Let things be clear: there is no "dress code" imposed on the participants of the Council of Ministers.
There are no written rules that tell ministers how they should dress.
Only the National Assembly and the Senate impose clothing restrictions.
In this case, a tie is mandatory to enter the hemicycle.
The bailiffs even have an emergency cupboard filled with precious bits of silks for the most dazed.
Jeans are persona non grata at the Palais Bourbon.
And yet, although the weekly government meeting at the Élysée is more relaxed, it is rare to see our city officials depart from the tradition of the suit and tie for men and sober tailor for women ... otherwise they will stand out. .
1. Cécile Duflot's jeans
Cecile Duflot AFP
Perhaps THE most commented item of clothing on this list (not exhaustive). In May 2012, the new Minister of Territorial Equality and Housing arrived at the Élysée in a 5-pocket raw denim “boot cut” shape. A few days later, she will try in vain to close the controversy which results from it on television. "
I don't want to make a revolution, just to shake up the codes of politics,
" she will say on Canal +. Too late. The press and social networks make fun of these too casual pants, yet worn in the office by most French people. On Twitter, Nadine Morano denounces the ecologist: “
You have to make the difference between the weekend dilettante and the holding of the Council of Ministers!
Nadine Morano, whom we will find further down in this ranking.
No one is immune to a lack of taste.
2. Nicolas Hulot's no-tie
Nicolas Hulot AFP
Minister of the Ecological Transition and Solidarity with the Government of Édouard Philippe in 2017, the former television host turned politician appears on the steps of the Elysee without the sacrosanct tie.
To those who are surprised, Nicolas Hulot replies:
"At the Council of Ministers, the atmosphere is studious but relaxed and, above all, I am not in a hostile environment. At the Assembly, on the other hand, I will wear a tie. . I'm not going to give my opponents such an easy chance to bump into me. "
A year later, he throws in the towel.
The hostility of the cenacle of power got the better of him.
Tie or not.
3. Les Crocs by Roselyne Bachelot
Roselyne Bachelot Abaca
During the summer of 2008, we only talked about the plastic clogs with holes, adored by children but hated by the elegant, that the Minister of Health, Youth and Sports at the time put on that day at the exit of the Council of Ministers.
Roselyne Bachelot poses in front of cameras and photographers in a pair of pink Crocs.
She had promised to wear it before the Beijing Olympics if France exceeded 40 medals.
Deal.
Bad luck for the appearance of the current Minister of Culture, the national team had, that year, established its record of distinctions in a summer edition.
4. Emmanuel Macron's three-day beard
Emmanuel Macron AFP
January 2016, Emmanuel Macron, then Minister of the Economy, displays an insolent three-day beard.
“
Sexy
”, “
Hipster
”, “
government scratching hair
”, social networks and especially Twitter are having a blast.
Even her colleague in charge of the Civil Service finds something to (re) say there.
While all the ministers cross the rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré where the traditional back-to-school breakfast takes place at Place Beauvau to get to the Élysée, a journalist challenges the former banker on his new look.
Marylise Lebranchu replies in her place: “
There you go!
He succeeded in his coup de com ', that's perfect
”.
5. Nadine Morano's thigh boots
Nadine Morano AFP
While she was Secretary of State in charge of the Family then Minister in charge of Learning and Vocational Training, Nadine Morano wears outfits for the less daring in such a place, such as this pair of black thigh boots in 2011. But in political, contrary to the adage, the dress makes the chosen one.
So for the re-election campaign of Nicolas Sarkozy in 2017, this loyal Sarkozyste reviews her setting up in cap and resigns herself to putting on her "
uniform
", as she herself says in the press.
“
I went to Gérard Darel, I bought the same suit three times.
I want people to hear what I have to say, not to comment on my brushing!
"
6. Laurent Wauquiez's red parka (and striped scarf)
Laurent Wauquiez AFP
Spokesman for the Fillon government, Secretary of State for Employment, Minister of European Affairs and then of Higher Education and Research, the LR deputy for Haute-Loire has not often left his (famous) parka Red.
Offered by his wife during the municipal campaign in 2008,
"she brought me luck and it's my emblem to me,"
he said.
From agricultural shows to the gilding of the National Assembly, the former president LR has made it his distinctive sign, unmistakable among the gray overcoats of these peers.
For the multicolored striped scarf of questionable taste we have no explanation.
The cold of this winter day maybe ...
7. The ties of Manuel Valls
Manuel Valls Abaca
Appointed Prime Minister in 2014 under the five-year term of François Hollande, it is little to say if the former mayor of Évry is expected at the turn.
Fight against unemployment, overhaul of the school, reform of the regions, he will have to gain the confidence of the French.
This task is all the more difficult when you have become accustomed to wearing tone-on-tone shirts (or even shirts) and ties.
Arrived at Matignon, he tries to settle down.
Without success.
From flashy colors to the first communicant model, the statesman's ties never got the job done.
And unsurprisingly, his style or rather his (many) missteps were widely commented on throughout his tenure.
8. Édouard Philippe's brown shoes
Edward Philippe Abaca
It's not easy to succeed Bernard Cazeneuve, elected best dressed Frenchman in 2016 by several experts (including
QG
magazine
).
Prime Minister from 20017 to 2020, Mayor LR of Le Havre made few stylistic errors.
If not this pair of city shoes ... brown.
Besides their look a little (too) worn, some have accused them of giving it a too "
provincial
" look.
A "defect" quickly corrected thereafter.
9. Ségolène Royal's floral coat
Ségolène Royal AFP
At the exit of the Council of Ministers, this Wednesday, September 9, 2015, the Minister of Ecology of the Valls government then Cazeneuve stood out in a coat with white daisies on a blue background.
If the general public and the media are used to its colorful toilets, the problem (if any) lies elsewhere.
In the language of flowers, the daisy signifies innocence and purity, and the blue signifies loyalty.
And some observers will quickly see it as a subliminal message to his former companion, then President of the Republic.
The power of the flowers ...
10. Michel Sapin's (pink) socks
Michel Sapin AFP
We remember the reactions to François Fillon's red socks, from Gammarelli, the very chic boutique in Rome well known to the Pope. If this model in carmine silk is not far from being the pinnacle of good taste in the matter, the pink version worn by Michel Sapin (even matching the tie) is not. A detail that caught the eye of observers. Guest of the show
BFM
Politique-
RMC
-Le Point
, the Minister of Labor, Employment, Vocational Training and Social Dialogue under the Hollande presidency displays the said socks and this, while the anti Marriage for All demonstrators also parade in pink! On the sidelines of the show, one of the journalists from the news magazine questions him about this chromatic coincidence. And the politician replied, amused, not wanting to leave the pink to the demonstrators. "
Otherwise, what are we going to have left, the Socialists?
"
