Hillary Clinton’s wardrobe matters – but not from a fashion perspective

When we discuss what politicians wear, we are measuring their likability and what they would be like to hang out with – as when we debate which leader we’d go to the pub with

On the Today programme on Radio 4 on Wednesday, Mishal Husain called out ex-Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown for suggesting Hillary Clinton should ditch the “Sgt Pepper trouser suits” and “own her inner bitch … [be] the fierce-faced Hillary with the black shades and the BlackBerry”.

“It’s interesting that you say the clothes matter,” interjected Husain, using the word “interesting” in the double-edged sense that also means “clearly preposterous”. “In the 21st century, to a young feminist … [does] her appearance, the actual clothes she wears, matter?”