“You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” — Edith Head
What do you think of power dressing? Does it strike you as a concept of the 80s? Truth be 
told, the practice dates back farther than that, but it is a concept that is important even today, whether we acknowledge it or not! Rewind to the 16th century, and we see Elizabeth I using her clothes to denote her position and power by adopting the masculine doublet. Fast forward to current times and think of some of the most powerful women across the modern world – politicians, corporate head honchos, film stars, and artists – what comes to your mind? Yes, they all own a particular style of dressing, standing out, not blending in.
What do you think of power dressing? Does it strike you as a concept of the 80s? Truth be told, the practice dates back farther than that, but it is a concept that is important even today, whether we acknowledge it or not! Rewind to the 16th century, and we see Elizabeth I using her clothes to denote her position and power by adopting the masculine doublet. Fast forward to current times and think of some of the most powerful women across the modern world – politicians, corporate head honchos, film stars, and artists – what comes to your mind? Yes, they all own a particular style of dressing, standing out, not blending in.
In an ideal world, nobody will ever judge a book by its cover. But sadly we don’t live in an ideal world and in a professional world today, how you dress does deliver a powerful message. Unlike the power dressing of yore, which was defined by huge shoulders and huge hair, today’s power dressing is a much more refined style that focuses on elegance and quality. Even though power dressing is culturally relative, even job specific, there are certain universal principles that apply in the professional world. In this blog post, we will give you some tips on power dressing, and highlight some power dressers you can draw inspiration from.
Power Dressing for Work: Conveying Control with Clothes
The idea behind power dressing is quite simple: it’s a fashion that uses clothes and styles to convey that a woman is competent, respectable, authoritative, self-confident, and in control. As such, this fashion isn't just about clothes and style, and there’s an intrinsic link between power dressing and feminism. Over the years, women have struggled to be taken seriously in the workplace, and the practice of choosing clothes to convey ideas of competency arose to help women gain more respect in professional settings.
Power Dressing Tips for Busy Career Women
Power dressing best practices can make you look smart, suave, and elegant, but there is an art to it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you're putting together outfits in the morning:
- Make sure your clothes fit properly and are tailored to your measurements
- Clothes should be flattering and comfortable
- A blazer can amp up the power dressing impact
- Pair outfits only with elegant and stylish jewelry: keep it simple and don’t wear anything too ostentatious
- Grays and blacks are always safe choices, but you can also add color to your wardrobe with colorful accessories, or go bold with bright and colorful matching suit sets
- Wear clothes that you like, because then you'll have even more self-confidence, and that will come through
Looking to the Business World and Politics for Inspiration
When it comes to finding inspiration for power dressing for a career woman, you need no further than Amal Clooney, the international human rights lawyer, and wife of actor George Clooney. She's been seen sporting colorful suit sets, elegant dresses, and sleek, tailored pantsuits, and she often chooses the power color red for her outfits. But business isn't the only place where you'll see power dressing for women, and politics is another great place to look for inspiration.
In fact, some of the most identifiable faces in power dressing have come from the political sphere, including the world’s principal power dresser, Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of Britain. Thatcher was known for her custom brocade suits, pussy bow blouses paired with austere blue skirt suits, and double-breasted crepe suits. If you want to see more examples of great power dressers, look up Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton, Jackie Onassis, and even Jessica Alba.
Power dressing is a way that professional women can help ensure they're taken seriously in the workplace because unfortunately, women are often still judged based on their appearance rather than their abilities. The practice of power dressing, therefore, is more a way to even the playing field than it is a fashion statement, and you can achieve the look by focusing on classic, elegant, and quality clothes, bold colors, and simple accessories that help you exude confidence and competence.
If you’re business woman or an aspiring entrepreneur, you’ll want to dress for that part. But of course, clothes alone will not make you a success. You may want to take our self-assessment test to figure out what traits make for a successful entrepreneur.
