In the high stakes world of politics, where every move is closely analysed, National Party leader Christopher Luxon has taken the unusual step of inviting New Zealanders into his daily process of preparing for the campaign trail. In a candid TikTok video, Luxon goes through his sartorial selections for the day ahead.
Luxon begins his video attired in just boxer shorts and a T-shirt, sharing that his shirt choices tend to be relatively conventional, although he does have a preferred shirt for those times he wants to break from the norm.
He explains, “My day begins with the shirt. Selecting between white, blue, and pink, sometimes depends on my mood.” He shares this with a casual demonstration, holding up the shirts to the camera. “Blue aligns with my party’s color, but there are times that warrant a bit of rebellion with pink. Today is a pink day.”
Luxon’s daily process also involves deliberating over the choice of a suit, shoes, and tie. His banter shifts tact when he unexpectedly compares his fashion to global entertainment icon Simon Cowell, famous for his partially-unbuttoned shirts and breezy demeanor.
Luxon, with a sense of mischief, says, “I appreciate this shirt’s extra buttons. You won’t see me mimic the full Simon Cowell, which is certainly a matter of gravitas.”
Luxon’s suit choices continue to be party-themed, a decision he discusses with his viewers; “Blue, or a different shade of blue?” Yet, in keeping with his newfound theme of minor rebellion, he selects a plaid suit over a plain blue one. He describes his attire being completed with a patriotic silver fern pin on his suit, a tradition he has followed since returning to New Zealand in 2011.
The enduring sartorial dilemma remains, to wear a tie or not. An aversion to wearing a tie throughout the day only adds to his slightly rebellious allure. Luxon ends his video in dramatic fashion, doing a spin to display his full attire, and then exiting the shot.
His unique initiative sparked engagement from various quarters with his video attracting thousands of viewers and generating hundreds of comments, which included praise, jest and curiosity.
This endearing display of Luxon’s personal side comes following an earlier incident where he was pictured in a Barbie doll photo booth, his playful picture captioned “Bald Ken”.
However, don’t be mistaken; it’s not all ties and shirts on Luxon’s agenda. This afternoon, the National Party shared their proposed post-natal care plan, promising to extend post-natal care from two days to three and assuring mothers of their right to stay in hospital after childbirth. Alongside, they also committed to free glucose monitors for children with type 1 diabetes and additional training places for psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.
The policy would entail a cost of $134.3 million over four years. Their comprehensive health policy proposals together would cost $1.2 billion over the same period. This detailed announcement comes in tandem with their health policy document Better Health Outcomes, which includes creating access to currently unfunded cancer treatments.
