Theresa May’s £995 trousers sparked debate, but David Cameron’s suits cost much more

Theresa May (Getty)

There has been a lot of interest in the clothes worn by Theresa May, Britain's second female prime minister, since she entered office in July.

Part of this is understandable. May is an unusual politician in fashion terms, because she actually seems to pay attention to fashion. She subscribes to Vogue and is a fan of Vivienne Westwood, the outré designer who set the tone for London's 1970s punk movement. There are certainly not many other politicians in Britain who have been photographed wearing leopard-print shoes on multiple occasions.

But not all of the interest in May's fashion choices is positive. And perhaps not all of it is fair.

Over the past week, May has faced remarkable scrutiny for wearing a pair of £995 ($1,200) chocolate-coloured leather trousers by designer Amanda Wakeley during a photo shoot for Britain's Sunday Times newspaper, along with £140 ($176) black Burberry trainers.

A former ally, Conservative Member of Parliament Nicky Morgan, criticised the prime minister over the weekend. “I don’t have leather trousers,” Morgan, whom May fired from her cabinet position in July, told The Times. “I don’t think I’ve ever spent that much on anything apart from my wedding dress.”

Morgan and other critics suggested that May's expensive trousers are a sign that she is out of touch with the common man. But they may have overlooked one fact: many of Britain's male politicians wear more expensive items of clothing – all the time.

And, as some May supporters pointed out, these male colleagues face nowhere near the level of scrutiny she does.

May's predecessor as prime minister, David Cameron, was known for his tasteful navy suits. While these suits may be less bold than May's outfits, they can cost just as much, if not more.

Cameron was known to have a taste for Savile Row tailor Richard James, whose suits can cost more than £3,100 ($3,900), during his first few years in office. Later, perhaps as austerity measures took hold in Britain, another tailor – named Geoffrey Golding – was pictured leaving 10 Downing Street. Golding's suits cost a slightly more reasonable £2,000 ($2,500) or so.

To be fair, Cameron wasn't exactly known as a man of the people and not all British politicians have expensive tastes – Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has actually been criticised for his hand-me-down-esque attire. After widespread criticism, the left-wing opposition leader bought an outfit from high-street store Marks & Spencer, where suits tend to cost less than £550 ($700) or so.

But even some politicians who market themselves as men of the people are often seen in expensive threads. Former UKIP leader Nigel Farage was known for his studiously eccentric style, which featured double-breasted blazers said to be made on Savile Row. After Britain voted in June to exit the European Union, he was photographed at a garden party with Rupert Murdoch wearing a pair of handmade Union Flag shoes that cost £295 ($370). (He later claimed they were a gift.)

The same is true across the Atlantic, too: President-elect Donald Trump has a long-standing love of Italian label Brioni's suits, which he buys off the rack. These suits tend to cost £4,000 ($5,000) or more. More recently, Trump has moved toward Brooklyn tailor Martin Greenfield, who has also made suits for President Obama. A suit from Greenfield can cost about £1,600 ($2,000).

Some wonder whether the fact that May was wearing leather trousers, rather than a more typical dress or a trouser suit like Hillary Clinton, is the reason for the attention. “May has proven there's nothing she can't wear just because she's in charge of the nation,” Deborah Brett, fashion editor at large of Wardrobe Icons, told The Telegraph.

Either way, May seems exasperated. During a visit to Bahrain on Tuesday, she was asked to explain her decision to wear leather trousers, along with an equally controversial decision to cook goose for her Christmas Day meal. The prime minister chose to ignore the question, telling reporters that “it is important we have a country that works for everyone”.

© Washington Post