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Style and beauty

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Original poster

what fashion advice would you give Theresa May

153 replies

CreepingClematis · 30/06/2016 19:52

?
Please don't let this descend into a gender issue- quite happy to discuss male politicians too.

But if she is to be PM as looks likely she needs some serious intervention. Her outfit today was ghastly- a cheap shot a wearing tartan to unite the UK.
Her blouse is gaping around her tummy showing skin.

Since she's been in politics, her hair has gone grey, she has terrible eye bags, and she looks much older than she is imo.

Yes, of course her work is the most important thing, but over the years her outfits have been a huge distraction - the garish patchwork coat, the evening dress showing her shoulders , and more....

OP posts:
purpleapple1234 · 01/07/2016 07:37

Agree. Disgusting thread. Not what style and beauty is for. I would guess that this is the work of a journalist or a extremely judgemental mind.

After the mess that we are in due to the conservatives, how TM clothes' gape is probably not that most important thing in politics that needs to be considered right now.

TirNaNog100 · 01/07/2016 07:39

Of course focusing on a female politician's looks is a gender issue, OP.

BluePitchFork · 01/07/2016 07:40

none
what fashion advice would you give any other male politician?

WhatchaMaCalllit · 01/07/2016 07:53

Don't make this a gender issue? I think you made this a gender issue OP by starting the thread and passing such awful comments about another woman.
I don't care what she wears, so long as her policies are sound, costed properly and don't cause any issues as a result. I wouldn't care if the entire House of Commons and/or Lords decided to rock up to work one day in their PJs. If they can do their work, they can do their work and how they are dressed and what they look like shouldn't matter a jot.

As for the other poster who mentioned "At least she's not in a Frau Merkel trouser suit" - I think Angela Merkel dresses for her height and body shape and more importantly to get the job done, so if trouser suits work for her, then that's what the German Chancellor wears and it shouldn't matter a bit.

I'm disappointed that there is such a thread as this on MN.

AgingJuvenileBinkyHuckaback · 01/07/2016 08:05

She looks fine. To the extent that she occasionally looks less than perfectly groomed, I assume that once she's PM she'll get a larger team of assistants, who will, amongst many many other more important jobs, make sure she's always looking appropriate for a leader of a G8 nation.

MorrisZapp · 01/07/2016 08:08

Boris and Corbyn have both come under considerable criticism/lampoonery for their respective appearances.

Just yesterday someone on twitter said Johnson looks like a bag of washing.

And there are much shared tweets about Trump's appearance too, 'tiny fingered, cheeto faced, ferret wearing shitgibbon' being my favourite.

We notice what people look like. Having said that, I think May is generally elegant and professional. I'm aghast at the suggestion she ought to wear jeans that aren't high waisted. I'm in my forties and not in government, and I will never wear bum crack specials again in my life.

RudyMentary · 01/07/2016 08:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BigStripeyBastard · 01/07/2016 08:15

Come on, OP, let's have a look at you then? Let's all see what a sartorial delight you are......

Floisme · 01/07/2016 08:25

I think it's great to have a 59 year old woman in the public eye who looks her age and clearly enjoys her clothes. It's one of the few things I like about her.

And at least she's backtracked on taking us out of he ECHR (for now).

Some of us are capable of thinking about clothes and politcs at the same time.

Trills · 01/07/2016 08:32

It is a gender issue though.

It doesn't matter how much you say "oh but we called Corbyn scruffy" - the implications are different for women because women ARE judged on their appearance much more than men.

There's budget available for stylists, right? SamCam spend taxpayers' money on stylist, so PM May could have some spare money to have things tailored to fit her.

Nowt wrong with Angela Merkel's trousers suits.

Apparently the leopard print shoe incident was in 2002! I'd like to see more of that.

Original poster
CreepingClematis · 01/07/2016 09:12

Whooooa! Can we all calm down a bit please?
This is S&B not AIBU!
It's also MUMSnet where women tend to discuss women on S&B, but I'm more than happy to discuss Gove or Jezza, though neither is likely to be the next PM!

Being a top politician and having dress sense so you look your best when you represent the UK are not mutually exclusive! Why is everyone rushing to defend her intellect or whatever when this is a straightforward light hearted question over style? FWIW I am a Tory and I support her. But she's going to be on the world stage and people will judge, whether you agree with that or not.

FGS.

FWIW I am older than she is as are many of my friends. And we aren't grey haired- or dyed.

I was making the point that she has- and come one, it's not just me saying this- in the past made some terrible fashion mistakes. She's tried to look 'quirky' and got it wrong. There were the 'space suit' jackets, the patchwork coat for trooping the colour, off the shoulder dresses for a formal Tory speech...maybe you've not seen them but they were commented on at the time far more fiercely than I'm doing here.

The suit she wore yesterday was a disaster- badly fitting trousers and a cliche of a fabric (flirting with the Scottish issue.)

What I'm saying is that for a woman of her intellect, the clothes need to match her presence and at the moment IMO they don't.

And if you don't think clothes matter, hop off S&B!

OP posts:
ZaraW · 01/07/2016 09:28

Thanks I'll stay on S&B I'm not a Tory never will be but she is fine the way she is. I don't read the DM so have no idea what the "experts" over there think of her. A lot of people don't like your post doesn't that tell you something?

TheCountessofFitzdotterel · 01/07/2016 09:32

She's fine the way she is.
It's a gender issue not because we never talk about male politicians' appearance but because women are held to a completely different standard from men. They can't win, whereas it's pretty easy for the men to get it right no matter how big their tummies.

dudsville · 01/07/2016 09:43

So I posted earlier on in this thread without really having a sense of how she dresses. I've now, I can't belive in saying this, have Googled pics of T May. I'm going to stane by my earlier comment but I now stupidly feel compelled to say she also looks nice. What's going on op? I didn't see the suit that motivated you to start this thread but I did see the space jacket thing and I just don't see the fuss. SHe looks fine.

2016Hopeful · 01/07/2016 09:50

I think she looks fine for someone of her position and age. From what I can see she dresses reasonably tastefully and safe most of the time.

Original poster
CreepingClematis · 01/07/2016 09:53

I hope most of you can see the irony of your posts.

This is S&B. It's a forum where women post pics of themselves to be critiqued. It's a place where women comment on other women's clothes and make up. It's a place where women give advice or ask for advice. If you are happy to do that - which you are by being here in the first place - then maybe think about your reactions to this post.

It's a place where there have been numerous threads about the clothes of public figures, be they Kate Middleton's wedding dress and eyebrows, Jerry Hall's wedding dress, the Queen, Cherie Blair and numerous 'slebs'.
I don't recall any mass hysteria over those.

Oh I see- it's because Theresa is a female politician- so she's off l imits is she, as it's not 'sisterly' to comment on a woman who works rather than being 'decorative'.

And in case you are under any illusions, appearances do matter. If you intend to rock up to an interview in your gardening clothes, fine. If you are touting to be PM and turn up in a blouse that gapes when the world's cameras are on you, it might just make people raise their eyebrows.

But I forgot- she's a woman politician and we are all supposed to put her on a pedestal and not actually care or notice what she wears.

FFs.

OP posts:
SonicSpotlight · 01/07/2016 09:54

Is that you Sarah Vine?

burnishedsilver · 01/07/2016 10:02

Are discussions about Boris Johnsons hair a gender issue?

burnishedsilver · 01/07/2016 10:03

.....or Donald Trumps hair?

Fuzzypeggy · 01/07/2016 10:04

I disagree actually op, often on the threads discussing celebs, there are lots of posters saying leave them
Alone, they can wear what they like. But actually a lot of those people are entertainment celebs, Jerry hall makes a living out of what she looks like so it's more natural to comment on her appearance. The queen, Kate m etc, not so, so we shouldn't rip them apart for their appearance. Not Theresa May, shea not in the public eye because of her looks. She looks fine and she presumably wears what she wants.
And a lot of the threads on here are people asking for advice, you are right, but Theresa May isn't one of them and it is sad for a woman to be picked apart like this. And it simply wouldn't happen to a man, whatever you say, we all know it wouldn't.

Fuzzypeggy · 01/07/2016 10:05

Yea but boris and Donald have very stand out hair styles which they both know attract comment and are presumably happy with that, it's their look. Teresa may isn't like that.

dontrustcharisma · 01/07/2016 10:06

I think she looks great, doesn't need to change anything. And she doesn't wear high heels either.
Her brains and abilities are the most important thing anyway.

teta · 01/07/2016 10:13

I actually think she dresses so much better than Merkel and Clinton.Why would you put someone with a good figure in a shapeless 'pants' suit.And incidentally leopard print shoes are modern classics - Aren't they?
I must admit I'd far rather look at her than Gove ,who really isn't the prettiest of politicians ( though his suits have improved of late).

WhereAreWeNow · 01/07/2016 10:20

I'd tell her to wear whatever she wants and to get on with her job. I feel like we're standing on the edge of a huge political and economic chasm (no melodrama here Grin) - frankly they could all be running around naked for all I care. As long as they sort this mess out.

dontrustcharisma · 01/07/2016 10:22

Merkel dresses the way she does deliberately to avoid this type of discussion. Her clothes are serviceable and unremarkable so that the only thing to concentrate on is her ability as a politician. Clinton has copied her to get the same effect.