New year’s eve is just around the corner, so you can always do the “new year, new you” earlier and refresh your wardrobe for a warm winter look. The one must-have trend for this fall/winter season is the “Power Suit”.
Power suits tend to live in a controversial space where some women say “we don’t need to dress like men to feel and look powerful and independent” and some others like the look, comfort, and attitude it reflects. After all, who said suits are just for men?
The suit history started in 1914 with Coco Chanel Shaping the Modern Woman.
Coco Chanel was actually one of the first to take menswear designs and repackage them for women. She’s credited with creating the first female suit. Granted, it didn’t include trousers or bow ties, instead, it featured nice fitting jackets with skirts. This definitely opened the door to the idea of wearing more masculine yet elegant and chic outfits.
In 1966 Yve Saint Laurent introduced le smoking, the first tuxedo suit designed for women. At that time tuxedo suits were more a political statement than a Fashion statement.
In 1970 with more and more women entering the workforce and invading the boys’ club, they needed a symbol that proved they were just as serious and competent as the guys riding up the elevator with them to the office. And apparently the only way to convince male-dominated executives is by wearing similar outfits. “The suit represented a serious woman”.
Up until 2010 suits were representing power, gender equality, and independence. When jeans and sneakers became accepted in the office same as the suit, some executive women kept wearing the suit because in their opinion it is more appropriate for work, while other women felt free to wear whatever they want and express their own style.
Even Giorgio Armani — the granddaddy of power suits himself — was quoted saying, “Women have edged out their standing in the world. Today, they don’t have to wear a suit jacket to prove their authority.”
Personally, I love wearing suits with a feminine touch like statement earrings, high heels, a colored shirt or a nice bag. After all, we dress to reflect our personality and mood. I always take outfits as a piece of art and you will be seeing me wearing a lot of fashionable suits this season
What are you wearing this Winter?
