Man, I feel like a woman.

“The masculine suit gives women an undeniable sense of power—erotic power,” (Gabbana told Vogue in 2000.)

Throughout history women’s economic dependency upon men and their poor socio-economic status restricted their entry and participation in the workforce. World War II brought about the change in these restrictions giving women opportunities in a vast variety of new jobs. While working men left their jobs to join the army, little did they know that women were taking the workforce by storm. 

“With the 1980s dawning, powerful women were taking the workforce by storm. They were educated, motivated and empowered pioneers.  They were willing and able to balance the roles of wife, mother and member of the workforce.  These women needed their power suits. After all, they were still competing fiercely with the men. They wanted to prove themselves and for the higher-ups to take them seriously” (The Classic 80’s 2012).

Thus the “Power Suit” began and “has long been a standard for a woman who are not afraid to work in what is usually deemed a man’s world”. Overtime “women have reinvented the look of the Power Suit” (Anna Runyan, Classy Career Girl, 2012).

One of the latest trends to have hit the catwalk is “androgyny: the evolving trend” (Braukamper, T. 2012), pushing the masculine-feminine boundaries that society has set in place over history, and women’s fashion is now taking a masculine turn. Androgyny is now an evolving, large-scale fashion trend and 2012′s runways have been all about how the consumer can adopt elements of dandyism or androgyny and make them their own.

Shony Brdjanovic a 3^rd year law student a UQ shows us that the modern woman’s power suit is all about femininity with a masculine edge. The sharp tailoring in the waist of the blazer accentuates Shony’s female physique. The shoulder pads add a sense of power and authority, much like the shoulder pads worn in gridiron. Shony is also wearing a tuxedo shirt, which is nipped in to better compliment her feminine shape and womanly curves. 

In modern fashion, elements of this trend have been altered and adapted for a woman’s body. Shony’s outfit is sharp, tailored, rebelliously luxurious and a powerful nod to androgyny. Both lean and lux, boyish and feminine Shony continues to push societies boundaries and captures the modern-day working woman.

The power suit is for anyone who wants to be taken seriously in the business world or any other industry for that matter. Every woman should have in their wardrobe an outfit that gives you more confidence than countless cosmopolitans and multiple margaritas. So ladies, ”forget boys- it’s their wardrobes we’re flirting with this season” (asos fashion finder 2012).