IABU Mrs Leadsom's mini dress

[longwayoff]

Blimey Andrea. Interesting choice.

I think she looks a complete mess.

I don't care what she wears as long as she does her job which we are paying for.

BUT she needs a better personal stylist.

The outfit looks ridiculous but that's my personal taste.

It's not so much the dress is too short, but the boots look tarty and the coat is horrible.

Put all 3 together and it's a style disaster.

Compare her with Esther Mcvey who was in the shot alongside her in a beautiful camel colour long coat and plain high heeled courts , who looked great.

OMG! Wearing a short skirt won’t drain her brain. Whatever she has to say won’t be devalued (or enhanced) by wearing bright colours and long boots.

I’m the same age as AL and wouldn’t make the same clothing choices (or political choices) but I am very impressed that a woman with an amount of status and power is showing some personality, not dressing like a pseudo-male in dark colours and tailored suits.

Just as a ‘bikini body’ is a body in a bikini, in this instance ‘work wear’ is what AL has chosen to wear to work and good luck to her.

Seriously, the country is in crisis and all other women can do is criticise the Secretary of State for Business’ dress sense! That’s setting back the cause, not a short skirt.

I think she looks ok .. I don't like her coat it is vile.

I wear thigh height boots and I am in my 50s .. I have been told I have good legs so I think they suit me.

They are like these

The posters who make the point about business dress are right.

There are dress codes in the City if you are in the financial sectors or law. Usually suits for women, smart dresses or skirts and smart tops in subdued colours.

I see being a Minister in that same category. She is representing us in meetings and the UK. She has to look formal and 'together' because people do make judgements on appearance, like it or not.

Has everyone forgotten Michael Foot and his donkey jackets? He was ridiculed at the time.

The idea is that the clothes create a neutral background and are not shouting ME - LOOK AT ME by being shabby, loud or too casual.

On a personal level, her face is not 'young' and her hair and glasses are very old fashioned as is her make up.

When she wears dresses they are often too tight- a size too small- and she looks 'all boob'.

I am sure it's all deliberate which actually says a lot.

Surprisingly, I find that attractive women are more often reprimanded for their outfit choices (and I am saying this as a generally unattractive woman).
More then a decade ago, a (bombshell) colleague was constantly reprimanded about her dress choices. The funny thing was that I was wearing the same things from the same high street shop (we were both interns on very basic pay), but as I was twice her weight, no one cared if I showed cleavage, wrapped myself in lace or flashed a bit of chubby thigh.

She looks fantastic because she is confident, and wears it with confidence.

That is the achievement of feminism in my view. This lady is known for her business achievements and political stature - she gained respect irrespective of her outfit choices. So now she's at the top, why not enjoy herself? Or must we all wear knee length or lower in case some man somewhere loses respect?!

I have no attraction to her whatsoever but that is completely beside the point or her intention. It's about her and her choices, good on her for acceding to a position where she can express herself

There are dress codes in the City if you are in the financial sectors or law. Usually suits for women, smart dresses or skirts and smart tops in subdued colours

And why, are those dress codes, appropriate?

I accept that walking about in a half bikini would be frowned upon but why the restriction of choice of colour for example?

I work in an office as a senior manager and do not pay attention to the colour of someone’s attire - I listen to what they’re saying.

On a personal level, her face is not 'young' and her hair and glasses are very old fashioned as is her make up

Bitchy much?

Imagine if this had been said about a black woman. .. very hypocritical

I don't agree that her clothing choice is irrelevant, just as I would disagree if it was a man.

Business attire is not difficult to understand or adhere to. The men are clearly expected to comply.

As said there can be an argument that there should be no such thing as dress code. We can all wear what we want, whatever th scenario, and Boris can take PMQs in a fedora, muscle tee and tight purple pvc trousers, it doesn't "drain his brain". Fair enough, we are all entitled to our opinions.

There is no gender bias here, the argument really is is business attire required, and for me it is.

I also question her judgement when she rocks up in a mini dress and thigh high boots to work.

Boris wears what he wants and so should she.

Boris is always suited and booted and in business attire at work.

Care to comment on what the male politicians were wearing? Or are we still only commenting on how female MPs dress? How depressing..... and here's me thinking it was 2019.

I like the coat but not enough to spend that much money on it. The skirt is not very professional.

Cannot believe the number of ‘that outfit is not appropriate for work’ comments.

It is clean and smart. Now fuck off.

Not like she’s supposed to be welding or carrying out surgery.

@Bluntness

He looks like a sack of spuds in a suit ... I don't know how he pulls all these young women he must have hidden assets

What they wear off duty is a matter for them. But at work, it matters.

That photo of BJ running is a stupid example. He is clearly not at work. If he did turn up like that, he would be rounded on.

Andrea looks like she wanted attention rather than she is there to do a serious job which shows a lack of judgement.

She`s wearing it to keep Boris away.

It's inappropriate but then so is basically everything about brexit

I believe women should wear what they want but clothes also signal something. She's signalling 'I want to raise my profile to help get a lucrative job or work on the speech circuit once this brexit crap blows up/over'

@Sarcelle

Do you think he looks good in a suit?

I think it is ill fitting and the trousers need turning up. He is only short at 5'8" so he must have them made to measure. I would change his tailor if I was him.

What is it exactly that people are objecting to?

• That her plain black dress is short?
• That she is wearing over the knee boots?
• Her coat is too bright?
• Or that she isn't wearing tights?

As personally I do wear boots and dresses to work.

Most people dress to suit the occasion, if they decide not to it will be commented on.

She's a 56 year old politician, she understands this.

She is usually dressed very smartly .Still looks good though .maybe she was planning on going out later on?! Mostly is she still able to do her job though ? yes !

@PersonaNonGarter:
Cannot believe the number of ‘that outfit is not appropriate for work’ comments.

It is clean and smart. Now fuck off.

Abso-fucking-lutley.

Dress codes are changing. If they weren’t men would still be commuting wearing bowler hats and carrying a briefcase and women would be in the cliched ‘secretary’ outfit of pencil skirt and stiletto heels, perhaps teamed with a white blouse with a pussy-cat bow.

My DD is a highly qualified corporate tax advisor. When she started working at a big 4 city accounting firm she was expected to wear ‘smart business dress’ which included heels for women. Then they brought in dress down Friday and now every day is casual dress. She handles contracts worth billions of pounds wearing jeans, boots and a nice top. What she wears doesn’t sap her brain power.

@Sotoes

What has her age got to do with it?

Women get criticised if they have long hair over 40 ... I have always had long curly hair and don't intend to ever cut it short.

I hope she takes no notice of anyones comments and continues to wear what she wants to. As long as she does the job she wears I couldn't care less what she wears.

Look at Corbin his suits and coats are vile just like him.