Fashion star: What does power dressing mean for women in 2019?

Traditionally, the jacket was the last word when it came to formal dressing at the workplace—minor tweaks notwithstanding—for men and women alike. But the paradigm has slowly shifted, more so to cater to a bulk of the current workforce, most of which is made up of millennials and Generation Z-ers.

The chatter sort of started in 2016 when JP Morgan Chase made business casual—casual being the operative word here—their everyday dress code. In 2017, the historically-stiff attired Goldman Sachs slowly began to relax their dress code, just for the technology and digital divisions though. A few weeks ago however, a formerly unimaginable announcement by Goldman Sachs made news: a firm-wide “suits and tie optional” flexible dress code, with a rider for employees to bear in mind the unwritten rules of what is and isn’t appropriate professional attire. It begs the one singular question now: what works?

A quick history

A throwback to the origins of power dressing for women may be appropriate at this point. Globally, it was during and after the first World War that women were recruited more prolifically into the workforce for many roles traditionally seen as men’s jobs, including engineering, banking, hospitals and factories. The women’s liberation movement in the late 1960s helped move things along, with members of the gender assuming the roles of executives, lawyers, bankers, politicians and business owners. With that authority came the need to be heard and seen in what was technically a male-dominated workplace.

Interestingly enough, the ancestry of power dressing can be traced to the iconic Chanel suit designed by Coco Chanel in Paris circa 1921 and onwards. For all purposes, it was simple and chic. A button-up wool jacket sans collar, with fitted sleeves, metal buttons and braids. It was paired with a tight wool skirt. You could say it was the first proper suit made for women—more specifically, for women in the workplace.

Somewhere between the lines of Chanel and the rest of the world though was the go-to “business look” of the time. What it entailed was a tailored jacket (almost always with padded shoulders) and a knee-length skirt in subtle polka, pinstripes or houndstooth. This look evolved to gradually include pussybow blouses and cravat-style necks. Colour palettes remained within the realms of blue, black, navy and grey, that much later dabbled into hues like, say, a soft salmon. Accessories were discreet, like pearls, a scarf or a brooch.

It was only towards the end of the 1970s and well into the ’80s that Armani slipped into the collective consciousness of white-collared men (and women) with the ubiquitous Armani suit—unstructured and lining-free. Armani softened women’s jackets and cut off collars. Fabric became more comfortable. It was the woman who stood out. Post the late ’90s, there was literally no looking back: from eclectic lines by Dolce & Gabbana, Prada and Theory to J Crew, Zara, Marks & Spencer and Ann Taylor’s go-to RTW line—work wardrobes were filling up with more options than ever before.

Finding a voice

Back to the present, pussybows and pearls apart, workwear for women translates to comfort and confidence; about being understated enough so that the actual voice resounds. It’s about adapting and being heard. And it’s perfectly done when it’s strong without being severe—like a sharply-cut blazer thrown over a chic shift; dashes of colour, fine jewellery and immaculate grooming. That feminine touch is nearly a full circle from the very first semblance of female ‘power dressing’, which was largely a recall of the male wardrobe—to look modern and professional, androgynous even, in order to be “taken seriously”.

“I like this flexible space that we have evolved into,” says Manisha Girotra, CEO, Moelis & Company. “When I started off, dress rules were rigid, whether or not you had any client interaction.” She still firmly prescribes to the notion of formal appearances for boardrooms, conferences and client meetings though—“it offers due respect to the opposite side,” she says. A dressed-down Friday or Saturday would still be trousers/skirt and a shirt for her. All formal occasions otherwise mandate saris and business suits. That is her zone.

Feminine, confident

For Aditi Kothari-Desai, who heads sales and e-business for DSP Mutual Funds, comfort is confidence and confidence is power. As an active advocate for women making their own investments, she has a more composite role to fulfil. “I am a woman in what is typically a man’s world. It is important for me to keep my feminine identity,” she says. She prefers to work her jackets with a stylish blouse, some pearls and a colourful scarf. When speaking at a podium, Aditi relies on the sari. Except while on conferences abroad, her go-to staples are a series of well-cut Lucknowi and Rajasthani block print kurtas, cotton handloom saris, Kolhapuri footwear and other ethnic wear from the label Vrisa. “Apart from the customary trousers ever so often, I prefer to dress for our weather,” says Kothari-Desai, who believes in deciding for herself what is formal enough or not. “Any outfit that fits well and makes you feel confident is power dressing,” she says.

Everyday is Casual Friday

Now that the lines of power dressing are blurring, women need to navigate this infinitely interpretable space. The key is to find a personal style statement with a story and a distinctive sense of personality. Manjari and Aditi Bhimrajka run Melia, an indie Mumbai label that frequently takes on bespoke orders for work wear. “The modern working woman is a multitasker and is always on the lookout for clothing that will complement her busy lifestyle,” they say. They most frequently churn out twin sets, playsuits, pantsuits in thick crepe with a little stretch, structured dresses, and dresses/blouses in crepe, chiffon, georgette and lycra in various matte and metallic colours molded into flowing as well as structured silhouettes. Apart from embroidery, it is texture, colour and cut that form the embellishments. The client briefs they generally work with are simple: stay smart, minimal, stylish and comfortable.

Power dressing for a woman, in 2019, is possibly a more abstract concept now than it was in the past few decades. It’s almost an assimilation of different generations; of a more limber, egalitarian work ethos—power with some play. The point is to feel confident and to dress in a way that brings out your very own best, whatever you may choose for it to be.