Alison Redford's Style Evolution And How There Has To Be More To Her Tenure Than A Better Wardrobe

It can be called the Premier's Two-Piece, the Executive Uniform, Alison's Attire.

Premier Alison Redford's two-piece suit - normally black and often with a large collared shirt or open neck with pearls - is a common sight in Alberta's halls of power.

And as the premier celebrates her first year in office, instead of cheers, candles and cake, there are instead accusations of broken promises, a massive deficit and plunging approval numbers.

Alberta is facing a $4-billion deficit, deep cuts are stripping academia and hurting the disabled. Redford's approval ratings are at an all-time low of 29 per cent and all hope for the future seems pinned on the construction of pipelines, such as the Keystone XL pipeline which, according to the latest figures, the Americans don't want and Canadians surprisingly want even less.

Things look grim for Alberta's top executive. Thus, in an attempt to find a positive angle to what is bad news for government departments and services, as well as for Redford's chances for re-election, there is one thing that can be quantified and that can be said Redford has learned since deciding to run for premier of the province - to take some risks when it comes to her wardrobe.

The black two-piece is still a staple but the gallery below shows that during the weeks leading up to last year's ballot her appearance has become, relatively speaking, bolder.

But as the province faces an uncertain future and peers into an era that may force profound change in the way the Alberta government works and the way Albertans think, the hope exists that mixing up her predictable and squarish wardrobe is not the only thing Redford has learned in the last year.

Click through the slideshow below to see Redford's style evolution.