I was invited to be interviewed by Kay Burley on Sky News a week or so ago about this very topic. I was away on holiday at the time so recommended another Image Consultant to take my place, but the fact that it’s a talking point on a national news channel indicates the impact it can have.
It’s easy to dismiss what we wear as being frivolous and unimportant, especially when you’re thinking about which politician, and political party, to vote for in the upcoming election. Ultimately we want politicians who can deliver a set of policies for the country that are going to make a real difference in the lives of everyday people, to the prosperity of the UK and have a positive impact globally in areas like the environment, human rights etc. This is 100% what matters.
However, what people wear tells us something about them, about the kind of people they are. To this end, it can shape public perception, something that is so important when it comes to elections. Clothing choices communicate to us in a subconscious way and can either add a positive layer to a politician’s personal brand (ie what you think of them), or can detract from what they’re saying and/or cause you to question the validity/truth of what they are saying. The world revolves around relationships and how well we are able to get to know, like and trust someone. What we wear makes a valuable contribution in building these relationships.
Gaining the trust of those you represent is a big part of a politicians job. Indeed there have been many reports of mistruths both by politicians here in the UK as well as in the US in the lead up to their presidential election in November.
So how are our politicians in the UK fairing on the style stakes then?
(Photo credit: Wikipedia portraits)
If we look at the leaders of the two biggest parties, Rishi Sunak and Kier Starmer, arguably we see similar looks – both men choose to wear suits with ties for their formal appearances, such as the recent head-to-head TV debates, and smart casual or casual attire for less formal occasions when they are out and about meeting the electorate.
However, there has been much comment on the expense of Sunak’s clothes and accessories and accusations that these choices have only served to support the narrative that he is out of touch with the average voter. Comments have abounded about his £1,250 Canada Goose parka, £795 Reiss shearling jacket and his £490 Prada driving shoes which The Telegraph captioned “The Devil Wears Prada, and so does Rishi Sunak”. His choice of accessories has also been headline worthy. The Mirror spotted him arriving in Penzance, one of the poorest areas of the country, carrying a £750 Tumi backpack with his initials monogrammed on one side. He later turned up to the Manchester TV debate with a £710 Tumi suit carrier in addition to the backpack, so carrying £1,460 worth of bags.
There have also been comments about the style of his bespoke made suits. GQ magazine has noted how small the proportions of his suits are, (he chooses narrow jackets and trousers with smaller jacket lapels and collar points), something that was the fashion in the early 2000’s when Sunak was an investment banker and hedge fund manager. As they comment, “such is the danger of dressing en vogue – what is considered trendy one day eventually looks hideous, ridiculous, and then amusing. As men’s silhouettes have filled out in the last few years, Sunak’s shrunken suits look increasingly comical”. To be fair, given that Sunak is 5’7″ tall, too much volume could overwhelm his frame, but I get the point that he perhaps runs the risk of looking a little outdated, which is less than desirable.
Kier Starmer has generally stuck to very middle-of-the-road suits from a style perspective (although it is thought that they are probably also bespoke made) and has done likewise with his casual attire. He too has been called out for wearing a £500 Sandro jacket, £200 Hugo Boss trainers and £135 North Face jacket but they are none-the-less not quite as extravagant as Sunak’s choices. In general, what he wears is neither particularly trendy nor frumpy and so it has become less of a talking point.
In my opinion, whilst the clothes our politicians wear won’t be the reason we choose to vote for them or not on Thursday, they have played their part in contributing to our perceptions of them. They have also in some cases become an unwelcome distraction and unwanted noise during their election campaigns. Indeed, media headlines and column inches have been devoted to the topic when they would both rather it is their politics and election manifestos we are talking about.
In my opinion, we all ignore the power of clothes to do some of the talking at our peril. Giving your wardrobe some careful thought, or ‘consciously dressing’ as I sometimes refer to it, can pay huge dividends. Not only does it enable you to communicate who you are but it can equally boost your confidence. Whether you’re in the public eye, a leader of any kind or simply someone who wants to dress in a confident, authentic way your clothes can make a positive difference. Choose them well and you can be remembered for all of the right reasons.