Thursday, May 6, 2010

LIZ JONES: Looking polished and approachable, Samantha Cameron is the winner in the wives' style stakes

By Liz Jones

She wears it well: Samantha Cameron's pretty but discreet dress put her ahead in the style stakes


Maybe I'm being a bit unfair, but I suppose I was hoping for a bit of X factor – something to liven up the last, oh-so-crucial day of this election campaign.

Sarah Brown's outfit was my least favourite. Her A-line skirt, while smart, was still that crucial inch too short and her Russell & Bromley court shoes have seen better days.

I was mildly disappointed that half her outfit came from M&S (jacket and skirt): the effect was safe and reassuring, but hardly cheerful and optimistic.

Sarah Brown's outfit was my least favourite. Her A-line skirt, while smart, was still that crucial inch too short and her Russell & Bromley court shoes have seen better days.

I was mildly disappointed that half her outfit came from M&S (jacket and skirt): the effect was safe and reassuring, but hardly cheerful and optimistic.

Runner-up in the style stakes was Nick Clegg's wife Miriam, but you could tell her heart wasn't really in it. She could have looked an absolute knock out, but the Lib Dems' secret weapon turned out not to be loaded.

Her ensemble spoke volumes: I am a lawyer, I am far too busy to shop for clothes. If you insist I'll put on a dress but I'm not about to get cold in this English weather.

But who wears a silk patchwork frock (by Spanish label Desigual, about £80) that, while pleasant, isn't that figure-flattering and then slings a big old cardigan (this one is by Jigsaw) over the top?


Windswept: Samantha and David Cameron on the Cornish coast earlier in the week


The shoes (£130, by LK Bennett) are perfect, though, with a mid heel and a pointy toe. How near, and yet so far …

The clear winner on my sartorial swingometer was Samantha Cameron. Being pregnant, she chose a purple wool crepe smock (by Emilia Wickstead, £450), that is pretty but discreet.

The large gold, hooped earrings have a hint of the Catalan about them and Sam Cam looks polished but approachable.

Her one slip-up was to choose a pair of cheap (£35, by Next) black suede platforms that threatened to break her neck, or at least cause a blister.

She needs only to take a look at the Royals to see that sensible shoes are needed if one has ambitions to spend one's life on walkabout.


source: dailymail