Former First Minister Alex Salmond is not famed for his fashion sense.
So he was an incongruous sight while shopping with ex-SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh in Mayfair's Christian Louboutin store on Tuesday.
Perhaps Salmond picked colleague Tasmina in the Secret Santa – but that's cheating if they went shopping for the gift together.
Taz, as she's affectionately called by Alba party leader, loves her brands and she settled on an exquisite pair of Louboutin two tone slingbacks.
Louboutin always said: "Shoes are a mirror of what you want, what you are or what you're missing."
But it was unclear what the black patent stilettos told us about either Salmond or Tasmina.
The former first minister did look bored and a bit famished, as Tasmina took a forensic approach to choosing the shoes.
An onlooker said: "Salmond looked like he just wanted the whole thing to be over.
"He might have been hoping that the store didn't have Tasmina's size and they could just leave.
"If that was the case, it didn't work out for him."
We can only guess which lucky lady will be wearing the Louboutins but perhaps they were for his 84-year-old wife Moira.
Salmond and Tasmina co-founded production company Slainte Media together and appear on his The Alex Salmond Show on RT, the state-owned channel formerly known as Russia Today.
The Kremlin would certainly approve of Louboutin's iconic brilliant red soles.
Given Louboutin heels cost from upwards of £600, few would have envied being in Salmond's shoes when he appeared to pick up the bill with his card.
It's been a rough year for Salmond given his Alba party was trounced in the Scottish Parliament election returning zero seats.
In fact, his miserable expression that night was similar to the one he was sporting on his shopping trip.
Tasmina has remained firmly by his side and she defected from SNP to the Alba Party in March 2021.
She was unsuccessful when she stood as Alba's top list candidate in Central Scotland at the election.
Tasmina wore a black dress with dazzling sequins during the shopping trip, while Salmond wore a tweed jacket and checked shirt in an outfit more suited to fishing.
The party leader has always admired his loyal side-kick's style and as her Ralph Lauren handbag demonstrates, she has expensive taste.
SNP MP Mhairi Black revealed Salmond once suggested to her she get style tips from Tasmina after she was elected to Wesminster.
Louboutin said shoes empower women but it's a mystery which lady is about to benefit from Salmond's Christmas shop.
Salmond was approached for a comment.
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