This week sees the launch of the all new Lady Glamourazzi ‘Fashion Matters’ column. Every Friday Lady Glamourazzi will be offering up opinions on a matter of fashionable and topical interest. This week Politics, Fashion and the Role of the Wives:

There has been something of a revolution in politics, no I’m not talking policy (pah!) rather politicians wives. Gone are those days when a politician’s wife would stand meekly to the side dressed in a Stepford wife getup (minus the Nicole Kidman glamour of course). These new breeds are fiercely dressed women ready to not only step into the spotlight, but to own it.

All revolutions have a starting point but where to attribute this one? It certainly wasn’t with Cherie Blair, poor Cherie continually blasted in the press for her appearance when she really was no better or worse than her predecessors. Along came Sarah Brown, younger yes, more stylish – not yet! One further fundamental catalyst was about to be thrown into the mix in the shape of the French president’s new wife.

Carla Bruni, the Italian ex supermodel, singer, girlfriend of rock stars and general glamazon, she brought into the political sphere a much needed dose of fashion fabulous. Let’s take the state visit to London as an example, Mrs Sarkozy stepped off the plane dressed head to toe in Dior. Her wardrobe for the trip must have looked like a design studio worthy of John Galliano himself. Now imagine yourself as Sarah Brown an ordinarily dressed, everyday women standing next to Carla super stylish Bruni for pictures that would be broadcast worldwide.

The story doesn’t end there because next came Barack Obama with his lovely wife Michelle. Not since the days of Jackie O has so much attention been paid to what the first lady would be wearing. But intriguingly Michelle did something unexpected, where surely the worlds most well known and covetable designers were clamouring over themselves to dress her, instead she went with very small, relatively unknown American talents. Thus designers such as Thakoon and Rachel Roy got publicity on a world wide scale that money simply could not buy and Michelle became the ultra cool dressed wife of the President.

With the French and American examples firmly set British politics could only follow. When Sarah Brown attended the Labour party conference to introduce her husband to the podium it wasn’t the speech that got people talking it was her fabulous Erdem dress. Thus a new stylish Sarah, who counts Naomi Campbell among her friends (Sarah is patron to Naomi’s charity the white ribbon alliance) has emerged. And not forgetting Samantha Cameron wife of the opposition leader but also creative director at Smythson. She is already a fixture at fashion week and well known to the industry.

With the sun rising on a general election there is sure to be an epic fash-off. No Stepford wives in sight this is a battle to be the most fashionable, chic and ultimately the coolest. May the best dressed win, just be sure not to outshine your husbands…..

[Photo Credit Prphotos.com]