Malcolm Turnbull blue steels all over the cover of GQ's Power Issue.

Work it, Minister for Communications!

The prime minister in waiting Minister for Communications has scored the cover of the Power Issue of GQ, the magazine for dapper men-about-town.

In a snazzy suit with a sartorially-daring mismatched shirt-and-tie combo (plus fancy-man pocket square), Malcolm Turnbull’s cover-star turn, is as eye-popping as his Blue-Steel gaze.

And the magazine’s “Primed-Minister” headline will ensure Tony Abbott isn’t just going to be checking his look. He’s also going to be watching his back.

Across the eight-page spread, Turnbull discusses his childhood and political career, as well as that little Liberal party leadership spill-that-wasn’t in February.

Asked whether he would have put himself forward for Prime Minister if the spill had been successful, he responded, “People would have been astonished if I hadn’t.”

Read more: Did Malcolm Turnbull just hint that he’d challenge for the leadership?

The noted leather-jacket enthusiast reckons he’s never tried to pander to popular opinion.

“Honestly, it’s this simple: I get out of bed and I am me. If people find me persuasive or offensive that’s up to them, but I am comfortable in my own skin and I honestly never ask, ‘How can I change myself to be more appealing to people?”

You do you, Malcolm! #realtalk

The April issue of GQ goes on sale Monday, but if you need to get Turnbull’s Beau Brummel look NOW, try these essential pieces.

A pocket square, according to GQ itself, is “the single most indispensable tool for defining a man of style.” A suit without a pocket square is like Julie Bishop without her pearls. The most important hint for nailing the pocket square? “Look nonchalant.”

A loud tie will help you achieve Turnbull’s devil-may-care attitude to pattern-matching.

You really want to stride the corridors of power, a la Turnbull? A bad-ass leather jacket lets people know you mean business, but also that you’re a cool guy.

And if your thirst for all things Turnbull is unquenchable, check out our gallery of #Turnbull-inspo.