£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?

Interesting to see how the debate has panned out.

I can see what you're saying Lib about her needing to rein it in because of the people she's representing, however, I still come back to the fact that nobody ever commented on the cost of DC or TB's suits and suggested that they get their suits from M&S, particularly if you think of the fact that at the time DC was poncing about in his very expensive suits, he was presiding some very deep cuts to the public spending budget and telling us that we are all in it together. The reality is that if she had done the same while wearing a £1,000 dress or carrying a £1,000 bag she would have been crucified. In my view, therein lies the underlying sexism.

As to others who wonder whether one can do a very senior or serious job while being fashionable? In the early part of my career all the women wore trouser suits including me. I take complete joy from the fact that these days I can wear dresses, have lovely handbags and accessories and yet they don't seem to affect my ability to make those big decisions I make every day!

Blingy and Floisme Google 'David Cameron orlebar swimming trunks'. All politicians male and female get slated over clothing choices. The suits the men have don't attract comments because of the uniform effect I mentioned earlier. Unless you have a very good eye most people can't tell from a photo or TV shot whether a suit cost £300 or £3000. I'd bet any money that the tailors went to DC when he got his suits rather than ever risking being photographed on

I really don't believe they get slated in the way liberty. The only time I can ever remember a male politician being picked over like this was when Michael Foot wore an overcoat at the Cenotaph which must have been in the 80s.

I see what you're saying about invisibility but I still don't see why a female politician can't enjoy her clothes if they're her hobby, especially if she's off duty. As I've said, if a male politician has an expensive hobby such as going to the football, the general consensus is 'Ah what a guy, so well grounded' whereas a love of fashion is viewed as a sign of flightiness and not being focused on the job. I agree with you there by the way - that is what's going on with Theresa May but it's a double standard and it should be challenged.

I will google David Cameron's swimming trunks and then I'm going to try and wean myself off this thread because I'm starting to repeat myself and because the whole thing is making me cross.

Sorry, 'get slated in the same way'. This is why I need to step away.

Lib I googled that phrase and read the first 4/5 articles about it. All were disparaging about the fact that he didn't look good in them but none were critical of the fact that he had spent that much money on them. Again there is a subtext that a man is allowed to spend money on clothes that are well cut and make him look good but a woman is criticised for the same thing.

If I bring it back to my daily life, my male peers will have their tailor come along to their office and fit them up for a suit, yet, if I were to reveal that the £1,000 dresses I wear cost the same or less than their bespoke suits there would be a subtext that I was being frivolous with my money.

While I disagree with you that it isn't sexist (for the reasons I have already said) your points have made me think and I agree that you have to be conscious about what the cost of your clothes might signal. E.g. on days where I am with an external stakeholder who is cost conscious, while I will still wear the well cut and fitted dress, I am easy on the bling.

The leather trousers were remarked upon because TM usually wears inconspicuous middle-aged clothing. I'm sure she often wears expensive dresses and suits but because they are conservative they don't get picked up on.

Blingy I am surprised that in your work environment people would judge you for spending as much on a dress as a man would spend on a suit. I assumed this was a public sector issue.

My work means that I attend meetings regularly in about 15 different public sector organisations in London. I totally adapt my clothing depending on the organisation! Whether I wear my Seasalt, Burberry, Hobbs or See by Chloe coat is often dictated as much by where I am going or who I am meeting than it is by weather or outfit!!

Floisme I appreciate the chance to debate these things and hope I haven't annoyed you too much. Knowing when to shut up is not one of my strong points at times! See you back on the Cos thread

Not annoyed with you at all Liberty and sorry for getting grumpy.

Mind you I've been known to get pretty cross with Cos too and their 17 London branches

God this is such an interesting thread and I love it being on s&b because everyone is so reasonable and nice to each other at the end. It's like the 'NOT the AIBU' thread.

Bobochic - I'm really not sure that TM's dress sense could be described as inconspicuous middle-aged! Over the knee leather boots? Asymmetric necklines? Bright colours? REally?

Floisme - I read somewhere that MFoot's coat was actually very expensive and came from Harrod's, but the popular imagination turned it into a working class statement that went very wrong

I remember Tony Blair's clothing choices getting a bit of comment - think about his Villebrequins and his Paul Smith shirts with the pin-up girl cuffs. (Not, I agree anything like as much as TM and other female politicans)

Maybe it's my Parisian-trained eye, but TM is fantastically conservative by the standards I'm used to.

Great thread, ladies. I agree with PPs who have applauded TM for not making the dull choices usually associated with political women, and for spending her earnings enjoying fashion while supporting home grown talent. Bobochic is correct in saying that she's still conservative by French standards (Rachida Dati stands out in my memory, but she is younger and much more glamorous/beautiful, no?) However, compared to Frau Merkel and Mrs Clinton, TM looks good. But the leather trews didn't do it for me; would have been better in navy or burgundy, IMVHO.

Ah yes, the fashion standards of Paris are somewhat different to Maidenhead . Also, I know 70 is the new 50 or something, but TM is 60 - Rachida Dati is half her age!

Rachida Dati is 51!