Admittedly, the looks and clothing of female politicians are often being talked and written about. I have myself advised (male and female) candidates and leaders on their appearance. I told them to either dress less extravagantly, or on the other hand, more fashionable, depending on what came out of focus groups. I have also advised candidates to look younger, older, more casual, or neater. Depending on the situation, their opponent, and the political demand of the time.

This being said, did you know that a stylist is constantly traveling with Angela Merkel? That is at least what I read in a book written by Alastair Campbell, the longtime Tony Blair communication adviser. According to him, a stylist is part of the team that is permanently following Chancellor Merkel around. The stylist’s job is not to make the chancellor look fancy, let alone flamboyant. Her job is to make sure the chancellor always looks the same. In that sense, her appearance should by in sync with and reinforce her political message of stability and reliability. And indeed, come to think about it, there are very few media stories about Angela Merkel’s looks. The only one I can remember dates years back and was about a revealing décolleté at a cultural event in Freiburg im Breisgau.