FACTBOX - Fashion experts cast their votes on Clinton style

(Reuters) - Fairly or not, as the only woman in the White House race, Sen. Hillary Clinton gets more than her share of fashion reviews.

The former first lady favours well-cut pantsuits and chic blond highlights. Here are some top names in fashion, with their thoughts on Clinton's fashion sense and how they would style the woman who could become the first female U.S. president.

-- "I do think she looks good, really, but I would love to get my hands on her," said Mirian Lamberth, creative director at Nautica. "You know, beautiful, crisp navy suit, nicely tailored white shirt, maybe some Ferragamo navy heels."

-- "I would put her in a shorter, cropped, more modern jacket with a wider leg pant," said Carmen Marc Valvo, designer. "A nice nipped jacket, about 21 inches, with a three-quarters sleeve, a beautiful blouse, pearls and a wider leg trouser. She'd look beautiful -- feminine and powerful."

-- "I would emphasize her softer side, put her in a dress with sleeves ... practical and elegant. Nothing too complicated," said Arthur Mendonca, designer. "She's still a woman. Even though it's a male-dominated profession, she'd be in charge. I'd like to see her in a dress."

-- "She could wear a skirt with a boot," said Tim Gunn, creative director at Liz Claiborne Inc. "I wish she would be a little more feminine."

-- "I think she looks fantastic," said Rebecca Taylor, designer, who proposed putting Clinton in "Chanel-type suits ... feminine, but still tailored" with "nice coloured shirts."

-- "I think she's got it down to an art," said David Wolfe, creative director at Doneger Group retail consultants. "Her tailored jacket pantsuit is as good as it gets in terms of making a woman look like a serious politician."

-- "I am more interested in Hillary's views on the issues than I am in her fashion choices," said Max Azria, designer. "I think that every woman, including Hillary, should find a look that works for her rather than trying to follow trends."

-- "Just because she's a woman, do we really have to discuss her attire?" said Jayne Mountford, director of trend reporting at Stylesight, a forecasting company. "It's more important to listen to what's coming out of her mouth. Every time I've seen her she looks very, very put-together. She looks great."

(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst, Editing by Frances Kerry)

(For more about the U.S. political campaign, visit Reuters "Tales from the Trail: 2008" online at blogs.reuters.com/trail08/)