£1000 leather trousers

[OlennasWimple]

I couldn't see a thread already, so apologies if this is a duplicate, but can we talk about the PM's leather trousers?

Firstly, how do you actually wear leather trousers without getting sweaty and sticky? (Or is that something that only happens with not real leather?)

Secondly, I can understand that they get softer and more comfortable as they are worn in, like jeans, but surely unless you wear them everyday by the time they are properly broken in they are a bit dated?

Thirdly, it is a lot of money on a pair of trews, isn't it?

Well whether she could or not is up for discussion and none of us know. But my point stands, the salary of a pm is not high at all by business standards. And I would hope that any pm who has run the country could run a business. Maybe false hope but this isnt a political debate!

Fair enough Lois! It just generally aggravates me that there is so much focus on her appearance, it's just not fair and does women an injustice everywhere

People in the government should be their to make society better. Not driven by pay or money in any way. Make it a poor pay. Make it an ambition to help others. Not become a career politician.

Hilarious. So you should do 18-hour days running the country, making top-level decisions that affect each and every one of us every day – including things like national security – on a pittance of a salary, for the goodness of your heart. That's just about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Why shouldn't the people who work in government get a wage that is commensurate with their role? Make an MP a minimum wage job and the HoC would be empty. The people you think would do the job for virtually nothing - they don't exist.

Yes it's disgusting that we have food banks etc but May's salary is irrelevant to that - it's the government's policies that should be attacked. We should be fighting for better jobs and wages for everyone! She isn't in it for the money - as PP pointed out, it's not all that great for a top-level position – you'd be far better off arguing that she's in it for the power.

Anyway, that's a bit political for S&B - don't like those leather trousers but she obviously does so fair play!

Exactly musician. We would never suggest that doctors should work for the love of saving people's lives and no salary. Pay is according to the amount of training a position needs, the level of responsibility or how much they add to the bottom line generally. The pms salary has always been set way below anything in private sector and it is very low for the responsibility level it has.

Haven't we got enough millionaires in government without turning it into a career that nobody would even consider unless they had a trust fund?

I see, so anyone who is paid from the public purse should have what, limits to what they spend on things?

Who decides what the limits are?

It's a ridiculous notion.

David Cameron wore bespoke suits costing thousands of pounds. I imagine his ties, shirtd and shoes were also expensive. Was he also flaunting his wealth?

For whoever said that PN should be a voluntary position - you do realise that only millionaires would apply in that case?

Yes AmeliaJack, if you read the rest of the pat that was exactly the point I made !

Its obscene. She is obscene. She is a disgrace wearing them. She is flaunting her riches. Its a disgrace. We have food banks ffs

So, so much this. Foodbanks whose use has risen exponentially since her disgusting party came to power. I know families with disabled members who have been made homeless because they can't afford the £14 extra a week they need to stay in their council home following redundancy. I know of people who have attempted suicide because their disability benefits have been cut or stopped entirely (in one case, because a flare episode of a chronic disease left them unable to attend the JC at the appointed time - apparently having a life-limiting illness is worthy of sanction). Homelessness has risen by 11% in my city in the last year alone, and refuges have closed due to cuts, meaning hundreds of women and children a day are being turned away.

In that context, I think that it's perfectly justifiable to say that spending a grand on a pair of trousers when the people you are governing are suffering because of your policies is fucking obscene in the extreme.

It's not sexist, either. I'd say the same whichever Tory twat was wearing them, male or female.

Oh, and Mulberry make very few of their goods in England now. They primarily manufacture in China but also have factories in Turkey.

I've just had an awful thought - M&S are going to fill Per Una with gold pleather bootlegs now, aren't they?

Olenba, you are correct 😂

Do people actually object to her salary or just that she spends it on expensive clothes?

I've had a quick look and the only thread I can find about David Cameron's clothes on MN is a rather piss takey thread from 2011 about the fact that he was reportedly considering wearing a lounge suit rather than tails to the Royal Wedding. Responses ranged from posters considering it either irrelevant or posters saying a lounge suit was too casual for a Royal Wedding. Not one poster said "it's obscene, there are food banks"

Samantha Cameron wore a dress costing £1500 to Buckingham Palace for DC's resignation. I can't find any outrage about that.

It seems to me that the only reason that there is so much discussion of these trousers are that an older woman in a position of power is being put down because she isn't dressing like a man and wearing a quiet suit or a discreet pair of slacks.

There are many, many reasons to criticise Mrs May - her trousers are not one of them.

i am astounded that anyone can think this is not a sexist debate, but there you go.

The trousers themselves aren't, in my opinion, very nice but I like the way it's been styled with the top. On the other hand my Theory leather leggings are fabulous.

I believe the Mays are wealthy ,Philip may is a banker , plus I imagine that at her age and after working for many years she is wealthy too,
So she bought a £1000 trousers, i think she looks great in them, SamCam wore some very expensive clothes and still looked like she did a big order from boden instead of wearing preen! Not to mention all the people hired to help her with styling and shopping, but I can't remember anyone discussing that,

Not only is this whole trousergate sexist but I think that it paints her as someone who is busy shopping instead of running the country.

SamCam wasn't pm to my knowledge

I wish I had her legs.

I would wear barely black tights and power heels!

They are Margaret Howells not Burberry if anyone cares.

newbrummie who do you think pays for SamCam ? I don't think its all freebies or samples borrowed from her desginer friends,

You mentioned earlier If she was earning £143,000 and it wasn't coming from the public purse she could do what she likes with it that's a strange thing to say! Isn't she allowed to spend her salary on clothes? What do you suggest she wears? A plaid skirt with a cardigan and crocs?

Amanda wakeley

The lining is polyester they must be very uncomfortable to wear for long period of time,

David Cameron's shoes

Just in case anyone is in any doubt that this discussion of the PM's clothing is sexist maybe a reverse will show how daft it is.

Personally I think she looks great but that's by the by. £143k is not a big salary at all for the level of responsibility she has as one of the most powerful people in the world and it's her money to do exactly what she wishes with it. As others have said, her husband no doubt earns multiple times what she earns and they have no children. She can spend her money on what she wants. Why on earth should she be answerable to anyone about how we spends her money so long as it's legal?

Count.

I've done a little digging, apparently DC favours Oliver Sweeney shoes. Do you think they fall within acceptable limits at £300 a pair?

Was this whole thing not started by another female MP? I find that quite depressing. It's a low blow considering all the issues the country is facing, is this how they swipe at each other?

I don't know if she started it (but despressing if she did) but according to the Telegraph Nicky Morgan said the following:

"My barometer is always: 'How am I going to explain this in Loughborough market?"

I rather think she's missing the point. Mrs May is the Premier of our nation I really don't think her sartorial standards should be based on Loughborough Market.

And I'm bloody sure that Ms Morgan never expected Mr Cameron's style to be similarly measured.

Whether I like it or not Mrs May represents our country and should be dressed accordingly. As long as she's dressed appropriately for the occasion I don't give a damn where her clothes come from or how much they cost.

Margaret Howell or Amanda Wakeley then?
Sounds like she bought from a British designer who lives and, let us assume, pays taxes in the UK and who I believe - if it's Margaret Howell - produces some of her stuff in her own factory in London?
If that's the case - and it's not often you'll hear me say this - then good for Theresa May.
Or would some people prefer she paid her money to Philip and Tina Green in their Monaco tax haven?