Even before the most recent season of The Crown graced our screens and became all anyone could talk about – the acting, the costumes, the arrogance of Charles – Margaret Thatcher was a hotly-debated figure. Politicians often polarize public opinion (Trump, anyone?) but the “Iron Lady” is still making waves decades after her time in office.
We’re going to be looking at the style of Margaret Thatcher as played by Gillian Anderson – a character who spends most of The Crown wrestling with both the Queen (played by the brilliant Olivia Colman) and her own cabinet. What do her style choices tell us about her personality? What impression are we left with? If there was ever a position where you had to make calculated sartorial choices, it’s being the first female PM of Great Britain.
We’re going to break it down using one of psychology’s most famous frameworks, the Big Five. Sometimes referred to as OCEAN, this model uses five traits to paint a picture of someone’s personality. These are Openness (willingness to accept new experiences), Conscientiousness (ability to engage in goal-directed behaviors), Extroversion (interactions with others), Agreeableness (willingness to get along) and Neuroticism (emotional stability).
If you haven’t watched Season Four of The Crown, look away now – spoilers ahead.
OPENNESS: Low
The real Margaret Thatcher having tea. (Photo: Getty Images)
A low score typically corresponds with a rigid set of values, a more traditional outlook and conservative views. And boy, do Thatcher’s looks reflect this. She’s loyal to her style and rarely strays from her sartorial allies.
From Episode One, it’s clear what these are. The hair; her rigid, helmet-like bouffant. A classic suit and a pussy bow blouse; often in her signature color, blue, but sometimes ranging into dark red or muted purple. Tasteful jewelry; large pearl earrings, matching necklace and chunky ring. Makeup; a light dusting of eyeshadow and blotted pink lipstick. Finally, her Launer handbag; structured, square, and constantly in hand.
Her look is always polished to perfection – there’s no surprises to be had here. Later in the series, she starts to experiment with padded shoulders but that’s as far as it goes in terms of a style shake-up for Thatcher.
CONSCIENTOUSNESS: High
Much like in real life, there was never a hair out of place for The Crown’s Margaret Thatcher. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
Facets include being highly organized, self-disciplined and focused on achieving goals – all qualities that Thatcher has in spades, and that can be seen in her clothes.
Her precision and close attention to detail is evident whenever she’s seen dressing. She carefully puts on jewellery, matches her eyeshadow to the colour of her outfit and stops at the mirror, scrutinizing herself.
And who can forget that instantly recognizable hair? In Episode Two (“The Balmoral Test”), we glimpse someone carefully styling Thatcher’s hair and spraying it within an inch of its life (with the classic L’Oreal Elnett, no less). Her whole look exudes conscientiousness and everything has a purpose – her focus on achievement goes hand-in-hand with her power-dressing.
EXTROVERSION: Moderate-High
Schmoozing is part of the job for any politician; Thatcher excelled at it. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
Nothing screams ‘extroversion’ like wearing a bright blue suit and heels to roam the Scottish Highlands and track a stag with Her Majesty (“The Balmoral Test”). It’s clear that Thatcher isn’t scared to make a statement.
Although she isn’t outgoing…or warm…or particularly sociable (aren’t those parts of extroversion?), there are many facets to the trait. What Thatcher lacks in emotion and people skills, she makes up for in high assertiveness, drive and dominance.
Earlier in the episode, she turns up for dinner in a bright purple dress – completely at odds with the tweed hunting gear and wellies that the royals are sporting. Despite what must be an embarrassing faux-pas for the always scrupulous PM, she takes it in stride. At the end of the day, her main grievance is that the after-dinner games prevented her from getting work done. She’s always focused on her goals.
AGREEABLENESS: Low
Whether for the Queen or not, if Maggie didn’t want go hunting, she would not go hunting. (Photo courtesy of Netflix)
If there’s ever a character who wasn’t afraid to speak their mind or be seen as combative, it’s Thatcher. Whether she’s going head-to-head with ministers in parliament, sparring with the Queen or interrogating members of her own party, she dresses for the occasion.
For Thatcher, going to work is like going to war – and her look is her armor. Her love of pussy bow blouses is particularly interesting, given her apparent disdain for females. “I have found women in general tend not to be suited to high office,” she tells the Queen in their first meeting (“Gold Stick”). “They become too emotional.” That goes down about as well as you’d imagine. Empathetic, Thatcher is not.
However, when she’s in parliament, the pussy bow acts as a stamp of femininity in a sea of old, male ministers. I’m a woman, it seems to say. And I’m the boss.
NEUROTICISM: Low
Thatcher in a lime green dress while attending a ball with Queen Elizabeth in 1979. (Photo: Anwar Hussein, Getty Images)
Throughout the season, Thatcher comes across as calm, level-headed and always sure of herself – indicative of a low neuroticism score. This is reflected in her unchanging look and recognizable silhouette as much as her unflinching demeanor.
Even when her beloved son goes missing in Episode Four (“Favourites”), her outfits are still perfectly put together. The only time we see a more relaxed version of Thatcher is when she’s at home, preparing dinner or chatting to her husband. Even then she’s unruffled, ironing in a floral blouse or sporting impeccable silky pyjamas.
Whether you agree with her politics or not, there’s no doubt about it – Thatcher was formidable from tip to toe, and her look played a part as much as her policies.
Curious about your own Big 5 personality scores? Take the test on PSYKHE.
We use the ‘Driver’s License’ singer’s sartorial style to infer where she would score on the Big Five Personality test.