Sterling, I don't think dressing for others, instead for fashion or for personal preference, reflects insecurity. To my mind, it's as legitimate a choice as the other two.

It bothers me when I see women being pressured into thinking personal expression has to mean differentiation and an expression of overt individualism. To me, the essence of personal expression means giving me the freedom to choose the message I want to send with my clothing.

Choosing to align myself with my audience's preferences and expectations allows me to focus other goals which may be more important to me than making a statement about my own sartorial preferences. To me, understanding the impact my clothing choices can have in different situations, and choosing to use that information to shape my image, reflects knowledge and power, not insecurity.

Ditto what Gaylene just posted. I'm a big proponent of dressing appropriately for the occasion.

I feel slightly got at here by what Gaylene and BC have just said...I was hoping that you could be seen as "just as professional as anyone else in the room" Sterling, as you wrote. I am sure you would not dress inappropriately and I wasn't pressuring you to show "overt individualism". I wondered if you were feeling a little of imposter syndrome/imposter phenomenon. Have you looked into that? It used to be relevant to me, I have checked it out and become a lot more confident since. I agree that our personalities are different, me extrovert you introvert, but all the same...

Also to Toban... do the "physicians who show up in suits" include women? Or is it still unfortunately male-dominated?

Such a thought provoking thread!
Power capsule is such a good term.
I just went through my bins of cothes - the ones I keep for later when not in my closet. In there, a black lean sweater with delicate cable knits with detachable a white cotton collar and white cuffs. It will stay in the bin, but I can't help but hold it for a while when I see it. It smells of this delicate perfume I recognize. It comes from my mother. She told me it had been her power item during her active career as a researcher and professor in nursing. She actually called it her "lucky sweater" because she got what she was asking for when wearing it, which she admitted was a total superstition, but it seemed to worked. It wasn't without difficulty that she let go of it, making me the indirect guardian of this treasure which obviously meant so much to her. Can you imagine what a career woman in the 70's and 80's having to fight so many obstacles and chauvinism on a daily basis and this sweater was the piece of clothing giving her confidence. I wish I had such a sweater for myself!

Krishnidoux -- that is the nicest story anyone could have shared with me. Sometimes late at night I think about all of the woman that pioneered the path for me to have my career. Your Mother would be one of them. I am eternally grateful to them and I send them silent thanks. It is woman like your Mother that are my personal heroes.

Jenni -- I think both Gaylene and BC were offering me support. As always, I am grateful to all of the Forum members for their support and therapy. I can't begin to tell you how many times, selfless Forum Members have stepped in and cheered me on when I was feeling insecure. My recent trip to Atlanta was one such time.

Jenni - yes, the women wear suits, too. Adapting to the career norms. A female colleague of mine who works frequently with doctors now consistently wears suits to work to be ready for any meeting.

Thanks Toban. Maybe the US is different to here, maybe we are a little more casual or relaxed here in NZ. I am a senior doctor and I have never worn a business suit in my life. And I do have a successful career. I think perhaps being a family doctor out of hospitals may have made it less formal. In NZ and Australia, family doctors do not wear white coats. I am now interacting with the CEO of one of our largest District Health Boards in meetings. And she doesn't wear a business suit either! And she is paid around $500 K a year! ( No secret, has been published). I hasten to add my pay is nowhere near that level, job well down the hierarchy from that. There has actually been fuss in our newspapers about the CEOs earning that sort of money. That is our precious health dollars we are talking about. Of course the Chairs of the health boards defend the amounts. I digress- not really fashion

What a wonderful thread, Sterling. I have found the comments so interesting and rich and thoughtful, as always.

(Krishnidoux -- what a story!!!)

I also think you've hit on something really important for yourself with this "power capsule" and I commend your decision to ensure it is in tip-top shape. It sounds as if you dressed extremely well for the event that was your immediate concern, but I agree it is useful to have a small capsule and I like Sally's ideas, given your preference for separates.

I definitely have highly specialized capsules and do find it useful to think in those terms, even if there is (as there usually is, in my case) a fair amount of overlap. I need these capsules because (like many women) I play a wide variety of roles. I might not be called on to play one role or another particularly often during a given year, but if it's going to happen at all, I need to get dressed. So, in addition to the exercise/ gym/ outdoors capsules (all of which overlap but remain somewhat distinct) I also have teaching/ presentation capsules; city travel capsule; "date night" capsule; "festive" capsule. I have one for conservative affairs like funerals, and one for "artist socializing" type events. My main capsules right now are work-from-home and student capsule (mostly casual); city trips (still casual, but more polished and current as well as focused on comfort and practicality for travel); and my teaching capsule (which is almost identical to the city trip capsule).

Hi Jenni -- I should clarify that these are research physicians, and often having public health leadership roles, like heads of centers, rather than day to day patient interaction, hence the suits. I suspect US family doctors are similar to what you describe. I am a cancer researcher (PhD, not MD), and interact almost exclusively with other researchers. it is rare for me to need to be more than business casual. However when formality is needed we are strongly encouraged to be remembered for our contributions and not what we wore.

What Suz says is so true. We play a variety of roles, so it's difficult to be seen in the exact same outfits day after day. We need a panoply of "power capsules", since the power is also inherent to the occasion and what the latter will require physically speaking. For instance, Suz sometimes travels, and I'm sure this detail impacts parts of the capsules (I'm thinking footwear? Color chosen? Need for a topper because of A/C in trains?). Even if the event for which the capsule is prepared is rare, it needs thinking in advance.

Sometimes it's not even what exact outift will I wear, but rather what range of items do I own that would fit that particular bill given the occasion's parameters, and that could work together or with other things in a most reliable way?

(A "master-key" skirt that works well with many footwear and tops for example, or the multy-purpose-always-good jacket).

Each item in the list has to be a tried-and-tested bullet proof confidence booster.

I make a list, take some pics, or place them closer inside the closet.

I am in a very similar boat, Sterling. I have just come back from a 4-day conference, had a super important meeting the day before the trip and will have another important 3-day business trip in a month. I too find that I will need a medium sized power capsule for these occasions that will probably happen ~10 times a year (but some will be multi-day trips). Unlike you though, I quite like dresses and skirts, and they are a fun change from wearing jeans 90% of the time. I am off to a good start, and at this point have pretty good idea hot to proceed, just need to find the right pieces.

I'm in 100% agreement with Suz. Upon reflection, I realize I have a lot of mini capsules, and many are quite specific to my rather unusual variety of "lives" and activities. I would probably benefit from thinking them through a bit more, because I suspect my actual wardrobe is a bit lopsided in favor of options for certain categories I don't use as often as others.

However! One of the main reasons I discovered YLF years ago was because after years of self-employment, I had fallen into a very predictable, boring rut of daily bootcut jeans and tees or button-front shirts. They sufficed for working from home and being out and about, but I didn't feel fab.

My life and breadth of activities have expanded since then (working from a studio rather than home, new athletic pursuits, resuming a part-time involvement in broadcasting and music, working on a cattle ranch, etc), so you can imagine how my needs have changed and grown!

Hmm, I may need to start my own thread on this as I reflect further so I don't hijack this one. Thanks for inspiring the reflection!

Good planning, it always pays off to be prepared. I am currently in the capsule building mode myself and curious to see what you come up with. What is your approach, couple of full outfits or set of mix and match items?

I think if you truly dislike skirts and dresses (I know I do), you can safely only wear pantsuits. When I was on the job market the first time 18 years ago, my adviser told me I can only wear skirt suit. I did it but I did not think it was true even then. But I went to graduate school in the South, and my adviser is a very conservative person. Job candidates got jobs in my fairly conservative field wearing pantsuits in my year. At this point, I think you can wear pants to any occasion, you just need the right pair.

I had some positive feedback from my coworkers regarding what I wore. They thought I looked perfectly professional and approachable in my black skirt/grey silk blouse. Hearing that made me feel good. I will wear the exact same combination should another meeting of this sort occur in the near future.

I am very glad to hear tou gorngood feedback, Sterling. Perhaps you only need to add one more similar outfit to serve the same purpose?

Glad to hear you had such positive feedback, Sterling. Good to keep with a formula that works!