When The Iron Lady (2011) , the famous Margaret Thatcher biopic was released with Oscar Winner Meryl Streep in the title role .... the part of the world we live in did not really know or spared some thought about the sartorial choices of Britain's only female Prime Minister ..... After all, India has a strong tradition of Saree clad women politicians .... foremost image being that of our own only female Prime Minister ... the inimitable Indira Gandhi ...... But after the release of The Iron Lady and Meryl Streep's inevitable Oscar win .... Lady Thatcher and her fashion sense was once again in the limelight .... and our generation of post-cold war globalized Indians took eager notes of 80's power dressing .... adapting the whole idea of western power suits in corporate and formal life ..... But long before Maggie Thatcher, our own Indira Gandhi had the concept of power dressing down pat .... And no wonder that is why we see so many fashion parallels between both the world leaders .... Both were famous for their "helmet hairstyles" ..... Both favoured local textiles and fashions .... Both had signature neck wear .... In a way the feminized version of the neck tie - pearls for Lady Thatcher and a Rudraksha bead mala for Mrs Gandhi ... And both were a perfect showcase for restrained dressing, albeit carefully crafted by their media advisers .... Where the fashion never upstaged who they were .... Two crafty strong willed ladies who led their nations through turbulent times in a strongly patriarchal political establishment !!






Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, born Margaret Roberts (13 October 1925 – 8 April 2013), was a British politician, the longest-serving (1979–1990) Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of the 20th century, and the only woman to have held the post. A Soviet journalist called her the "Iron Lady", a nickname which became associated with her uncompromising politics and leadership style. As Prime Minister, she implemented Conservative policies that have come to be known as Thatcherism. - Wiki

Lady Thatcher famously said “Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't.” ..... And what a Lady she was ..... From her meticulously coiffed hair .... to her pearls and brooches .... her padded shoulder power suits .... her pussybow blouses .... her boxy classic handbags .... her red lipstick .... her 3 centimetre heels ..... Every element of Lady Thatcher's wardrobe was carefully put together to garb a powerful leader irrespective of gender but with a strong message of being a lady !! ..... Today the world has lost a visionary leader and a lady .... This is our own way of paying respects to Lady Thatcher through what we know best .... Her sartorial style !!

Decoding Margaret Thatcher's Style

Pussy bow versus mens Tie

An avid fan of the pussy bow, Thatcher had countless blouses, both printed and plain, with long ties ..... "I often wear bows; they are rather softening, they are rather pretty" said she .... of course the Pussy Bow blouse was the biggest style statement in the era of the first true "Boss Ladies" .... females leading a male world of business and politics ..... Thus this style became the female equivalent of the male ties !!

Pearly Sentiment

"I may be persuaded to surrender the hat... The pearls, however, are absolutely non-negotiable." - Meryl Streep as Maggie Thatcher in "The Iron Lady " ...... Thatcher was advised by her Image Advisers to give up her pearls, given to her by her husband Dennis when their twins were born in 1953, but she refused, and they became part of her signature style .... She was fond of pearls, wearing them as earrings, necklaces or brooches.

Handbagging

The Oxford English Dictionary lists the word "Handbag" as a verb (handbags, handbagging, handbagged) (of a woman) verbally attack or crush (a person or idea) ruthlessly and forcefully: "I saw her last week and got handbagged for 15 minutes" ..... guess who the term is credited to :) ..... (1980s: coined by Julian Critchley, Conservative MP, with reference to Margaret Thatcher's ministerial style in cabinet meetings)
Maggie Thatcher was one hell of a lady .... Her handbags, like her, was structured, solid, and ladylike .... She once used her famous Ferragamo handbag as a weapon of sorts ..... slamming it onto a table while demanding a 1 billion pound rebate from the European Economic Community, to show she meant business .... Dig that !! ..... No wonder one of her famous black Asprey handbag fetched £25,000 when it was auctioned at Christie's recently !!

Blue for business

Lady Thatcher's outfit which she wore when she became prime minister and moved into 10 Downing Street is emblematic of her style throughout her political career ..... She wore royal blue, the official color of the Tory Party .... Of course all shades of navy and blue has long been a standard colour to wear if you mean business ..... And Maggie Thatcher had a huge parade of various Blue outfits in her career ..... Though it is such a conservative colour .... trust Mrs Thatcher to wear it to her wedding !!!! What an avant garde thought vis a vis virginal white .... For her wedding, she wore a blue velvet dress and a halo-style hat trimmed with ostrich feathers !!

Suited for a men's world

Lady Thatcher's power suits are legendary ... she belonged to an era of women who were always well groomed even in the midst of the busiest job in the world .... the premiership of a nation no less .... Her skirts were always demure without looking frumpy ..... And her sharp tailored jackets with big shoulder pads ..... were usually offset with a delicate string of pearls or a pussy bow-tie blouse with flowers ..... the perfect combination of soft and hard, delicate and strong ..... By the time she won her second term .... she started wearing blocks of strong colour .... less print, more purple, maroon and red .... more high powered executive but nevertheless a lady !!

Glamour Maggie

Lady Thatcher loved dresses evidently ....... She dazzled in sequins, soft, filmy silk ones and also quite a few sinuous, figure-hugging gowns .... And Red lips .... Maggie Thatcher could be quite glamorous .... But then again she was always first and foremost Baroness Margaret Thatcher ....
"The cleverest thing about Thatcher’s image was how her clothes never detracted from her character. That was quite a feat, I suspect, to look good and still not be talked about for your clothes." - Anya Hindmarch, Fashion Designer



“To those waiting with bated breath for that favorite media catchphrase, the U-turn, I have only this to say, ‘You turn if you want; the lady’s not for turning.” ― Margaret Thatcher
That is unquestionably Maggie Thatcher .... a formidable fashion icon .... a lady who knew her business .... and her signature image forged to sell that business ... .... It's time to raise a toast to the boss ladies of the 80's ... and the Queen of them all .... Lady Margaret Thatcher ... R.I.P.

DS