The 1980s power suit became one of the most iconic silhouettes of the 20th century and brought a progression not only in women’s fashion, but also for women in the workplace. The power suit gave women a strong and confident appearance that demonstrated their equal authority. During the 1980s, the look of the power suit typically had masculine elements: exaggerated shoulder pads, double-breasted, wide lapels and sharp tailoring. 

The movement behind women’s suits took place during a decade when the number of women entering the workforce was rapidly increasing. In 1980, the overall participation rate of women in the workforce rose to 52%. According to The Bureau of Labor Statistics, “among the factors that have contributed to the growth and development of the U.S labor force, none has been as pronounced as the rise in participation of women in the labor force.” As the second wave of feminism was slowly ending and America began experiencing one of the biggest economic booms in history, more and more women had the ambition to leave their traditional roles.

During the ‘80s, the media and entertainment industry became more influential and revolutionized pop culture through style and trends. Pop culture played a huge role in showcasing the power suit, and it soon became a stylish look for the office, runway and beyond. The most notable designer of the power suit is Giorgio Armani for his efforts in combining traditional womenswear with mens suits. Other famous designers such as Thierry Mugler and Valentino also gained recognition for their power suit designs.  

After seeing influential women like Joan Collins’s character Alexis Colby in the iconic television series “Dynasty” wearing the power suit, society associated the look with female empowerment. Power dressing is also highly associated with the film “Working Girl” starring Melanie Griffith. Nancy Reagan, Janet Jackson and Oprah Winfrey were a few among many influential women who were also wearing power suits during this decade. 

By the end of the ‘80s, designers were incorporating more femininity into the women’s power suit. The look became more soft and feminine, and pantsuits were also becoming more acceptable to wear in the workplace. Since the corporate workplace became more common for women, the power suits allowed them to embrace femininity while having developed equal authority in the workplace regardless of their gender. 

Today we see beloved fashion icons such as Zendaya, Hailey Bieber and Blake Lively representing the current-day styles and silhouettes of power suits. There has been a growing comeback of the power suit throughout the past few years, and it has made its way to the fashion runway for 2022. Women’s Wear Daily journalist Alex Badia writes, “The return to the office was clearly in designers’ minds, as a new type of power dressing emerged as a leading trend. The new suit ranged from a genderless oversized blazer with strong shoulder construction to a more chiseled couture-like silhouette.” 

Since style individuality is becoming more prominent today, many fashion brands are launching genderless means of self-expression by focusing on consumer needs rather than femininity. On the other hand, some brands are centering on elements of femininity. It’s captivating to see how many different styles can be developed from the traditional power suit. 

Ultimately, the ‘80s power suit took the focus of success off of gender and put it on what a woman herself could achieve. Fortunately, in society today, women do not need to prove their authority in the workplace by wearing power suits, but wearing them had a crucial impact on women during that time in history. The power suit is a timeless look that will never go out of style and will continue to be redefined by modern aesthetics. The progressional impact created by the ‘80s power suit in American society proves there is more to fashion than meets the eye.

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Hi, I’m Catie Pusateri, the Editor-in-Chief of A Magazine. My staff and I are committed to bringing you the most important and entertaining news from the realms of fashion, beauty and culture. We are full-time students and hard-working journalists. While we receive support from the student media fee and earned revenue such as advertising, both of those continue to decline. Your generous gift of any amount will help enhance our student experience as we grow into working professionals. Please go here to donate to A Magazine.