Power dressing

MARGARET Thatcher may have been dubbed the Iron Lady for her political style; but in matters sartorial her taste proved equally non-negotiable.

As the first ever female British prime minister (1979-1990), the grocer’s daughter from Grantham had to, quite literally, pull up her socks, in order to politically punch above her own weight. The iconic pussy bows, pearls and patent bags we’ve come to associate with her leadership weren’t simply window dressing — but rather part of an artfully-constructed political agenda.

With the imminent release of The Iron Lady biopic starring Meryl Streep, much noise has been made of Mrs T’s signature style. Although she may not possess the undeniable polish of Michelle Obama and Carla Bruni Sarkozy, her own sartorial semiotics prove all the more intriguing.