Last night I flicked the TV on to Question Time and I was a little confused by the clothing, make up and hair choices made by Nicola Sturgeon. Obviously Nicola's appearance wasn't my main focus although Westminster politics is such a load of showmanlike drivel that the way the panel look may as well be a major selling point.

Before I really take apart the appearance and adornment of one person I want to explain why I look at politician's clothes, hair and their faces. Once upon a time these things tended to show allegiance to political parties and groups, some politicians would look more monied, wear more conservative clothing but now there seems to be a merging of appearance. Labour have even started to wear red ties again, I noticed David Miliband wearing one the other day in a shot of the House of Commons. If you take a look at Theresa May and Harriet Harman you're hard pressed to place them on the political spectrum:



What was wrong with Nicola Sturgeon's appearance? Primarily I'd like to point out that this is nothing to do with her gender, I have an equal opportunities response to the way people dress and fundamentally having examined her last night I feel that she would have looked infinitely more amenable and approachable if she had done absolutely nothing to her face. Her eyeshadow was the exact colour of her hair, which completely bleached her face out and made her look slightly yellow. Her hair clashed with her red (pink based) jacket and her eyebrows were darker than her hair, this confuses me. Does she dye her hair or colour her eyebrows with pencil or is this natural? My eyebrows are darker than my hair but my hair isn't blonde. The problem is with the general effect that all of these things produce: that she has a kind of half arsed approach, that she cares enough to do put make up and follow convention but not enough to actually really think about any of it. Basically her approach to make up and clothes is a bad political decision. It would be far more respectable to forget make up altogether, keep everything natural and wear very dark grey (bordering on black) trouser suits that gave the appearance of someone intent on serious politics. So here she is looking okay (a far better jacket), this photo gives me the impression that someone was trying to open her eyes up by jaundicing her eyelids, a grave mistake: