RIGHT, we have a woman as First Minister now, so I have to write about her clothes.

That's how it works isn't it? Nonsense.

However, last week when Ms Sturgeon was elected leader of the SNP, there was something symbolic in her choice of outfit.

Dress, or more particularly colour, has always had a role in politics. For men it is nothing more than a choice of colour of tie.

Red tie guy is Labour, blue tie boy is Tory, a goldy, yellowy thing for the LibDems or a white suit for Martin Bell. I've even seen a younger Alex Salmond in a yellow one.

Then when Tony Blair ditched clause four and New Labour was born there was the purple tie movement. Well, mix red and blue and what do you get? Some stuck to the red.

At Holyrood there are a lot of red jackets among the Labour women, not the men. It might be a holiday camp sometimes but it's not Butlins.

I have even seen tartan tights from one woman in the SNP, who I won't name. Whether she bought them in Hamilton, Larkhall or Stonehouse I do not know.

But back to our new First Minister. On becoming leader of her party she wore a red jacket and tartan high heel shoes - don't ask where from or who designed them. I don't know and don't really care.

But the symbolism was there for all to see.

MS Sturgeon wears red often because it suits her, so I'm told.

It also associates her with the left wing socialist vote she is trying to lure away from Labour.

But the tartan shoes showed where her political priorities are as she pledges to be the First Minister for all Scotland.

Did she spend time thinking about any of this when choosing her outfit?

I hope so. How dull when all men can play around with is a strip of silk or polyester round their neck. There won't be true equality until John Swinney delivers a budget in an SNP- yellow Hi-De-Hi jacket.

There are dapper gents in the Holyrood chamber, but not many. Patrick Harvie with his waistcoats, Humza Yousaf looks like he has a new suit each day and Labour leadership contender Neil Findlay also manages not to look like he stumbled out of a jumble sale.

And Transport Minister Keith Brown gives Angela Constance's Irregular Choice shoes competition with green brogues.

But back to Ms Sturgeon. Her outfit fits her agenda. Feet on the ground in Scotland and with the SNP, plus a call to Labour voters with social justice.

Labour needs to reconnect with both party values and country. The male leadership contenders Jim Murphy and Mr Findlay have to make sure their red ties are brighter. They also need to get a pair of tartan Doc Martens.