The Labour shadow Culture Secretary - wearing this in the HoC?

The insult here wasn’t that Brabin showed a bit of shoulder - it was the insult to and complete lack of respect for democracy exhibited by the Tories and their unelected advisors. Well done to that woman for rightly highlighting it - that is where the ire should be directed.

I very much care how these people turn up for work. We vote for these people and they should show a little respect. This outfit was disrespectful to her Office and an insult to her Party.

Odd is okay Greymar as that’s a matter of personal choice. This is more about the amount of skin exposure in the workplace. Most workplaces actually. More so front of house. It’s off-putting to most.

I get it, she dashed from one event to another. But come on, it was cold day in early February. She would have been wearing a coat or a jacket. She chose to remove it.

Look at me - much?

She’s been an actress (sorry ‘actor) on television. She knew what she was doing. Very clever way to raise her profile.

Chestnut men habitually turn up in evening dress plucked from a boozy dinner or night out to vote or even speak. That's permissible, but a woman who has been at home nursing a baby can't turn up in her dressing gown and slippers. That's why the patriachy still rules.

trisher - as said on this thread many times, dress code in the HoC is important as it indicates a professional attitude and people are not distracted by what you're wearing. Do you honestly think anyone would take someone seriously if they turned up in nightclothes? What utter nonsense.

if you accept the job you accept the dress code

Well said Davidhs.

I have seen various female politicians wearing rather odd outfits. I never gave it much thought.

There have been a few posts on this thread about how some of us apparently have double standards, particularly as regards Mrs May and a thread I started about Michael Gove's new look. It isn't double standards to look at what someone is wearing and how they look. Now the photo of Tracy making a speech in that dress doesn't look good, she does look good in the photo at the music event. TM didn't look good in the summer dress. That said they can wear exacty what they like when they like as far as I'm concerned, but if they look awful why not say so? Which brings us on to M. Gove not someone known for his looks but who has certainly made at least an effort for some reason. It seems to me to be a subject of interest when male politicians start taking up male grooming and maybe more. But it seems only women can be commented about or criticised. I don't particularly care what any of them wear or how they look and I completely disagree with those who are castigating Tracy and saying this dress was unsuitable for the H of C. The H of C is a bastion of male privelege and works hours which are not family friendly or in any way accommodating to women. However a woman dresses she should be applauded for getting there and if she turns up in her jammies, dressing gown and slippers who the hell gives a flying fuck?

Not ‘making excuses for her’ - keeping a healthy dose of perspective re what was important that day and voicing my disgust at the attacks levelled at her on social media and in the press.

Btw in the interests of factual accuracy (???) DC is a SPAD
SPADS are paid for by us ie the tax payers. BJ has continued the trend of employing more SPADS. I never cease to be amazed on GN how people post things that are factually completely wrong ( ill informed opinions being a different issue).

There are people explaining why she was wearing what she was.

There are so many posters making excuses for her, and shaming anyone who says it's not suitable attire for the HoC. The same people who criticise Boris for his hair and his suit.?‍♂️

I suppose peacocks' tails don't get criticised much. Talked about though. Analysed. Explained.

It's not like she broke any rules - Wait, what!

the way they dress

Let's hope that this incident will be the end of anyone of whatever gender, who is in the public eye representing us, receiving criticism for the way they look, the way dress when on or off duty.

Agree SirChenjin

Sheep teeth quite handy - they keep growing

My teeth don't conform, more sheep than human tbh.

Or if there is criticism it’s not nearly on the same level - the kind of misogynistic, offensive, sexist language that has been directed at Brabin simply doesn’t compare.

They do not attract the same criticism Davidhs. Cummings is presumably a ‘professional’ - yet no outcries over his non-professional dress.

I agree that Tracy Brabin stands head and shoulder/s above the nasty, vitriolic, keyboard warriors who have nothing better to do than castigate other women for what they wear.

Hopefully, these people will see just how low they have sunk, joining the no brian amoebas of this world, and bid for the top thus making sure the Girlguides get the best donation possible.

Not to the same extent davidh - they’re just not. Women are judged far more on how they look than their achievements in comparison to men - ‘‘twas always thus. Look at the vitriol that is directed at Mary Beard for example because her hair and her teeth don’t conform to standard - when was the last time you saw David Attenborough come in for such criticism? His teeth and hair don’t conform either, but it’s just not an issue. This sort of disparity is so engrained in casual sexism.

Of course I'm an 'old biddy' or I wouldn't be on this site but primarily I'm a woman and a feminist so I will call out sexist views wherever I meet them. But it is particularly galling to hear them from women.

“ I do think that women are always judged by their appearance, often unfairly. But this propensity by society can be used as a calculated tool too. It happens every day in the press. Careers are built and dashed on it.”

It is not just women, stop being sexist!. In reality it is women that are the harshest critics of other women.

Everyone is judged by how they appear, if a man dressed inappropriately he would attract exactly the same criticism, that is why most of us take care how we present ourselves. If I meet my MP or any Professional - male or female I do not expect them to be wearing jeans and a tee shirt.
My main criticism of Ms Brabin is that she tried to justify the dress by saying “ I should be able to wear what I want”, if you accept the job you accept the dress code.

Well done her - both for fundraising and for calling out the judgemental, sexist (and worse) keyboard warriors. I hope that this sort of narrow mindedness doesn’t put women off entering politics in case they [gasp] wear the ‘wrong’ top.