Like our Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, who never wears anything by accident - "You'll notice I'm wearing red, not blue," she said off mic before addressing the media following Trump's victory - Clinton's campaign wardrobe was reportedly the work of fashion advisor, Vogue editor Anna Wintour.

Purple was a new colour for Clinton and her husband Bill, with the former president also wearing the same royal purple colour on his tie.

The colour is significant for its association to the Suffragette movement, something her supporters evoked when encouraging women to wear white to the polling booths this week.

Purple, white and green originated in the political union in Britain and were introduced to the US in the 1900s.

The colours became the uniform of the modern women's movement. Nearly 100,000 women wearing white and ribbons of green, purple and gold marched on Washington in 1978 in support of the Equal Rights Amendment.

Purple is also associated with lesbian and other-identified women.

A more depressing reading of Clinton's choice is that in the Victorian era, purple was the colour of mourning.

It's somewhat appropriate as many of her supporters continue to grieve her defeat, as she failed to become the first woman to make it all the way to the Oval Office.

"Now, I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling, but someday someone will — and hopefully sooner than we might think right now," she said.

"And to all of the little girls who are watching this, never doubt that you are valuable and powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams."