Rachel Reeves makes history at today’s Budget meeting as the UK’s first female Chancellor.
The Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer opted for a navy power suit – a silhouette often worn by the MP – with a plum-coloured pussy-bow blouse.
Reeves finished the look with square-toed court shoes in patent croc-print.
The rich autumnal shade is a perfect nod to the trend of the season, and has been worn by public figures across the board from Lady Victoria Starmer to The Princess of Wales.
Yet Reeves wearing plum is incredibly symbolic.
The plum tree itself is often seen as a sign of abundance due to its ability to bear numerous fruits. This makes it an apt choice for discussing the UK’s Budget.
“Plum is a shade of purple, which is a short wavelength colour,” says fashion psychologist Shakaila Forbes-Bell. “These colours directly impact the parasympathetic neurons in our nervous system, and have been associated with relaxation, as they can lower our heart rate.
“[Short wavelength colours] have a sedating effect on the body, so the colour purple is often connected with mindfulness, and associated with comfort, security and peace.”
“The shade is also associated with power, as alongside green and white, it was heavily featured in the suffragette movement of the 1900s,” explains Forbes-Bell.
“So often, when we are seeing women wearing this colour, it can bring back these associations and can be seen as a sign of strength and bravery.”
The pussy-bow blouse is a trend also coming back, showcased earlier this month by the Princess of Wales in Southport, when she wore a Whistles polka dot dress.
The pussy-bow has inadvertently become a political staple style, worn repeatedly by the likes of former PM Margaret Thatcher and more recently, U.S. presidential candidate, Kamala Harris.
Popularised in the 1980s, the pussy-bow resembles a traditional necktie, but encompasses a feminine spin on the office staple.
“That was our interpretation of a man’s tie,” U.S. politician Meg Whitman explained in the 2013 documentary Makers: Women Who Make America, “It was our attempt to be feminine but fit into a male world.”
The pussy-bow can be seen as both a symbol of female liberation and an outdated reminder of the pressures to perform femininity in spaces where women are supposedly equal.
Whilst Reeves’ ensemble could be seen as symbols for strength and optimism, our eyes should remain firmly on her fiscal decisions.
