Stylewatch: The ties have it

Gordon Brown ★★★☆☆ The only leader to offer a colour curveball. GB opted for a pastel pink tie with sky blue shirt. Pastel colours are on trend this season and Brown's move was smart: pink smacks of having been chosen by a style committee. Pink is a sartorial dog whistle to middle-ranking office workers who all have pink in their wardrobes. It says: "I'm one of you." David Cameron ★★☆☆☆ For day one it had to be blue. A dark navy would have scored more style points but presumably could be read as a little too Bullingdon blue. The petrol blue is meant to look more everyman but frankly with the white shirt is a little cheap-looking. Better news when it comes to knotting: it is defined, suggesting he's taken care, but isn't neurotically tight, displaying presidential confidence. Nick Clegg ★★★★☆ The man has strict parameters. He has to wear yellow otherwise your average voter doesn't know who he is. Clegg has punched above his weight here, as not all yellows are equal. The iridescent ochre looks much more luxe than sunshine yellow, and the blue shirt showcases it brilliantly. Here's hoping that his election tie wardrobe covers the whole yellow spectrum from pale lemon right through to mustard. One note of caution for Clegg: the knotting is a little too tight, which has the effect of making him look a little nervy.