Scruffy Boris Johnson’s ‘man of the people’ look is part of a long British tradition

It’s often suggested that UK prime minister Boris Johnson uses his distinctive hair as  a political device. His trademark untameable mane disarms critics and belies his powerful position. A quick ruffle when the cameras are on enables Johnson to assume the role of a casual “man of the people”, especially when the look is completed with a rumpled suit and a barely-tucked-in shirt.

His style sets him apart from other politicians, most of whom make great efforts to look perfectly groomed for the TV cameras. That’s useful for a man who strives to be popular among the public and might even be described as a populist. There is a school of political thought that focuses on the idea of relating to “the people” and questioning the conventionally well-dressed “elite”, so why not use your whole look to express that?

This is a technique that dates back to the 18th century when dandyish care in dress, intended to evoke cosmopolitan sophistication, was often derided as being elitist and un-British. Opposition to these historical fashion victims helps us to understand Boris the scruff.

Style your hair, lose your head

In the years before and after the French Revolution in the late 18th century, Charles James Fox (1749-1806) was a leading figure in British progressive politics who was exceptional for his positive response to the events in France and a pioneering advocate of the abolition of slavery. He was widely satirised as a bloated and scruffy self-proclaimed “voice of the people”.

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