In a world in which trying on a dress at Harvey Nichols is enough to make you a style icon, it is easy to be cynical about Samantha Cameron’s standing in the fashion stratosphere.
But today, as her first official state visit draws to a close, even Mrs C’s staunchest critics will have to admit that she has played something of a blinder. Brand “Sam Cam”, a laid-back, effortless phenomenon which, while inherently “London”, has broad international appeal, touched down on Monday as the Prime Minister’s BA plane landed on US soil. While historically her predecessors have chosen twee shift dresses or frumpy two-pieces in which to make their pilgrimage to the White House, Mrs Cameron opted for her favourite pair of cropped trousers and a mannish Burberry trench. “I’ll do this my way”, this outfit suggested — a message that would define her look throughout the three-day visit.
While critics have, in the past, accused Mrs Cameron of looking like “any other girl who reads Grazia”, there has been no sign of her dressing by numbers this week. On the contrary: what we’ve witnessed is a woman who is not only comfortable in her own skin but confident in her understanding of what suits her.
As Kate Middleton knows only too well, it is easy to look phoney in an off-the-peg catwalk outfit. But by stepping out in pared-down creations by British designers Roksanda Ilincic, Victoria Beckham and Alessandra Rich, Samantha Cameron managed to make a series of fresh-off-the-catwalk looks her own.
Of course, none of this is to say that Samantha Cameron’s approach to style is particularly revolutionary, but in a political context — and against the backdrop of conservative America — it is powerful. Here is a modern woman who has travelled to the US to fly a flag for British style.
Whatever your political standing, there are few who can argue with the benefits of that.
