It seems like only yesterday Carrie Symonds and Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced they were engaged and expecting a baby.
And today, following a life-threatening bout of Covid-19 for her PM fiancé, 32-year-old Symonds has become a mother for the first time, to a "healthy baby bSince her relationship with Johnson became official in 2019, the PR guru has evolved her look from Conservative business chic to something more approachable; and in so doing used her public appearances to champion affordable, and often eco-friendly, fashion.
Carrie quit her role as the Conservative Party’s Head of Communications in 2018 to take a job working as a senior adviser at non-profit ocean conservation organisation Oceana. Part of her remit is to work on communications related to Oceana’s "Save the Oceans, Feed the World" Initiative and the charity’s campaign to reduce the use globally of plastics. It’s perhaps not surprising then that the 32-year-old has often been seen championing sustainable designers.
It all began with her first outing as ‘First Girlfriend’ at Downing Street back in July, when Symonds stood outside No.10 wearing a bright fuchsia – though otherwise seemingly unassuming – £120 floral puff sleeve midi from British high street brand Ghost. While not widely reported at the time, the dress (which within hours of Carrie's appearance the dress had sold out online) was made from viscose, a fabric constructed from renewable wood pulp - a hint, perhaps, at sustainable sartorial statements to come.
For her first solo speech following her move into No.10 last summer, Symonds took to the stage at Birdfair – described as the birdwatcher’s Glastonbury- to warn politicians of the “gigantic” responsibility they had over the climate crisis, wearing a ditsy floral midi dress from sustainable designer Justine Tabak. The Liberty of London cotton fabric used by Tabak for the £225 dress was produced under the Better Cotton Initiative and Oeko-Tex certified (meaning its production is chemical free).
And then, at the Commonwealth Day service in March, Symonds looked elegant in a steel blue coat from up-and-coming London-based fashion label Isabelle Fox, who design and manufacture all their clothing ethically in the UK, paired with a fabulous navy floral headband and navy silk midi dress. It was the second time she had worn the coat (the first was to attend the Conservative party conference last year), which is made from British wool, meaning it doesn’t contain ocean-damaging microplastics.
While conservation and sustainability are evidently at the forefront of her style agenda, Symonds – an expert in PR and branding – has ensured her public appearances are a showcase for affordable, relatable fashion.
Following the pink Ghost dress, Symonds opted for a similar fuchsia dress from & Other Stories ahead of the Prime Minister's keynote speech in October 2019, and a £100 tartan dress from Mango for the Queen’s speech at the State Opening of Parliament in the same month, which she accessorised with another statement headband. In her first public appearance following the announcement of her engagement to Johnson in February of this year, Symonds opted for another of her favourite long-sleeved, floaty midi dresses, this time from high street label Anthropologie.
From her array of M&S coats to her much loved, and ultra-flattering, midi dress and headband combo, Symonds has succeeded in nailing a First Fiancée style that is at once elegant and approachable.
We look forward to seeing how she styles out motherhood.
