Meanwhile, the PD has come into its own in Westminster in recent months, poised to fill the power vacuum created by wranglings over just how many festivities took place at Downing Street in lockdown, because a party dress this well and truly is not. Two of the most influential women in government, Nadine Dorries and Liz Truss, have been making the PD their own lately, from the Culture Secretary wearing a bright red one to reveal the BBC’s licence fee freeze last week to the Foreign Secretary deploying hers on diplomatic missions both abroad and at Chevening, her country residence. 

The Power Dress, for the uninitiated, has its origins in the galaxy dress craze of the Noughties. The creation of Roland Mouret, the galaxy dress was a curve-enhancing, brightly coloured, serious but sexy design which seduced women of all fashion proclivities, from Victoria Beckham and Nigella Lawson to Carol Vorderman and Cameron Diaz. In many circles, this love for the bodycon-and-bold formula passed, but the irrefutable impact which a PD affords hasn’t been forgotten by an army of women who operate in a man’s world and still adore its suit-like practicality and sleek polish. Now that they’re returning to the office, the PD is back on top.

Jennifer Ison is the founder of Jennifer Anne, a label which specialises in smart workwear for petite women and the source of the £239 red ‘Beiwen’ dress which Dorries, one of her loyal customers, wore in the Commons. 

“It’s one of our bestselling dresses and as it’s trans-seasonal, it’s popular all year round. It’s a very elegant, plain dress crafted from a very soft fabric which has the perfect amount of stretch in it to mould to your body and show off your curves. The three-quarter length sleeves are particularly flattering for petite women while a v-neckline allows you to wear a necklace,” Ison explains. “If you’re a woman in the public eye you need to look and feel professional. It’s interesting that Nadine picked red to wear for one of her big moments in the Commons – it makes you feel confident and you exude confidence when you’re wearing it as well.”

Ison, who worked as a lawyer before establishing her brand in 2017, used to rely on dresses like this in her own work. “You walk into a room feeling good, it makes you noticeable without being shocking. When you see the pictures of Nadine in the House of Commons, she stands out. As a woman, particularly when you’re smaller, that’s important.”