And if the weather is used to make political points, then so of course, is clothing. The one essential and multipurpose item of clothing for modern Britain is, of course, denim jeans. Worn by everyone outside working hours from royalty to the woman in the street, jeans are the symbol of a casual and classless approach to life. In the informal environments of universities the only suits are worn by administrators—hence the pejorative name for these bureaucrats as “the suits”. Everyone else from professor to undergraduate can be seen carrying out their tasks in blue denim in various states of repair. The most fashionable young men and women will be seen in jeans that are either far too big or far too small for them, with holes, patches, badges, sequins or drawings on them. However, most of us prefer our jeans plain, draught proof and comfortable!