Wait a minute – what?! Don’t worry because this is the correct reaction to the idea world leaders can be fashionable and fashion role models #clickbait. They are stuffy, older men and women that are out of touch with modern trends, so they’re no good.
It’s easy to feel this way about world leaders because, well, it’s true to some extent. Think of Theresa May, for example, and she doesn’t scream catwalk model for London Fashion Week. Still, that doesn’t mean she, and a handful of other premiers, don’t have style tips the likes of me and you can incorporate into our wardrobes.
If you’re still on the fence, carry on reading. Here are the five reasons why they are leaders of their countries and the fashion world.
Some of them are cool
There is no other way around it – certain heads of state are cool and look as if they should be in a band or a Hollywood mega-movie rather than a palace. For the ladies, there are the likes of Jacinda Ardern, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, and Zuzana Čaputová, all of whom use their style as a soft power boost for their respective countries. There’s a reason New Zealand has never been as powerful.
And, the men aren’t too shabby either. Pedro Sanchez of Spain is a hotty, and Trudeau of Canada has inherited his father’s good looks and charm. Considering the fashion world is based on buying items from cool people, why shouldn’t these world leaders have their say?
They have stylists
Not even the likes of Ardern, Grabar-Kitarović, and Čaputová wake up in the morning and throw on whatever is to hand. They’re cool but they’re not effortless! No, every world leader has a personal stylist to help them choose an outfit depending on the situation.
If they need to look presidential or prime ministerial, the professional clothes will come out with power accessories. But, sometimes heads of state get to relax and enjoy themselves – think the Queen at Royal Ascot – and that’s when the party outfits come out to play. Stylists want to make them look modern, which means they include some of the latest trends within their style. It might not be an entire look, but they’ll be a diamond in the rough that you can use in your every day too.
They set trends
Trendsetting world leaders date back to ancient times. Did you know Cleopatra impacted hairstyles in Rome? Or that Julius Caesar had a flair for the exotic? Tightly braided hair and frilly sleeves might not sound like much now but they were the height of fashion back in the day.
And, world leaders haven’t stopped setting trends since. Probably the most famous is Jackie Kennedy, the former first lady of the United States. Married to one of the most charismatic men of the 20th-century, Mrs. Kennedy kept her fashion game one-hundred with white silk gloves, scarves and overgrown sunglasses. But, her pièce de résistance was a pillbox hat, a fashion statement women still wear to this day.
They’re clean cut… sort of
Their policies might be controversial, but their looks are clean and sharp. It’s better to be a card-carrying member of the right than square, apparently, and Marine Le Pen is the ultimate example.
Known as the leader of the right in France, she regularly courts controversy. However, one thing that stands out is her use of a pod mod and vape pen. She might be a fierce conservative but lung cancer is out of the question! As accessories go, an e-cig is a clean-cut reminder that fashion can be fresh and healthy. So, if you’re a smoker, you might want to think about throwing the cigarettes in the bin.
World leaders change
Both with the times and after getting replaced by another candidate. What’s great about change is the fact it introduces an influx of new trends and styles. After all, one world leader’s trash is another’s treasure. George Weah, the former world’s best footballer, is now the President of Liberia, people! And who can forget about Trump in the Oval Office?
The point is that crazy things happen in politics and there is always a range of men and women in positions of power. From a fashion perspective, it’s great because you can use it to pick and choose your favourites; they’ll never be a drought. If you’re lucky, a couple of bachelor princes will marry a fashionista commoner and a TV star for your style needs.