Battle of the Sexes

photo from etsy.com

The phrase 'power dressing' derives from the move in fashion that saw women being empowered through the art of fashion. We can see from the 1920's onwards, the decrease of corsets and heavy decoration, with couturiers such as Gabrielle Chanel changing the way in which women dressed. The introduction of trousers and high neck blouses was a controversial move in the world of fashion, but one which any modern woman would follow.
These changes in fashion linked arms with the movements in history, as women were becoming more and more recognised and respected in society. We could now vote and it was becoming more common for a woman to work.


enter the 80's...

photo from eonline.com

Enter the power dressing of the 80's. Pant-suits and the androgynous style of this era were the proof that women could do it all, just like men, but better. We could attend a meeting as a corporate lawyer and still make it in time for picking up the baby from day-care and have lunch with our girlfriends at noon. And the pant suit allowed us to do this. Take Sex and the City's Miranda as the perfect example of this powerful New York City woman who manages it all in her dominating power suit.

The ever popular shoulder pads of the 1980's were like a symbol of growing dominance for women in the workplace to prove to men that they were equals. Today, power dressing is still going strong and women of the world are still fighting for equality. Studs and Lace have featured their very own vintage power blazer on their website. With its shoulder pads, the royal blue colour and sharp tailoring, you can nod to our older generations and be far from the usual in an original 1980's blazer.    

           

power blazer £20 at studsandlace.co.uk

                                                                                                           

by Julia Catherine Ward