Trendy and modern
We start with the Flemish winner. Bart De Wever (N-VA) celebrated his victory in the elections by raising his arms to show the crowd his fingers forming a V. A gesture which allowed us to once again admire his weight loss and also… his magnificent suspenders . This accessory, far from being out of date, is completely fashionable. “Suspenders were very fashionable in the 80s and they are making a comeback. There is a sophisticated side to weddings. They can be different colors or with patterns. It’s not cheesy at all but trendy”, analyzes the makeover. “It’s an accessory that’s going to be for brides and grooms for 2024.” The tie gives a slightly more summery and flowery side compared to the very sober suit. “The haircut is fine. But he should use a little more concealer or directly color the dark circle which is a little too white and gives it a little aging look”advises David Jeanmotte.
The clothing style of Georges-Louis Bouchez (MR) has not changed much but it is physically marked. His features are less fine than in 2019 and in terms of hair, it has evolved quite a bit. “Longer hair and a dull face reflect a lack of confidence. The blue suit is not granted. This gives a character which does not represent a function”, dissects the specialist. “You really have to let go. It gives the impression of a man who is beaten down or carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.”
Since then, he has sported a shorter cut and exudes confidence with his rooster posture puffing out his chest. “We have an ink blue presidential suit which confirms a function. This color has something solemn, institutional, especially when everything is monochrome. The suit and cut of the pants are well tailored with pants that tighten at the hem. We have something very modern.”
Thomas Dermine sharply criticized for his look: “For me, it’s rude”
Makeup is important, even for men. “It is very important to have a reassuring image and to return a position with force.”
On the Engagés side, Maxime Prévot seems to be a fan of patterned ties. “This serves to bring softness”, says David Jeanmotte straight away. But the challenge is to obtain a beautiful result. “Turquoise green is difficult to combine with certain colors. The navy blue suit is too dull here. There should be a little touch of red inside to make the blue a little more royal. This tie also goes well with ocher, red suits or we opt for tone on tone”, develops the makeover. He also recommends that he carefully trim his beard and wear gray that goes well with his hair color.
For Raoul Hedebouw (PTB), David Jeanmotte has several comments. “The glasses are a little too small compared to the face. the pair of glasses is necessary with a better contour and slightly thicker temples because the face is much rounder at the base. We need to structure the face more upwards so as not to have a tired face,” he emphasizes. Wearing a belt is more appropriate over jeans than for a solemn visit with the King, adds David Jeanmotte.
”When you have a double chin, you should always leave your shirt open or wear a t-shirt so as not to accentuate the double chin. The t-shirt also looks younger, a bit like TV presenters in France to be closer to the population. It gives a younger side.” Finally, if he wants to have a less thick part of the double chin, Raoul Hedebouw can always grow a beard.
What does the look of our politicians say? “The most important thing is that they avoid making a mistake”
The behaviour
The look yes but that’s not the only thing that counts. “If it were enough to be a handsome guy in a suit to be elected, it would be known!”, says David Bertrand, professor of psychology. “The brain is super sensitive to emotion and attitude. There is a tendency to exaggerate the non-verbal. We also pay attention to the speech but there must be consistency between what the person shows and what they say. It’s congruence.” So, no matter what we think about ideas, an authentic person because they are convinced comes across better.
As we saw during the campaign, the candidates took part in numerous broadcasts. “There is a tendency to put people more than programs. In France, we see it with Jordan Bardella. Parties choose personalities to put the party forward at the risk of the person taking precedence over the ideas. Communication has taken another turn with social networks. We have a tendency to imitate influencers. We see this tendency to always want to appear young. The populist parties are strong in it and the others follow so as not to be left behind.”
