Spotting Lady Victoria Starmer, the wife of newly-elected Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, in a social setting is a rare occurrence. Unlike many other political spouses attached to the arms of their hopeful MPs during the campaign trails of the past, Lady Starmer takes a more laid-back approach to her public-facing support. This decidedly private NHS occupational health worker is more behind-the-scenes than on the forefront when it comes to attending events in front-page-news-ready regalia.
Who is Lady Starmer? Tatler looks back to a profile published in the January 2023 issue
Of course, all that is about to change. Landsliding into No.10 last night, the new matriarch of British politics is due to become one of the most talked about people in the country; her ensembles set to be vigilantly pulled apart by style-sleuthing netizens and the most fearlessly brazen of the fashion elite. There’s no more hiding behind closed doors when it comes to working the wardrobe. But what could Britain’s new ‘First Lady’ bring to the dressing room table?
For the most elegant of actresses, ‘method dressing’ provides a full camp fantasy to honour their on-screen counterparts (see Zendaya’s Wimbledon-whimsy-packed ensembles for the Challengers press tour earlier this year), but for political spouses, wearing your party colours is the route to an haute homage. Luckily for Lady Starmer, Labour-red is totally her colour.
We revisit when Akshata Murty let Tatler peek through the Downing Street door for the February 2023 issue…
As seen in her numerous scarlet ensembles, the fashion crowd could all be seeing red in the coming months. From burnt burgundys (a belted shirt dress at the Labour Party Conference), to tomato hues (a butterfly sleeve number from the Princess of Wales’s favoured Edeline Lee), get ready for a rouge awakening in No.10.
They’re a constant point of contention between Millenials and Gen-Z, but if the Autumn/Winter ‘24 collections are anything to go by (and we’ll certainly attest they are), skinny jeans are about to come back in a big way.
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Starmer’s been a supporter of the slim-leg regime for years, tucking her floaty blouses into indigo denim and black leather numbers and pairing with her signature white sneakers. Could she be swapping the high street for the high-end as she settles into her new abode? Miu Miu and Balenciaga have the perfect pairs for a runway-ready panache.
Lady Victoria Starmer’s calendar is about to fill up with a lot more galas now that her husband leads the country. We’ve seen her attend a few grand affairs in the past, like at a state banquet hosted at Buckingham Palace back in 2022, and for this event, she slipped into a blush-pink gown which she paired with a faux fur stole.
Tatler’s beauty director gives her verdict on the glossy images and sticky hair that were the defining image of election morning
Imbuing a vintage appeal, the new doyenne of Downing Street evoked an air of 1950s Princess Margaret elegance. The stole might just be the new must-have.
In this feature, Tatler’s Style Editor investigates the wardrobe of Akshata Murty
As for her beauty looks, Starmer opts for a natural glow. Her signature, however, are her eyebrows. Serving pencil-thin perfection á la 90s Gwen Stefani, big bushy brows are officially out. Maybe it’s time to reach for the tweezers…
