Power Suits

When we hear the words "power suit" it conjures images of wall street tycoons yelling into the latest model cell phone about stock prices.  But, I would venture to say that a power suit can and should be in so many more of our wardrobes regardless of whether or not we deal in stocks.

The term "power suit" arrived in the 1980s when Wall Street and yuppies seemed to feature in nearly every movie at the box office and through the magic of storytelling, the exact same type of slick-haired suit wearing businessman was either the hero or the villain depending on the view point.  Funny, but even when I knew they were supposed to be the hero, I still felt like they were all just bad men in nice suits.

The whole premise behind the power suit was that it was conservative yet bold and exuded confidence.  All one had to do was walk into a room and every head would turn and everybody would immediately know who was in charge.  Or, so says bespokeunit.com in its guide to mens tailored suits.  

As far as women's fashion goes, I think the power suit has been around much longer.  Do a quick search of women's suits of the 1940s and you'll find some striking silhouettes.  While you likely won't find any of those suits in wearable condition, thankfully there are designers like Alicia Estrada of Stop Staring who keep those classic styles alive.

With just enough shoulder padding to frame up your form, a peplum style jacket, and this fitted skirt, Estrada's Leonora dress is a suit that makes one confident statement.  Notice the way that the navy blocks at the side of the jacket create a slimming effect.  And this fabric does a fabulous job of shaping and contouring.

The best news of all is that this style is typically available at Stop Staring for custom order meaning you can always get your size.  I decided to go up one size from my usual and it is the perfect fit.

Hello curves and hello confidence.  Which way to Wall Street?

Shopping Info:  Stop Staring Leonora Dress, heels from ModCloth