If Jovan Owusu-Nepaul didn’t exist, the Labour Party would have struggled to invent him. For in the quest to win the supposedly safe Tory seat of Clacton, there could be no better weapon than the whip-smart, well-dressed, youthful, dynamic and articulate candidate from Southampton. Did we mention he’s well dressed? The internet certainly did.
While it would be pushing things slightly to say he “broke” it, he’s definitely making his mark. That’s what happens when you rock up to Clacton Pier in a Burberry trench coat, beige chinos, a stripy blue shirt worn with a tobacco brown tie – and a Fair Isle V-neck tucked into your trews. Beer belly? What beer belly? Amidst a sea of male candidates valiantly trying to disguise their midsections by means of judicious tailoring ( hello, Nigel ), Owuso-Nepaul stood out.
Though even without the flex of being able to tuck a thick woolly sweater into his chinos, he would have stood out anyway. A colourful look will do that. Most of all, if you’re a male politician canvassing for votes.
While female politicians have been known, on occasion, to embrace colour, males tend to stick to the bland, monochromatic end of the spectrum – black, navy or grey, their only concession to colour being a tie signalling their political allegiance. Keep it moving 🇬🇧🌹 #VoteLabour #jovanforclacton pic.twitter.
com/Rf68m8H2wf By contrast, Owuso-Nepaul dresses like the Gen Z-er he is : boldly, brightly, and with the innate sartorial understa.