WHO’S WINNING IN THE LEADERSHIP LINE-UP STYLE STAKES?
This week, Stephen Doig turns fashion spin doctor
They’re out of the starting block, proffering policies left, right, and centre: the race among the candidates to be the next prime minister is under way. Is it just me, or do you get the sense that the male contingent are having their ties adjusted and hair smoothed down by their wives before they leave the house? The men – note how rare it is for a male politician’s suit to be analysed compared to how often their female counterparts are picked apart – are redolent of the first day of school; shirts pressed, shoes polished, hoping to impress, only with more grey hair and Shakespearean back-stabbing.
So which of our chaps are “pouring their curves” into figure-hugging pinstripes and “flaunting their calves” in running shorts? We look at how the five most notable members of the race compare.
Boris Johnson
Proof that the shambolic mop-top and comedy jogging gear was an act after all, Johnson’s bid to be taken seriously has involved a cleaner, sharper haircut and leaner frame. The crumpled shirt has been smoothed out and the oversized blazers, as if nanny has been strict with the hand-medowns, done away with. If the going gets tough, might we suggest a non-iron shirt in the future, Boris? £29.50, marks andspencer.com
Michael Gove
With an expression that consistently looks as if he’s been startled on the lavatory, but a wardrobe that’s fairly consistent, Gove sticks to the standard greys and navys of traditional suiting, which serve a man well in the workplace – if in doubt, keep it safe. His running ensembles are second only to Johnson’s in haphazard oddness, but it was a recent outing at the Hay Literary Festival that drew the attention of Telegraph reporters; brown slip-on shoes with black jeans – a sartorial slip-up if ever there was. Perhaps the pressure’s getting to him? Shoe no 4, £415, grenson.com
Dominic Raab
With the square jaw and steely gaze of a GI Joe who’s found himself in Surrey instead of Santa Barbara, Raab looks sharp and commanding in a suit. He rarely puts a style step out of place, which in itself conjures up a Patrick Bateman-like quality. Perhaps an accessory with a bit of personality might make him seem more human? Ladybird print tie, £145, drakes.com
Jeremy Hunt
He’s worked out a formula and he’s sticking to it – Donna Karan had her capsule collection of black separates, Hunt has a navy suit with blue tie. Nothing exciting, but nothing wrong with that. His running gear is by far the most coherent and sleek of the lot, but the rucksack with suit will crumple it; we’d suggest a gym tote. Leather tote, £125, cosstores.com
Rory Stewart
With the nimble frame and tufted hair of a Dickensian urchin, the outlier is garnering traction on social media. The ex-army member cuts a diminutive figure so suits can drown him; we’d suggest made-tomeasure tailoring. Havana suit, from £599, suitsupply.com