The potential of a power outfit

By Erin Lindsay
07th Oct 2020

How many of us have a pair of lucky shoes? Or a dress that, when all else fails, we can always depend on to feel amazing? These are what I like to call ‘power outfits’ – something I have a big belief in. The power of clothing is not in what it looks like; it’s how we feel when we’re in it.

I just widened my wardrobe a couple of weeks ago to welcome a new power outfit to the fold. A fuchsia pink, double-breasted suit that fits like a glove. When I wear it, I feel that I look like the best version of myself; confident, put-together, fun, bright, feminine. When I tried it on, I knew I’d found a power-outfit that I could depend on for a long time to make me feel like me.

When we think of ‘power dressing’, our minds cast back to the 80’s, when shoulder pads and short skirts began to rule the office and the women in them were climbing the career ladder. But, while a pink suit might be the quintessential ‘power outfit’, it’s not for everyone. Many women (and men) would cringe themselves into a black hole when faced with one. The beauty of confident dressing is that it differs completely from person to person. Just a few of the examples I was given when asking around the office were a slinky little black dress; a pair of sky-high heels; a slick of red lipstick. The spectrum of power-dressing is as varied as the people in the outfits.

Power outfits are an instant confidence booster. They should make you feel like you can conquer the world, nail the interview and have a few cocktails with the girls all in the one day. If clothes are an expression of someone’s personality, then a power outfit is the expression of their most confident side. Once you find your perfect power piece, never let it go.

Related: How the eighties power blazer has been brought bang up to date