A white Peter Pan collar sends the most unambiguous of fashion messages. This is pop-culture shorthand that even David Cameron couldn't misinterpret. It means innocence, both in the sense of being free from guilt, and of a lack of sophistry.
Rebekah Brooks's choice of outfit – the £475 'Marcie' dress from online boutique Suzannah – suggests she saw her Leveson inquiry appearance less as a working day than as a chance to try to mend her reputation with the public. During previous public appearances, the former News International chief executive's wardrobe framed her very much as Murdoch's loyal company woman. She favoured trouser suits and overcoats — the uniform of the old-school, hardworking tabloid hack, not far removed from that of the shady private investigator.
Even when dressed up, Brooks tended to look like she was going to the office party, rather than as if she were genuinely off duty.
Brooks's Leveson outfit places her in a long line of sophisticated women who choose to project a more doe-eyed vision of themselves in court. Bianca Jagger wore a white Peter Pan collar for her divorce court appearance in 1980. Winona Ryder wore a Peter Pan-collared coat – accentuated with a wide Alice in Wonderland headband – when in court for shoplifting. The style of collar (so named because it came to popularity after being used in the first American stage version of JM Barrie's play in the early 20th century) was popular on children's clothing in the 1920s, and on bridal gowns in the 1930s. An air of innocence has persisted.
This is a 72-point headline of a dress. It is clear rather than nuanced; that's what makes it clever. Brooks may be projecting a different image, but she still thinks like a tabloid editor.
