What we wear tells a story about who we are. It’s a tool useful for all of us, one that we can manipulate in myriad ways depending on mood and circumstance. But knowing how to wield your sartorial weapon well – when to brandish it and how to maximise it – is a skill that benefits nobody quite as much as politicians. What better way to send a message without ever having to open your mouth?This week, it is Andy Burnham’s wardrobe under the microscope. The will he won’t he ditch the “dad at the football” polo shirt and bomber for a suit and tie for Westminster seriousness reached a fever pitch on Monday when he was sworn in as an MP.In fact, after his win last week in Makerfield rendered him the front-runner to replace Keir Starmer, scrutinising his fashion chops has become something of a national sport. Was his attire a bit “my first suit”, or was it a nod to the modern dad, who wears Uniqlo for the everyday but can don the two-piece like a superhero’s cape when required? Could he be just the man to lead us out of political turmoil, one pair of Adidas Gazelles at a time?Yes, yes, we should be focusing on important things: welfare, defence, what on earth he’d do about social care. But a politician’s wardrobe is a more worthwhile investigation than you might think, because in this game no one just throws something on. And even when they look like they have done – we see you, Boris – these are conscious, careful decisions about clothing that aligned with their values and came to define their legacy. Remember Michael Foot and his infamous “donkey jacket”, worn to the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in 1981. The Guardian referred to it as a “defining image” of his ill-fated time as Labour leader. Still don’t believe us? Let’s take a look at some of the most notable political fashion choices of our time.Rishi Sunak’s trousersThe Tory leader’s cropped chinos became a topic of conversation during his time as PM (Getty)Cast your mind back to the summer of 2023, approximately two prime ministers ago. The biggest topics of conversation were Lucy Letby, the Titan sub, and, of course, the curiously cropped length of Rishi Sunak’s trousers. They became the Tory leader’s staple: smart, tailored, starched, and always hovering two inches above his ankle. “Baffling to me how the wealthiest UK prime minister in history could live just steps away from Savile Row, the single greatest concentration of skilled bespoke tailors, and end up paying $2k for a MTM suit with sleeves and trousers 2-4in too short,” tweeted American menswear critic Derek Guy at the time. Many speculated that the choice was made to elongate the 5ft 6in prime minister’s legs; a tall man is, after all, a powerful man. But in all likelihood, it was the first hint of Rishi’s bad judgement, and who he really was. As Guy put it in a subsequent tweet: “Lots of conspiracy theories on why Sunak wears such short trousers … but my theory is simple … Sunak is a vaguely trend-aware guy, but just a little behind the times. I don’t think he has a grand theory for how short sleeves and pants make him look taller.”In other words, this was a man telling us he thinks he understands the world, but in actuality, he does not. Rishi Sunak was the man wearing the wrong trousers all along.Theresa May’s leopard print shoesFlamboyant footwear: Theresa May framed herself as a sensible post-Brexit vote candidate, but her shoes often told a different story (Getty)Theresa May was famous for her flamboyant footwear when she became the second-ever British female prime minister in 2016. Her penchant began slowly – a patent boot here, a turquoise pair of courts there – but soon, she was rocking leopard print kitten heels, red python print courts, and studded stilettos. It became a thing, May’s way of signalling to the world that she was more interesting than that young girl whose idea of a wild time was the run through a field of wheat. She knew how to have fun, too. Hell, she even owned some leather trousers.May wasn’t going to shy away from playful fashion choices because of her role. Yes, her vibe screamed head girl, but May wanted you to know two things could be true. She was serious, but she had a softer side too. Like most women, she was a hard worker, but an accomplished multi-tasker. This woman might have the voice of a robot, but she could be a dancing queen if she wanted to be. Because women should be allowed to do more than one thing; if that combination happens to be governing the country while also wearing a pair of trendy kitten heels, so be it. Harold Wilson’s pipeCuriously Harold Wilson was a pipe smoker in public – in private, he smoked cigars (Getty)Never underestimate the power of a strong accessory. For Harold Wilson, it was his pipe. A way of signalling his avuncular, benevolent side, the prime minister who served for two separate periods in the 1960s and 1970s was known for also using his pipe to evade specific lines of questioning, readily puffing away on it whenever he was asked a difficult question in interviews. To this day, Wilson’s pipe is largely considered a PR masterclass. It was as much of a “man of the people” device as it was a thing he could fiddle with and use as a distraction tool. It was made all the more notable by the fact that Wilson only smoked his pipe in public. In private, he smoked cigars. That was the claim made by Mid Norfolk MP George Freeman in a 2013 letter to The Daily Telegraph: “I know this because my first flat in Pimlico once belonged to Lord Wigg, who used to plot there with Wilson and Callaghan,” he wrote. “The man I bought it from told me that the living room used to be stacked with Hansards and ashtrays, which Wigg had explained were for Wilson’s cigars.” Winston Churchill’s Cambridge bowler Hat makes the man: Churchill’s Cambridge Bowler was a staple of his political wardrobe (Getty)Another key political accessory is the hat. Today, we have Donald Trump’s trucker Maga baseball hat; back then? We had Churchill’s bowler hat. Known as the Cambridge Bowler, the hat became a staple of Churchill’s political career, mostly because it wasn’t a popular accessory at the time, and differed significantly from the classic bowler. The Cambridge was high-crowned, and subsequently heralded a little more attention, perfect for a political leader looking to stand out as a classic with a twist.It became an iconic relic of Churchill’s reign and was even worn by Oddjob in the 1964 Bond film, Goldfinger. The hat was originally made by Lock & Co in St James’s, the world’s oldest hat shop, for the Duke of Cambridge in 1865, the idea being that it would combine both the top hat and the classic bowler shape. Churchill bought his in 1919. Today, you can buy one from Lock & Co, but the price is on application, so prepare to part with a fair few pennies if you’re seeking to replicate Churchill’s signature look.Boris Johnson’s workout gearDressing scruffily arguably helped BoJo climb the ladder all the way to the top (Getty)Nothing screams privilege quite like a posh person in scruffy clothing. It’s a cliche for a reason, one that Boris Johnson illustrated perfectly during his time as PM between 2019 and 2022 (do keep up!), most potently during his workout sessions. The messy aesthetic included red floral swimming trunks, Team GB fleeces, and colourful beanies that toppled so far above his head, it looked as if he might be smuggling something underneath them. Once he went running in his socks and shoes.“Why does he go out running every morning dressed like a harried man who’s just escaped a house fire at 3am and grabbed whatever clothes were nearest?” asked The Telegraph at the time. Indeed. It almost always looked like Johnson was running from something and that told us everything we needed to know about his character. It also hinted at a supreme snobbiness; dressing smartly – and appropriately – was somehow beneath the man who, as a child wanted to be “world king”. It was also a smart move. By looking silly, Johnson became a national laughing stock, a strategy that ultimately worked in his favour as he continued to climb the political ladder while keeping his more serious ambitions hidden, possibly underneath a beanie.Margaret Thatcher’s blouses and bagsThe Iron Lady’s pussybow blouses were part of her signature look (Getty)Margaret Thatcher was famous for her handbags, but her silk pussy bow blouses, which she almost always paired with her signature skirt suit and pearls, revealed the most about the Iron Lady. The shirts became an integral part of Thatcher’s political identity throughout the 1980s, asserting both femininity (the pussybow neckline) and power (the structured tailoring).Thatcher possessed a captivating duality, one that was perhaps best captured by a famous quote from French President François Mitterrand, who described her as having “the eyes of Caligula and the mouth of Marilyn Monroe”. Her wardrobe encapsulated this juxtaposition, embodying the ruthlessness of the Roman Emperor with the delicate sophistication of Hollywood’s most famous pin-up.And yes, her handbags became so synonymous with Thatcher’s stern leadership that “handbagging” became a term associated with the reprimanding of members in her cabinet. Edwina Currie, who served in Thatcher’s government, once referred to Thatcher’s bags as “her weapon”, while others commented that it was her sartorial steal from the Queen herself which might explain their uniquely tense relationship.