Article
Power dressing
Power dressing refers to clothing that conveys authority and competence, historically associated with structured tailoring, strong shoulders, and restrained palettes. Popularised in the 1980s and revived cyclically.
1980s context
The 1980s codified the power-dressing look: broad-shouldered blazers, pencil skirts, and matched suit sets signalled competence in corporate environments. For many women the style was both enabling (visibility in male-dominated workplaces) and constraining (a narrow visual vocabulary of professionalism). The roots of women's workplace dressing politics are earlier: 1970s changes in employment, dress codes and the rise of women in professional training set the stage for the 1980s' power silhouette. See the decade hub: 1970s and 1980s.
Elements
- Structured blazers, suits, crisp shirting
- Minimalist accessories; quality fabrics
- Palette: black, navy, charcoal, cream
Cultural notes
- Used by women to navigate male-dominated spaces; both liberating and constraining depending on context.