Power Dressing for Women in the Workplace

1980s Power dressing for women in the workplace: Vogue articles and ads

Presenter: Shirley Stamas

Presenter Status: Undergraduate student

Academic Year: 20-21

Semester: Spring

Faculty Mentor: Anne-Louise Dierkes

Department: Art

Funding Source/Sponsor: SYRCE Symposium

Screenshot URL: https://drive.google.com/uc?id=1iW2ACtnkFhDTWBuXHsZ5JgkS8St4BgbT

Abstract:
My research project focuses on how feminism and women in the workforce affected the clothing industry of the 1980s. The idea of women’s work clothing changed to be about empowering women and making gender less of a factor. Women’s business clothing was more masculine and had more mobility so that they could be taken more seriously in a work environment and have the ability to get into higher level positions. The power suit was a term that was created to describe the suits that were commonly worn and the confidence that the clothing would give to women. We can also see a shift in vogue ads portraying more businesswomen and saying things like if you buy this then you will be seen just as confident and will be as successful as her.