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HOH’s One-Minute Recess: Congressional Fashionistas

Think the little details don’t make an outfit? Just ask Rep. Diane Watson — they matter.[IMGCAP(1)]The California Democrat appeared at an event Wednesday night in the Rayburn House Office Building sponsored by the Greater Washington Fashion Chamber of Commerce. And Watson, who is expected to serve as chairwoman of a soon-to-be-formed Congressional caucus focused on fashion and business, recalled that when she visited Cuba, none other than Fidel Castro noticed her fashion faux pas. When Castro was greeting Watson, he pointed to her shoes. Watson replied “muy grande— — thinking he was referring to her, um, shoe size — but Castro pointed out that her shoes weren’t polished. “Fashion is something that attracts everyone’s attention,— Watson said.Watson added that although Castro served as a fashion police officer during her trip, he also asked her for a favor. Since Watson represents Los Angeles, Castro inquired as to whether she’d be able to get him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.While Watson’s fashion flop admission kicked off Wednesday’s event, most of the night focused on the state of the fashion-focused manufacturing industry in New York. The fashion chamber screened the documentary film “Schmatta: From Rags to Riches to Rags,— which tells the story of New York’s garment district, which drove New York City’s economy in the mid-20th century only to come close to disappearing as manufacturing jobs went overseas.Designers Nanette Lepore and Yeohlee Teng joined Reps. Tim Ryan (D-Ohio) and Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) after the screening to talk about ways to save what’s left of the once-powerful garment district.“It takes a village to make a dress, which is a hokey saying, but it’s true,— Lepore said.Submit your hot tips, juicy gossip or comments here.Can’t get enough HOH? Get a midday dose of fun and gossip with HOH’s One-Minute Recess, delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here — because everyone deserves more recess.

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