Ronald Reagan & Maggie Thatcher, A Match Made In Sartorial Heaven?

Let us paint you a picture: It's 1982. You're the President of the United States of America. You've been invited by the Queen of England to go riding at Windsor Castle. You have absolutely no idea what to wear. Zilch. Zippo. Nada.

Who you gonna call?

This, ladies and gentleman, is the precise situation that faced Ronald Reagan back in the day. And who did he turn to in his hour of need? Maggie Thatcher, natch. Documents released by the Britain's National Archives show that the President asked his British counterpart for fashion advice regarding a horseback ride with the Queen during June 1982. The answer? "Smart but casual, not formal riding attire." It was advice the President took.

Naturally, we can understand his concern. Keen observers of royal fashion antics will know that it's QE2 who holds the key to true regal style (Middleton Schmiddleton). After all, any woman who can colour coordinate her ensembles with such assassin-like precision should be both feared and revered.

What does baffle us is this: Why ask Maggie? Unless you aspire to pearls and a pussy-bow blouse — which, although a pleasing image, was probably unlikely in Reagan's case — would the former P.M. really be your first port of call for style advice?

Of course it being the '80s and all, things could have been a whole lot worse. If he'd asked Duran Duran, the President might well have rocked up to Windsor Castle wearing bleached denim and a mullet.