At the January 6 hearing, Cassidy Hutchinson's muted tones spoke loud and clear

In a surprise session of the January 6 hearings, Cassidy Hutchinson calibrated her looks to get us listening.

This week, a quiet, even conversation between two neatly dressed Republicans, Cassidy Hutchinson and Rep. Liz Cheney, created one of the most explosive and gripping television events of the decade.

< p class="css-at9mc1 evys1bk0">Americans were captivated as they listened to testimony about President Donald J. Trump's behavior on January 6. But we were also visually captivated by the hundreds of tiny, yet critical, decisions that went into each woman's style. choices. Everything - hair, makeup, jewelry, wardrobe and nail care - seemed to communicate calm, control and, above all, neutrality. a non-event. Ms. Hutchinson, Trump's White House aide, wore a fitted white blazer over a black scoop-neck top; a small, circular, jeweled pendant on a chain near her neck; and small earrings. The gaze was carefully neutral, avoiding any hint of spectacle or flash. Flattering without being "trendy". Mature but not a matron. Since the clothes were meant to disappear and the cameras spent much of the time on her face, the audience had to largely contemplate her grooming choices.

She wore her shoulder-length black hair blown out smoothly with a slight flip at the ends. (In perhaps her only "saying" of nerves, she adjusted her hair several times.) She wore inconspicuous makeup - what appeared to be light bronzer, but no discernible color of lipstick or blush. eyelids. Her manicure was also a completely colorless embellishment - an understated pearly white.

Viewers caught a glimpse of this manicure at one of the most dramatic moments in the audience: when Ms Hutchinson recounted being told that Mr Trump, furious at being stopped from joining his armed supporters, allegedly threw himself at his Secret Service agent's throat. In explaining this, Ms. Hutchinson offered an understated pantomime of the action, lightly placing her own hand on her collarbone.

This moment summed up Ms. Hutchinson's surprising power . Appearance Before the House Select Committee: She told a chilling story, but she unwrapped her memories in the most reserved, least threatening, and most visually soothing way imaginable. His demeanor and gaze were in stark contrast to the details of his testimony - and that very disjunction, that stark contrast, made his words stand out, intensifying their impact.

She keeps her blonde hair white on the side. partial style, with slight waves that look soft but never move or even move at all. The effect is solid, unflappable, an older version of Mrs. Hutchinson's look. She glued on a series of neutral-toned jackets, her crystal blue glasses, beads and the Capitol Police lapel pin she wears in solidarity with officers.

That both women chose neutral tones, and such sober, muted, almost mundane outfits seem intentional, inviting viewers to focus more on words than appearances, and leaving little room for anyone to comment. criticize their choices. Ms. Hutchinson, in particular, must have known that her credibility hinged on how she would be perceived when she first stepped into the national spotlight.