The world is losing it over Theresa May's leather trousers, but is it taking away from the politics?

Forget Brexit, it’s a pair of designer, leather trousers that’s currently dominating British politics.

ICYMI Prime Minister Theresa May wore a pair of £995 Amanda Wakely, leather trousers in a photo shoot for Sunday Times Magazine and the sartorial decision seemed to upset one of her former Ministers.

Former Education Secretary Nicky Morgan, who was demoted when May first took office, told The Times that the trousers had been “noticed and discussed” in Tory circles. “I don’t have leather trousers. I don’t think I’ve ever spent that much on anything apart from my wedding dress,” she said.

Morgan was due to meet the Prime Minister on Wednesday alongside Conservative MP Alistair Burt, to discuss Brexit strategy was then told not to attend after she was caught up in a churlish text spat with Theresa May’s joint chief of staff, Fiona Hill.

Reportedly outraged after reading Nicky Morgan’s comments, Fiona Hill texted Alistair Burt telling him not to “bring that woman to Downing Street again.”

Morgan fired back telling her to tell her to her directly if she didn’t like something she’d said or done. “No man brings me to any meeting. Your team invites me. If you don’t want my views in future meetings you need to tell them.”

Hill’s response? “Well, he just did. So there!”

But the mudslinging didn’t end there. Nicky Morgan was then taken to task after the Daily Mail unearthed pictures of her with an equally eye-wateringly expensive Mulberry bag, thus throwing shade on her ‘never spent that much on anything’ double standards.

All this over a pair of leather kecks? But though #trousergate, as it has come to be known, has undoubtedly raised a titter or two. When are public spats ever not mildy amusing? What’s worrying is that all this playground politics is taking away from the real politics.

It isn’t the first time Theresa May’s sartorial choices have stolen the headlines from her political decisions. When she took up her position as Prime Minister back in July, the focus fell from national security, article 50 and the state of the economy and instead settled on Mrs May leopard print kitten heels. “Heel boys,” one headline screamed, while another read “Hot shoe reshuffle.”

Fast forward five months from Theresa May’s appointment and the debate is still very much about what she’s wearing, rather than whether she’s doing a good job.

But while the focus is on a ridiculous argument about whether a political leader should have worn designer leather trousers and whether leopard print heels are appropriate, less attention is given to the real issues. Every discussion about Theresa May’s heel height or hairstyle is in fact a missed opportunity to scrutinise policies on equality, or immigration, or economic stability.

Sure, we find fashion fascinating, we wouldn’t be writing for Yahoo Style if we didn’t, but while it’s ok to have an interest in what our political leader is choosing to wear, when there are more tweets about her trousers than her terrorism-fight, then the balance has likely tipped too far.

Aside from her sartorial choices, every day Theresa May has to make important, life-altering decisions on behalf of the whole country, because behind the fashion is a serious Politician. Maybe it’s time we started treating her as one.

What do you think? Should we be focussing less on Theresa May’s style and more on her politics? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

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