Dress for success; the art of power dressing

“Act as though it is impossible to fail.”- Dorothea Brande

What is success? Achieving the perfect job or perhaps the perfect outfit? Success is what you make of it. The example I like to use most often is that of Politics and Fashion, subjects very close to my heart. Look at the likes of Hilary Clinton, ex Secretary of State and soon to be presidential candidate or we can look back at the legacy of Margaret Thatcher, both successful politicians that mastered the fashion industry aswell as the political arena.

I sit writing this blog post as the Channel 4 documentary entitled, ‘Princess Diana’s Dresses: The Auction’, appears on my screen. Diana knew how to present herself with grace and poise whether she was a member of the Royal family or not. She used the art of power dressing in many of her engagements. The limelight today is shone on Michelle Obama or perhaps Victoria Beckham whose work as well as their outfit is plunged into recognition.

Dress for success.

Power dressing is an area of fashion that greatly intrigues me and one that I think about quite a lot whilst choosing my outfits. Like with any old man who can throw on a suit and show his apparent, ‘authority’ women do the same. Tailored and thought through is the key to playing the perfect part on the road to domination. You want to walk down the street and for people to have a second glance, admiring your outfit. For me powerdressing makes me feel fabulous and a fabulous self triggers determination and the desire for success.

Here are the key pieces to the ultimate power dressing wardrobe:

The Dress

Experiment with length. This is where the above the knee rule should apply. You do not have to be wearing a ridiculously short dress but as long as it is structured and flattering you are on the right track. Do not drown yourself in a dress that is too long or wear something too tight, trust me there is nothing powerful in your appearance when you are tugging at them all night.

Pieces featured are from: All Saints, £148 J Crew, £174 Miss Selfridge, £42

Top

Hello Pussybow! This is an absolute favourite of mine, it feels feminine and flirty yet has every inch of sophistication that is required. Whether it is a long or short sleeve, dark or light wear a Pussybow blouse and you are dressing to impress … or should I say success. High necklines are also great to work with. Experiment with different patterns and bold colours but nothing too extravagant where patterns are concerned.

Pieces featured are from: Ted Baker, £34 Warehouse, £25

Bottoms

 Tailored, tailored, tailored! If you are wearing trousers you want them to be the perfect fit so they complement your top to the highest quality. The pencil skirt is also fabulous for the workplace paired with heels and a blouse.

Pieces featured are from: Miu Miu, £595 Oscar de la Renta, £670

Jackets

A jacket is a must have and we are not talking the boring suit jacket! Cropped jackets are really on trend this season and go perfectly with dress, skirts and trousers not to mention flats or heels. On the other hand you can never go wrong with a blazer to smarten up your look. Even if you are running late and in a rush throw on a blazer and your look is transformed.

Pieces featured are from: Bannana Repbulic, £110 Topshop, £68

Shoes and Handbag

The shoes and handbag are my favourite part of the whole ensemble. You may remember my blogpost, ‘The Power of High Heels’, and this says it all. Heels play a major part in power dressing. Height elaborates on dominance and makes you feel ready to do anything paving the way to success. A good handbag is also a must, I love my River Island one which you have previously seen in past blog posts. A handheld tote is something that can perfect any outfit.

Pieces featured are from: River Island, £45 Louboutin, £450

Remember mix and match designer and high street pieces.

Dressing to succeed lies with feeling good about yourself.

Let me know your most successful fashion moments and how they have aided to being successful women darlings.

Be sure to check out, 'Power Dressing: First ladies, female politicians and fashion', by Rob Young

The power of high heels

Most girls, if not every, have a special place in their heart towards shoes or more specifically high heels.
So there are many different reasons for wearing heels .. maybe you consider yourself too short? or maybe they show off your lovely long pins? Ultimately high heels are a source of power for many women. I know from my personal experience wearing heels makes me feel fabulous and confident, usually paired with a perfect outfit for a night out! But why should heels be relegated to nights out for young women today? Unless you're walking the high fashion streets of London or the likes of New York and Paris wearing heels is considered abnormal in day to day life. Wearing heels in everyday life, walking down the high street, you would find yourself surrounded by many stares, which yes may not always be a bad way to draw attention to yourself, but you know inside they are consciously querying your choice. But why should you be frowned upon? I'm not saying wearing heels all the time is a desire of the female population as a whole, but why is it considered by many as socially unacceptable? This is a sign of weakening the female image because heels bring women power. Now, I am all for womens rights, I truly am however that does not mean i'm a devout feminist, instead I take the stance that surely something that brings power to women should have attention drawn to it. The main thing with heels is they bring height and height makes a woman feel good about herself confident, sexy and able to do anything. This is power, power is dominant and seductive. Look at the likes of Christian Louboutin who began making heels adding his own personal touch by painting the soles of them red which soon became his trademark. Those red soles are now a global phenomenon. He was inspired when he visited Musée national des Arts d'Afrique et d'Océanie and saw a sign forbidding women of wearing heels in case they damaged the floor in this African museum. Christians response?

'I wanted to defy that, I wanted to create something that broke the rules and made women feel confident and empowered'

and on this he sells 60,000 pairs of shoes a year creating a revenue of $250million dollars. So he maybe a man? So what, how many men do you see wearing heels? Heels mean power in more than one way and not just for women.

High heels maybe painful but that famous saying by Benjamin Franklin, 

'there is no gain without pain'

is evident to a tee. Look fabulous, stay classy, succeed.

Heels have created a mass financial market and various areas of buisness, a worthwhile product for women to place their money into and provides a feeling of power and dominance amongst the women who wear them which equates to them being confident, sexy and successful.

'You put high heels on and you change'

-Manolo Blahnik