Reinventing Sarah Brown
Last March, Sarah Brown faced her very own sartorial nightmare. Hosting the visit of French premier Nicolas Sarkozy, she had to be photographed slap-bang next to his new wife, Carla.
In her over-fussy white blazer, Sarah looked like a member of the WI — in contrast to Dior-clad Carla.
But fast forward 12 months and a newly svelte Sarah was a surprise hit at the Elle Style Awards on Monday night — a nightmare gig for the fashion unwary. Her outfit — a black silk jersey dress by Ben de Lisi, chandelier earrings and patent blood-red heels — won high praise. She held her own among the Bafta celebrities.
According to her close friend Kathy Lette who has witnessed the transformation close up: "Sarah's attitude to fashion has always been a little tongue-in-chic. She has much more important issues on her mind. She is, however, extremely attractive and it's lovely to see her dressing to enhance her charms — and she looked so elegant on Monday."
Gone is the lumpy silhouette, the thickset calves (very New Labour). At 45 Sarah is looking better than ever. So how did she reinvent herself? Along with Gordon, she has undertaken a new fitness regime in the gym located underneath No 10, and she swims whenever she's at Chequers.
Her shapely legs and toned stomach are thanks to a devotion to Pilates and gyrotonic (for the past eight years she's been going to a Pilates studio in W1). On holiday last summer in Suffolk she even persuaded Gordon to undertake twice-daily sessions.
But Sarah's new look is also down to clever dressing. She pioneers conservative chic with a twist. Determined to fly the British fashion flag, she often wears M&S and Jaeger but also loves Graeme Black, Nicole Farhi and Betty Jackson.
Most importantly she's discovered opaque tights. No more flesh-coloured tights teamed with clumpy shoes. And she's discovered she really can take a heel — usually Stella McCartney or LK Bennett.
She's also realised separates can be a woman's worst enemy. Waistbands crease, and hip-length jackets make us look like a galleon in full flight.
But in the past few months we've seen Sarah adopt one-piece dressing — essentially a tailored dress with statement jewellery.
A far better look for her figure. At the annual lunch for the Wellbeing of Women last month, she looked slim and lovely in a plaid shift next to skinny power birds Natasha Kaplinsky, Kirsty Young and Fiona Bruce.
With Michelle Obama and Carla on the scene, there is more pressure on First Ladies. But Sarah understands the danger of looking too groomed.
Her new look is feminine and foxy but, unlike Carla's polished sluttishness, it won't frighten the horses. Her great asset is wife power. She musn't outshine Gordon.
