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The Surprise Origin of Power Dressing

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Can you believe it's the 1920s tweed Chanel skirt suit. I did not know that. Coco was even more more genius than I thought. You can read about that on Wikipedia under the "Roots of Power dressing".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_dressing

Skylurker, a French Fabber, mentioned that she associates tweed Chanel suits with business women, in a comment in my outfit post yesterday. I thought that very interesting - and now it makes perfect sense. Perhaps I'll become a savvier business women in my new Chanel-esque tweed suit!

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Dressing

29 replies

Latest reply was from old chic

Anonymous

When Skylurker mentioned Christine Lagarde - I nodded in agreement - she nailed it with that comparison . I definitely see it as a business suit look for many women in more conservative and European cities, although perhaps in a stronger colour palette. The paler colour you are wearing here (although I don't remember it striking me as pale when I tried it on but ...) has a Southern vibe . And definitely business-like

Maneera

(website)

Veteran

Definitely business like. I'm not surprised the Chanel suit is the origin of it all.....If I headed a business or had a corporate job, it's definitely how I'd dress!

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I knew it was Chanel who invented the "power suit" for women. Yet I do and don't associate this look with business women. Or perhaps I should say that I don't associate it exclusively with business women. It's also worn by "ladies who lunch." But it's not tied to them either, in my imagination.

I guess I have such a soft spot for suits that I refuse to see them as exclusively corporate even when they are ideal for corporate wear!

What I've always loved about the Chanel suit is the way it cleverly blends the masculine element of jacket, tailoring, with the feminine elements of the bouclé fabric, fringe, and the jewellery that she would have worn.

The colour palette makes this one fresh.

Style Fan

Veteran

That is interesting. I love the Chanel jacket. I looked at my Boss jacket and it certainly has a Chanel look to it.

deb

Veteran

I also associate the power suit with Chanel but always thought it was for the upper class out to lunch set, not for the business woman. Interesting.

Anonymous

How did they get from that wonderful suit to the '80s style suits with huge shoulder pads and in bold colors?

Anonymous

The phrase "steel magnolia" comes to mind when I see this outfit. Soft and feminine on the outside, but all business on the inside.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Seeing ladies who lunch and the power suit is an interesting mix - that could make sense in my world. This is what I said in my comment yesterday:

"AH. Lisap, it’s interesting that you, Xtabay and Murph11 have the “ladies who lunch” association yet Skylurker sees “businesswoman”. Cultural influences are strong. I’ll probably be having lunch in this suit while working with a client all day – combining both associations!"

Suz, you're clever. High five to all you said. I see the suit as VERY versatile - I can wear it to soooo many settings and am already - and that's aside from the fact that the separates can be remixed with denim. My best purchase of the year, probably.

skylurker

Veteran

To go on in my pedantic French way : Chanel made this suit when she reopened business after the war, in 1954.
It was seen as the equivalent of the men suit, for working women. High ranking working women, given the price of the (bespoke) suits.

I see "ladies who lunch" as typically American : women who don't work but have a powerful role in society nonetheless, as hostess, as charity chairwomen or something (never lived in the states so keep in mind my idea of the US is based on what I see on TV).

Also, I was surprised you didn't think of yourself as a successful businesswoman, Angie, what about your business as stylist, what about YLF (which I hope is successful) ?

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rachylou

Veteran

Well now, that's fascinating! I have not considered at all the concept of power dressing as a thing, as such. I guess St. John would be considered derivative of Chanel?

On a tangent: I find the collarless Chanel suit always puts me in mind of a nun's habit. I'm tempted to feel nuns are the original female power dressers.

Beth

Veteran

Fascinating! Skylurker, I also associate "ladies who lunch" as those with powerful roles in society, the ones who run museums and charities, and large fund-raising functions. They simply tend to be volunteer roles, which doesn't decrease their power, really. And in my area, those ladies tend to be polished and wear power clothes.

skylurker

Veteran

Rachylou, you're spot on.
Chanel was raised by nuns and lots of her designs have been traced back to the architecture and decoration (or rather, lack of it) of the convent where she spent her youth.

rachylou

Veteran

Was she now? Even more interesting, skylurker!

Have you seen the pics of Jackie O in her pink Chanel suit? Jackie wasn't exactly a lady who lunched - a little too sophisticated and glamorous - but she was from that crowd, and as First Lady she's definitely the icon of powerful women not-exactly-working.

I have heard the jacket of the Chanel suit called a 'cardigan jacket.' The forerunner of the suit was Chanel's 1920s 'sporty sets,' the matching sweater and skirt sets. That was an aha! moment for me fashion wise, this cardigan thing.

skylurker

Veteran

Rachy, I've read Jackie had her suits made by Chanel but as this was unpatriotic they were credited to some American tailors.
Btw the Flotus is the ultimate "lady who lunch" as I picture it.

And yes, I've see a video interview of Chanel, in which she explains, that the tweed jacket is made to feel like a cardigan, so it must be light and your movements should not be constrained at all.

Anonymous

That's a really neat piece of information.
I like that Chanel put some thought into finding an alternative to a cardigan, which I and many other women have to wear every day in the summer to work. She is right in that it needs to feel like a cardigan, or else it's too stiff and more for outdoor wear. I should look into these tweedy jackets a little further.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Thanks for chiming in, Skylurker. FASCINATING. You'll need to correct Wikipedia about the date! And can you believe that Rachy was right about the association of the Chanel suit with nuns. AMAZING.

(Yes, YLF and my style consulting business are successful. The biz side of things is thanks to Greg, who is a lot more business savvy than me. I just write content and help my clients as best as I can).

Some more Chanel power suit images. I appreciate and love these types of looks MORE AND MORE. I'm growing up. Anna Wintour is definitely a style icon to me.

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Brooklyn

Veteran

Very interesting. I do think of the suit as powerful.
Christine Lagarde walked past me in my city once. She was wearing a suit and she looked stunning. She was trailing in her wake a group of about 8 men who appeared to be her minions. She was clearly in charge. I treasure that image! She smiled at me too (probably because I was staring in gape jawed admiration).

unfrumped

Veteran

I enjoyed the history lesson!
I have thought of such suits as part of business wear, primarily thinking that it's one of several options so one would pick jacket styles (since the skirt style tended to be more consistent across suit styles, but not always, e.g. midi's, pleates, ect) that are more flattering (oops, there's that word) based on best collar styles, length of jacket, and so on.

We did have the post on clothing and suits that might show "power" while not fitting in a traditionally flattering way, due to architectural presence and maybe because of rejecting norms. . What's interesting to me is is seems that approach can only go one way--"oversized" and straight/not fitted; because "too tight" in the ill-fitting direction seems to give a whole 'nuther vibe. (Although, sometimes tight/sexy sends a message, I'm so powerful I can do this and not "concede" power!).

Anonymous

The pic of Anna in the fringe black-white tweed is so gorgeous . She looked so confident and radiant then . But it's really the suit that is the focal point here....I love a good suit. Always have, always will.

Jules

Veteran

This has been fascinating. I do personally think of the power suit a bit differently: not tweed; more business/menswear inspired with lapel and suiting fabric - BUT absolutely with a pencil skirt, for a good dose of feminine power! The Chanel suit does have that ladies who lunch vibe and I must say, association with middle age - but only in the best way; a lot of women come into themselves and their power in their 40s.

Anonymous

Thanks for starting this conversation, Angie, it's fascinating! I'm learning so much from the discussion between Skylurker and Rachylou. And Brooklyn, I love your Christine Lagarde story. She is one of my style icons, and the idea of her with a trail of male support staff just makes me grin.

catgirl

Veteran

I associate this type of dressing with graduates of Seven Sisters colleges from a certain era (and I went to one of them!). Education, power, and influence were evident whether career women or high society do-gooders.

As college students, we were able to thrift all kinds of suits like this in Junior League thrift stores along the Main Line in Philly. We used to play a fun game at dinner where we would all dress up in thrifted finds (tweed and little round hats, or funky men's printed shirts and golf shorts) and then compare to see whose outfit cost the least (which was the goal!).

chirico (Chiara)

(website)

Veteran

Nothing to add, just thanks for this discussion, it is so interesting!

Sal

Veteran

Yes I am with Chiara, it has been interesting.

I do own a tweed suit, it has been a LONG time since I wore the pieces together as it is wool so only suitable for a couple of months. I promise to do so this winter and take a picture.

jenanded

Veteran

I want Christine Lagarde to walk past me Brooklyn...

Dar

Thank you, very nteresting and enjoyable conversation. It brought to mind this "Timeline in History" about Coco from The Met...
https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/chnl/hd_chnl.htm
Fashion is art and I love seeing it's influence through history.

kimlee

Veteran

When I started my career in my early 20's, I truly despised the thought of a "power suit" as in my mind it conjured up images of 40/50 something "ladies who lunch". Now, as I am approaching my mid-30's and hitting my stride in my career, I have come to love the idea of "power dressing". I think the key was finding the right elements of a power suit for me.

Joy

Veteran

This is all news to me, but it makes sense. I love looking at the Chanel suits and would love Anna Wintour's wardrobe. I wonder if she ever dresses in jeans.

old chic

I bet that if Anna Wintour ever dresses in jeans, she wears them with a Chanel jacket!

ETA: She DID put a model in jeans with a Lacroix jacket on the cover of her first issue of Vogue.