they wouldn’t need notes for such a superficial conference. Lawyers know their cases.
I agree that hair is a mess. That’s posing hair, not working hair. It doesn’t even work for a press conference like this. You just don’t have time for hair falling in your face and pushing your hair back constantly when you’re really working.
I realize some people may be Impressed but I see too many professionals perform much better on a daily basis under more trying circumstances and so far she doesn’t impress all that much. She’s green and hopefully will mature but all this does is show her to be the junior member of chambers she really is. I like her suit cause I had one like it in high school back in the dark ages. But as someone who actually works, exposed to pens, hi-liters, paperwork, etc. I abandoned white a long time ago.
Maybe it’s her first time with so much focus on her as far as famous and Clooney’s wife. Whereas, before she just did her job, not an inordinate amount of paps on her.
She speaks here from the 4:00 mark all the way to the very end of the video with the speaker stating a few things in between before she begins talking again. She has no problem discussing Egypt in in depth detail.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpavo6HbYAY
@katherine
Its not the first time she speaks publicly. I live in the Uk and she has been on the BBC before in a work capacity and she didn’t strike me as particularly awkward at all. I would say its the first time she had this crazy kind of focus from the media when in a work capacity. I don’t see all the negatives you see, but thought she looked a little nervous which is kind of understandable.
And can i say that i really do appreciate this case, not just for Greece but for the many countries who were robbed of their national treasures during the rule of the british empire.
Marble-gate. The people demand the return of the marbles!
I dont dislike her as a person as I dont know her – I dont like her being foisted upon us as some sort of heroine and now we’re all supposed to take notice of what she says/does/wears etc – she married a film star – she’s not about to save the world (or the Marbles?!).
+1
+2
Yes.
No one forced you to click and comment on this article.
What? Women can exist for other reasons than to reproduce? Impossible. The only way a woman can ever feel fulfilled is to have babies. She only feels this way now because she’s never had kids. Once she does she will realise all her humanitarian work means nothing in the grand scheme. 😉
I like her. I just don’t like that they are trying to make her Happen. She is a lawyer who married a movie star. Can we just move on?
She’s smart ,accomplished and well poised.The media frenzy is not her fault, she’s just trying to get on with her life. I do believe she has a stylist though because her clothes are great, her hair and make up are softer and her eyebrows appear to be different to me.She’s a lovely person inside and out.
Meh, I just don’t see her attraction. It seems like the most dull, unattractive person can be catapulted into something big these days. Makes me smh.
Maybe she is a good attorney, but she is hungry for fame…you can see it in her eyes.
+1
Your dislike for this lady is very silly. You need to get a life.
I just want to take the lady in the tan suit and give her a makeover. She’s worn that suit two days in a row now. She’s always one step behind Amal. You know the woman I’m talking about? That suit is doing her no favors.
I love the white suit. Love it.
The Elgin Marbles have been a Clooney cause for years. She’s just on contract to do whatever George wants. No hate here. Just calling it as I see it.
Really when did it originate? I thought he started this particular ’cause’ when he was promoting the Monuments Men and was asked about it by a Greek reporter, at the time he said he believed the marbles should be returned to the ‘Pantheon.’
That’s what several UK Newspapers have said too.
She was working on this case in 2011, years before she met Clooney, who only mentioned the Marbles once in passing earlier this year while promoting The Monuments Men. It’s not a pet cause of his at all, in fact his answer to the question asked about the Marbles showed a glaring lack of knowledge.
Incorrect, Doughty was never hired by Greece just consulted in 2011, big difference. Greece just recently called Robertson and Doughty again for a consult we will see if they either mediate or go to court and how long Greece can pay.
I misread Clooney’s length of involvement in the issue; my apologies. In the video, it looks like she’s reading from a script she saw only minutes before. I see her as another person on his payroll who craves the limelight, like the paid escorts who preceded her. In Clooney’s Hollyweird universe, you sign a contract to play a role and read a script. Then you contact the press, greasing palms as you go. He knows how to work the system, a la “L.A. Confidential.”
There’s two more outfits not covered this morning on CB, and I love both also. I love the red dress she wore out at night. I can’t tell the material. Chiffon, silk? And the other dress, with the black-and-white top overlay is very Jackie O.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2795290/amal-clooney-looks-elegant-acropolis-museum-visit-greece-says-s-not-late-britian-elgin-marbles.html
Thank you!
Yes, thank you Jayna! Love the red dress. I thought her style was pretty bad when they were first dating, but she is a fast learner. She looks fabulous in nice clothes.
Fascinating gambit on the part of the Greeks. It seems as though they’re consulting a number of law offices–which I believe they’ve done for years. It would seem they’re consulting this particular office for the PR? Is that right? Mrs. Clooney has long been described as an ‘international human-rights lawyer’, so I’m not sure why she & her firm are involved. Is this a human rights issue? It is cultural patrimony, yes, but it’s not human remains….
She handles human rights cases as well as international, criminal and extradition law. This is international law with a smidge of human rights (righting the wrongs of Imperialism etc.).
Robertson is the head lawyer or QC and he won a case in 2007 on returning Aboriginal artifacts from a British museum, so the reason Doughty was contacted was most likely because of that decision.
OK, got it. Thank you, Jessica & noway.
I find her quite lovely and not awkward at all. I don’t think she has a love for the cameras but they surely love her!
amal wish the camera loves her.
I hope her next case is more interesting. It’s too bad that her first case post high-profile marriage is about marbles. I realize why Greece cares, but so many people around the world are watching/listening to her — surely there are more important issues and causes to which she could bring attention and use to flex her legal chops.
Kaiser, about her eyebrows:
In the UK, eyebrow threading is absolutely huge. It’s become as routine as a manicure or a blowdry. (I remain bewildered since tweezers seem so much simpler!)
But you can bet Amal’s a client of the (very lovely) threader all the beauty writers and other ‘faces’ go to in London, they all completely swear by her.
It was a thing back in Las Vegas too when I lived there. My friend would swear by threading while I just stick to the ordinary plucking.
Chris2: I love threading. I’m lazy as far as far as tweezing maintenance plus i’m terrible at face framing. The threading ladies at Harvey Nicks do such a wonderful job on my brows.
That famous eyebrow lady is called Anastasia.
You were asking about her eyebrows… Actually many ladies in Arabic parts of the world use to tattoo their eyebrows. Hair stays on the eyebrow as normal, but underneath there is tattoo, which they redo every few years.
I seriously cannot believe they asked her Clooney’s opinion. It just goes to show that no matter how intelligent and accomplished a woman is, a man’s opinion will always matter more – even if he knows jack all about the subject.
Totally rude. Person is working, stating her arguments, and here goes “oh, who cares what you’re saying, marbles shmarbles, how’s it to be married to Clooney?” That’s such a low level and lack of professionalism.
Agreed, captain, agreed.
Wow! I’m a photographer and even I’m stunned at the coverage. She really is posh and elegant. I’m betting that she did travel with a hair/makeup person. And I love the suit but I’m probably biased since I tend to love all things Chanel.
If we’re talking famewhores (though I don’t believe Amal is one) I’d much rather read about one who is an intelligent, educated, successful high achiever who is famous by marriage than a Kardashian type who is famous for selling handbags and doing Playboy.
I love reading about Amal. It’s nice to read about someone who has actually worked hard for her success – whatever her haters may think, a successful legal career doesn’t just fall into your lap. I think she’s gorgeous. The backlash is because George really pushed her down the public’s throat while dissing his previous girlfriends. Which isn’t really her fault. I figure Amal’s self-confident enough that she knows she’ll be fine if George reverts to type, or she’s self-confident enough to know that she can handle whatever marriage to George throws her way.
Couldn’t agree more. The likes of the Kardashians are slated for having no talents. Someone comes along who is intelligent, accomplished and poised (lets nor debate how clever she is. To do what she does she would have to be smart) and marries a famous person and there’s still criticism.
Thank you!
She’s well educated, intelligent, and apparently George saw something in her that he didn’t see in his previous paramours. Case closed.
“I love reading about Amal. It’s nice to read about someone who has actually worked hard for her success – whatever her haters may think, a successful legal career doesn’t just fall into your lap. I think she’s gorgeous. The backlash is because George really pushed her down the public’s throat while dissing his previous girlfriends. Which isn’t really her fault.”
I agree with some of these comments…I spent time looking up Baria, Amal’s mother, and I am impressed with her. She is articulate and successful and must have been a great role model for Amal. Given the talents & means of her both parents, Amal was given many opportunities and she developed herself. Frankly, she appears to have had a more priviledged background and didn’t have to ‘flip burgers’ along the way to finance her education that way some of us did so I factor that in regarding her accomplishments. I agree that she is a junior level professional who has been excessively marketed by George Clooney for whatever reason. I wonder at her allowing herself to be marketed so excessively by George’s handlers. My opinion is that it cheapens her image. This may well be a marriage contract, but so are alot of other marriages. IMO, there are many other women-including Arab women-who are more worthy of discussion.
Chanel yesterday, Oscar de la Renta today , that’s one expensive trophy wife George, but I do admit she wears them very well. I suppose she’s back to defending Gadafi’s henchman now she’s returned to London . Anyone else see a seat in parliament in her future.
She’s a barrister working under the cab rank rule. This means she is obliged to take the next case that comes along unless she does not gave the capacity to take it on or the requisite expertise. She works within a profession that recognises that everyone has a right to a fair trial.
I can’t see that high having a profile legal career (and her cases would be regardless of George Clooney) would lead her to entering parliament.
On the cab rank pre Clooney certainly , but now she is front and centre when ever the firm needs media attention. Did you see the photos of her in Greece walking in front of her boss, exactly where he wanted her to draw the attention to the case he was grinning like a Cheshire cat. She will be picking and choosing from now on, suddenly she is a vital asset to the firm one of a kind. Name one other British female lawyer with world wide name recognition.
Ex union reps with zero education and lawyers make up a large slice of the UK parliament even the odd actor and sportsman , someone with a legal background, good looks , half an ounce of brains ,ready made facial and name recognition , major Media exposure, contacts in high places behind the scenes = one UK politician ready to go. I’d certainly vote for her before I’d vote for George.
They might not say no to the free PR this brings the chambers but they were well-respected and highly regarded pre- Amal’s high profile and will continue to attract high profile, high qulaity work regardless. The cab rank rule is still the cab rank rule, professional ehtics and all that.
Cherie Booth QC (aka Mrs Tony Blair is a pretty well known British female lawyer.
My point re a parlimentary career is why would she give up a high flying legal career, that we presume gives her job satisfaction, to be an MP.
I would also vote for her before George!
Not if she keeps doing work against the British.
I’m a Brit who also has the privilege of living near the British Museum and I think they should be returned.
I dislike her precisely because she is being pushed onto us with the same stuborness as Kim Kardashian. Why should we care what she does?? At least Kim K is a reality star and that’s part of the entertainment world. Amal is a lawyer. What’s next? If an A lister marries a dentist we can have daily updates on how she/he performs root canals? I dont care two bits about this fameho but I am resenting Celebitchy’s coverage of her. Thats how Kim K started off, people covered her in blogs to make fun of her and now we’ll never be able to get rid of Kk and her stupid family. She’s considered legit now.
What’s wrong with dentists? Do you know how much education and training dentists have to go through? And to compare her to that K woman is both irresponsible and ridiculous to say the least.
Wow! I was pretty neutral about her until I saw her speak. She is lovely; an absolute beauty. I can see why she captured the attention of the most eligible bachelor in the world!
This woman is gorgeous and she has style, class and brains. Congratulation Mr. Clooney, you did quite well. And she rocks in the white Chanel suit.
Some of her listed positions/accomplishments are actually internships. For example, the Lebanon and Yugoslavia tribunals. She indicates she was an “advisor” – not quite.
blah, blah, blah, she’s not smart enough, she’s not pretty enough, she’s fame -hungry , she’s too skinny, she’s only a junior lawyer,she must be a beard, she’s only famous because of George, she can’t speak, she shouldn’t wear so much white, her hair is hairy, blah, blah, blah
@A: Agree. But if you repeat something a million times- and that’s what Clooney’s PR, and her firm are doing- people tend to think it’s true. They don’t check anything, they don’t think for themselfs- they just gladly take it as a fact. She is as accomplished as most of her collegues, not more, not less. The Wikipedia page was edited several times, and so was her profile on her firm’s website. It was her chamber announcing the engagement, before any other outlet! It makes it unmistakingly clear what this is all about.
Can we just stoppppp with Amal? She is boring in the best possible way, so let’s just let her work and not analyze her outfits
I really hadn’t formed an opinion on Amal, one way or another, but on another website, the author claims – SHE calls the paps for the photos. I lost all respect for her, then and there.