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Good morning! It’s August, and Parliament is virtually empty, so I decided to tackle a different topic today: the importance of politicians’ clothing choices. I understand that not all readers may find this interesting, especially those in Downing Street, the opposition office, and London’s City Hall. Please bear with me as I explore this subject. Inside Politics is edited by Georgina Quach. You can follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenkb, and feel free to send your gossip, thoughts, and feedback to insidepolitics@ft.com.
Fashion Plays a Role in Politics
As a fan of men’s fashion, I enjoy following Derek Guy, an American menswear writer, on Twitter. Although I may not always agree with him, I find his opinions intriguing. Recently, Guy has been criticizing our Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, for his fashion choices, claiming that he dresses poorly. Guy specifically points out Sunak’s suits, which adhere to the current trend of tight-fitting clothing with short pant legs. Unfortunately, this style doesn’t flatter Sunak’s physique, making him appear as if he’s outgrown his uniform.
There is a common myth in Westminster that Sunak chooses this style to appear taller, as he is slightly over 5 feet 6 inches. However, this is not true, and it doesn’t explain why Sunak appears taller than he is in many photographs. Skillful photography tricks, like the one used by the Treasury’s photographer, can create the illusion of height, but ill-fitting outfits cannot compensate for one’s natural stature. Other short politicians, such as Sadiq Khan and Keir Starmer, manage to appear taller in photos, but they don’t wear ankle swingers like Sunak. Sunak’s issue is that his business attire doesn’t suit him, even though he dresses well in casual wear. His preference for trendy outfits, which Downing Street desires, aligns with Joe Biden’s team’s preferences for their photographs together. Sunak’s image as a modern leader interested in technology and the future industries is bolstered by these choices. However, Guy is correct that Sunak would benefit from bespoke suits instead (read Isabel Berwick’s excellent piece on the comfort and joy of bespoke tailoring here). Yet, the purpose of a politician’s clothing is not solely to make them look good; it is used to convey a specific message about the individual in question.
Clothing as a Political Tool
An example of this can be seen in former Prime Minister David Cameron. Despite not being as wealthy as Sunak, Cameron intentionally chose to dress in less expensive attire that didn’t match his financial stature. During his time as Leader of the Opposition, Cameron wore slightly oversized clothes that would have been more appropriate for a larger-framed individual. These outfits were reminiscent of Tony Blair’s style, creating the perception that Cameron was Blair’s successor. Later on, Cameron opted for standard suits that an average middle-class professional could afford, reflecting his team’s obsession with appearing smart. This obsession even led to concerns about his dress code for a family wedding and the likelihood of meeting the Queen. Although Cameron’s suits were not top-notch, his commitment to his political message was unwavering.
This approach is not limited to male politicians. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher strategically transformed her image, taking inspiration from Barbara Castle, a popular female Labour MP at the time. Thatcher’s style mimicked Castle’s, which ultimately helped Thatcher gain popularity. When Liz Truss ran for Conservative leader, she emulated Thatcher’s dress sense, receiving criticism from the media. However, her choice was deliberate, sending a specific message to Conservative party members about her politics and approach.
On the Labour side, many female politicians have struggled to find a style that balances femininity and avoids comparisons to Thatcher, as such a comparison would be politically detrimental. Several Labour women continue to adopt the image devised by Barbara Follett in the 1980s, which Harriet Harman is closely associated with, influencing many Labour politicians today.
Not all politicians choose their clothes consciously. Keir Starmer’s sensible suits convey a non-threatening image, which aligns with the message he wants to convey to the electorate. However, this is not a deliberate choice; rather, it stems from Starmer’s status as a successful middle-class professional who dresses accordingly. Nevertheless, it is clear that political clothing plays a significant role in shaping public perception.
The Boris Johnson Paradox
An interesting case study is Prime Minister Boris Johnson, whose carefully cultivated image as an unconventional, truth-telling politician, distinct from his Conservative Party peers and even David Cameron, was reinforced by his scruffy attire and unkempt hair. His disheveled appearance positioned him as a different kind of Tory, despite being beloved by much of the Conservative Party and acting as a modernizer under Cameron. This reputation allowed him to get away with actions that would typically face scrutiny, such as his campaign promises and large spending initiatives in the 2019 manifesto (read George Parker and Sebastian Payne’s illuminating profile from July 2019 here).
Why Does Clothing Matter?
In the era of influencer politicians, where politicians are seen as influencers rather than traditional TV figures, clothing choices will become increasingly important in conveying goals and values. While Sunak’s ill-fitting clothes are merely a curiosity now, dressing recklessly will become a greater risk for politicians in the coming years, rather than less of one.
Give it a try yourself!
As for me, I will be donning a flashy dress for this year’s FT Weekend Festival in September, and I’m eyeing a piece from Ohema Ohene, a label that combines British and Ghanaian themes. My only regret is that their shoes don’t come in a size that fits my oversized feet. If you or someone you know has a solution for big feet, please let me know. For more on the business of style, check out Lauren Indvik’s award-winning Fashion Matters newsletter (FT subscribers can sign up here).
Today’s Top Stories
1. Climbing down on post-Brexit product branding: The UK government has abandoned its plan for a post-Brexit alternative to the EU’s “CE” quality mark for products, following warnings from business leaders about imposing burdensome red tape on producers.
2. Impacts of foreign aid budget cuts: An internal government assessment has exposed the severe human toll of the UK’s cuts to foreign aid, particularly affecting women and children, people with disabilities, and the LGBT+ community.
3. Faster electricity transmission projects: The UK government plans to return to its previous intention of reducing the average time it takes to complete large electricity transmission projects. Currently, it takes an average of 14 years, which the government aims to halve to aid the country’s energy system renovation.
4. Delay in using barge to house asylum seekers: The UK government has delayed using a leased barge to accommodate asylum seekers in southern England due to concerns about fire and safety regulations compliance. This setback is part of wider plans to tighten conditions for migrants.
5. The millionaire who defrauded Essex council: A corrupt businessman is alleged to have defrauded an Essex council of up to £130 million, spending the money on a luxurious lifestyle. This may potentially be the largest fraud ever committed against a council.
I hope you found today’s note on the significance of politicians’ clothing choices insightful. If you have any thoughts or feedback, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
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Good morning. We are now in August. Parliament is a ghost town, so I wrote about how politicians dress and why it matters in today’s note. I apologize in advance to readers who are not interested in such matters, and in particular to some specific readers of Downing Street, the head of the opposition office and of London’s City Hall.
Inside Politics is edited by Georgina Quach. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenkb and please send your gossip, thoughts and feedback to insidepolitics@ft.com
Built to last
Like many dandy men, this is one of my favorite Twitter accounts Derek Guy, an American menswear writer. I don’t always agree with Guy’s thoughts, but I always enjoy reading them.
Lately, one of Guy’s regular targets is our prime minister, Rishi Sunak, who he insists on dresses badly. You are right. Sunak’s suits reflect the current fashion for tight-fitting clothing with short pant legs. These turn two of Sunak’s assets—that he’s thin and looks young for his age—into liabilities, because the combined effect is to make him look like a sixth ex who’s outgrown his uniform.
There’s a well-worn myth in Westminster that Sunak does it to make him look taller (he’s just over 5 feet 6 inches). But that’s not true and that’s not why Sunak looks taller than he is in many photos. Clever tricks with perspective, like this masterful effort by the photographer of the Treasury, go for it, but no number of ill-fitting outfits can hide your height if the photographer isn’t on your side. Sadiq Khan and Keir Starmer are also both short and Khan’s Instagram in particular is a masterclass in how to make a short man look tall. But neither wears ankle swingers.
Sunak’s business attire doesn’t suit him for the same reason he does excellent and flattering casual wear: Sunak is a close follower of trends in the United States in general and California in particular. The very things Downing Street wants to put on Sunak, and precisely the things that mean Joe Biden’s team likes to photograph with him: he’s modern, interested in technology and the industries of the future, and so on. This is also why the prime minister is buying premium suits that don’t suit him. Guy is right that Sunak should buy bespoke suits instead (excellent piece by Isabel Berwick on the comfort and joy of that activity here).
But the purpose of a politician’s clothing is not to make them look good. It is used to convey a message about the politician in question. David Cameron is nowhere near as rich as Sunak, but like Sunak he wore far less pretty clothes than he could afford. But Cameron did it deliberately. In his first phase as Leader of the Opposition, he wore clothes that seemed a little too baggy for him, and would have suited a man of somewhat larger build. Indeed them Done suited to a man with a larger frame, and that man was Tony Blair.
David Cameron’s sartorial choices sought to minimize his privileged background © Charlie Bibby/FT
Cameron’s clothes embodied the message he wanted to send: that he was Blair’s heir. Subsequently, Cameron bought standard suits that any middle-class professional could afford. This was part of the same neurosis his inner circle had about looking smart – which led him to forego wearing a tailcoat to a family wedding and he made his team worry about royal chances. Again, the suits weren’t top-notch, but his commitment to his political message was.
Nor is this limited to male politicians. Margaret Thatcher, with the assistance of a team of advertisers, consciously remade her image, in a way that mimicked the style of Barbara Castle, the Labor MP who was, at the time, one of the most popular women politicians in the world. village . When Liz Truss ran for Conservative leader, she in turn imitated Thatcher’s dress, which drew scorn from much of the press but sent a deliberate message to Conservative party members about her politics and her approach.
Margaret Thatcher, left, and Liz Truss. Thatcher’s coiffed hair, neck scarves and bright gowns replicated Barbara Castle’s style © FT Edit: Getty Images/PA
On the Labor side, owing to Thatcher’s success in building on Castle’s footprint, Labor women politicians have often complained of the struggle to find a style that is both feminine and avoids comparisons to Thatcher (a comparison which would be politically harmful). Many still imitate the look Barbara Follett devised when Labor sought to make her image more professional in the 1980s – it’s an image you probably most closely associate with Harriet Harman and whose style still heavily influences many Labor politicians today .
Not all of this stuff is conscious, mind you. Starmer’s Sensible Suits broadcast the same “Job: Now non-threatening!” message he wants to deliver to the electorate, not because Starmer chooses his clothes accordingly, but because Starmer is a successful middle-class British professional and dresses like one.
But it is a testament to the importance of political dress, and also its contradictions, that the most effective political disguise of recent times is also one of the worst: Boris Johnson. His carefully cultivated image of an unconventional politician who ‘tells it like it is’ and was ‘not like the others’ was reinforced by his shabby clothes and unkempt hair. She gave him the air of a different kind of Tory, even though he was the darling of much of the Conservative Party and a modernizer of Cameron. That reputation has helped him get away with it for a long time, both campaign and party, including big spending bills in the 2019 manifesto (here are George Parker and Sebastian Payne convincing profile of him in July of the same year).
What later became the other infamous ‘Boris bus’: as Mayor of London, Johnson introduced a revamped version of London’s red Routemaster bus, complete with a hop-on hop-off platform at the rear (not in use today) ©Reuters
Because it is important? Because with the end of the era of TV politicians and the emergence of the era of influencer politicians, how politicians dress will become an even more important part of how they convey their goals and values. Sunak’s ill-fitting clothes are a curiosity but do not actively harm him politically. Dressing recklessly will, in the coming years, become more of a risk to politicians, not less of one.
Now try this
I will really be wearing a flashy dress at this year’s FT Weekend Festival in September (get £20 off your pass ticket here). I have my eye on something from Ohema Ohene, a label combining British and Ghanaian themes. My big regret is that their shoes aren’t a size big enough to fit my galumphing clown feet. If you or someone you love has big feet, let me know where you get your shoes.
For more on the business of style, Lauren Indvik’s award-winning weekly Fashion Matters newsletter has you covered (FT subscribers can register here).
Today’s best stories
-
Climbing on the post-Brexit product brand | Britain has he backed down on his plan for a post-Brexit rival to the EU’s ‘CE’ product quality mark after business leaders warned ministers it was binding producers with red tape.
-
Sad budget | The severe human toll of UK foreign aid budget cuts on women and children, people with disabilities and the LGBT+ community has been exposed by an internal government impact assessment.
-
A transformative approach is needed | The government is set to go back to plans it intended to halve the 14 years it currently takes on average to build the large electricity transmission projects needed to renew the UK’s energy system.
-
“Floating Grenfell?” | The UK government was forced to delay using a barge leased to house asylum seekers in southern England due to concerns over its compliance with fire and safety regulations in the latest setback to plans to tighten conditions for migrants.
-
The solar millionaire who cheated a board | A crooked businessman allegedly defrauded an Essex council of up to £130m and spent the money on a life of luxurypotentially in the biggest fraud ever committed against a UK local authority, the Bureau of Investigative Journalism has revealed.
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