Strolling around Cheshire on Father's Day this Sunday, Andy Burnham looked just like any other dad. Were we to play 'Where's Andy' instead of 'Where's Wally', it would be hard to pick out Burnham from the crowd, so uniformly does he dress like every other man of his age and demographic.Nondescript dark-wash jeans - check. Untucked, slightly washed-out navy polo shirt that may or may not be from Uniqlo - check. Chunky steel watch that's definitely not a Rolex - check. Your husband probably has a near-identical outfit.Middle-aged men - Burnham is 56 - love navy with a passion far more ardent than any woman's supposed love of pink. It has all of black's slimming, flattering properties but with added nonchalance.So enamoured of the hue is Burnham that he even extends it to his footwear. No matter that he's a newly minted Labour MP with aspirations to lead not only the Labour Party but the country: for Burnham, this does not represent just cause to smarten up by wearing a brogue, or even a trainer. No: his trusty Birkenstocks will do just fine. Andy Burnham pictured wearing his Birks in Cheshire on Father's DayBurnham's Birks - as the storied sandals founded in 1774 by German cobbler Johann Birkenstock are affectionately called by fans - might be viewed by some as a curious choice of footwear for a man of such lofty ambition. Aside from the fact that they're intentionally casual, there's a vulnerability in showing your naked feet - and it's a well-known fact that women of all political persuasions get 'the ick' from men exposing their hairy toes.In fact, his choice is very fitting, and certainly shows confidence. Birkenstocks are often referred to as 'Jesus sandals': what better shoe to wear as saviour of the Labour Party?Burnham understands fashion in a way that has so far served him well. He certainly understands it well enough to know that trainers these days carry cultural meaning, and will want to avoid being criticised for wearing the 'wrong' ones like Liz Truss (white and £138 from Reiss) and Rishi Sunak (Adidas Sambas).His own preferences - Saucony for running, Adidas Gazelles for day - are typically on-brand, a mainstream, affordable choice for someone who wants to be seen as a man of the people. His Birkenstocks represent this same 'man of the people' choice in sandal form.Birkenstocks never set out to be fashionable: they were designed to provide comfort and support, courtesy of a patented footbed made of contoured cork. But fashionable they have become, thanks to a slew of high-profile male and female fans including David Beckham, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sienna Miller and Sir Paul McCartney. When Margot Robbie wore a pair of Birkenstock Arizonas in the 2023 film Barbie, sales rose by 300 per cent.Fashionable as they may be, they're far too ubiquitous ever to be seen as 'cutting edge'. They're the sort of sandals that many people have kicking about in their wardrobes, like a pair of Levis. Like Levis, they're built to last for many years. In short, they're dependable.After Keir Starmer's machinations, Burnham needs to be seen as dependable. Birkenstocks semaphore that he is.While you could argue that he only wore them because it was hot that day, it's likely that more thought went into his decision than mere weather considerations alone. These were not just any Birkenstocks: they were Arizonas, the brand's most popular style.But where a standard oiled nubuck leather pair retails for £90, Burnham's navy suede iterations cost £120. They're a specific, considered choice for which he was happy to pay a premium. There's nothing wrong with that.Maybe Burnham remembers The Great Sandal Scandal of 2014, when then Prime Minister David Cameron was lambasted for wearing ugly brown sandals while on holiday in Cornwall.He might not want to admit it, but Burnham cares about fashion in a way few British political leaders do. Starmer, Sunak and Cameron had their moments, but even at their least unstylish, there was always an overriding sense they'd been directed by their wives.Burnham's wife - Dutch-born marketing executive Marie-France van Heel, whom he met studying English at Cambridge - has a strong individual style. By contrast, Burnham's style seems more organic and innate. Rather than changing drastically, it has evolved in a way that has always seemed true. You don't sense that he's panic bought a particular look and hastily removed the price tags.This is a man who understands the importance of making wise wardrobe choices in a highly visual age. Clothes might not maketh the man, but they certainly make a strong and important impression.It's said that Burnham doesn't use a stylist. Maybe this will change. In the meantime, he's doing a competent job of styling himself - hairy toes and all.