Not long ago, the popular legal American drama "The Good Wife" and "The Proud War" series announced the renewal of a new chapter, and a new spin-off drama "Elsbeth" will be launched, and the maverick red-haired lawyer Elsbeth in the previous work will unfold the story as the protagonist.
For a long time, the legal-themed film and television works represented by the "Proud Bone" series have created a deeply rooted image of legal beauty, and the dashing and capable female lawyers in the workplace have vividly displayed the charm of the Power Suit. However, looking back at history, you will find that behind the fact that wearing suits and trousers and stepping into the social workplace, which seems so common today, is the decades-long struggle and struggle of women.
Why is the combination of suit + trousers called a "power suit"? How does this relate to the women's liberation movement? How should the "power" of the power suit be understood?
The prototype of the Power suit is a reference to the Ivy-style American suit, which was the most important fashion style of the 80s of the 20th century, and was highly sought after by political celebrities and entertainment stars at the time.
Although the term "power suit" was popular in the 80s of the 20th century, tracing its emergence and evolution, it is closely related to women's pursuit of freedom and equality, and accompanied by women's thinking about dress, which has never stopped in the decades since the beginning of the 20th century.
Looking back at the history of dressing for Western women, trousers were once a taboo. Western women in the 19th century could only choose skirts with large waist and large hems. In 1892, the French Ministry of the Interior issued a decree prohibiting women from wearing trousers. The culture of the time associated pants with male authority.
It wasn't until the 20th century that the taboo that women could not wear trousers was broken. Due to the change in travel methods, clothing that is convenient for cycling and labor began to appear in women's wardrobes. But in the early 20th century, it was considered inappropriate for women to wear trousers, except on certain sports-related occasions. Hollywood actress Marlene Dietrich was detained by the police on "offences" for wearing trousers in public.
In the 2020s, Coco Chanel created the "Girl Boy" style, and the tweed suit she designed became the first women's suit and is also regarded as the predecessor of the power suit. Easy-to-move skirts and jackets from men's wardrobes are combined, and tweed fabrics allow women to show their toughness.
With the change of lifestyle and the change of ideas, women at that time were gradually bidding farewell to the traditional gender shackles. Keen fashion designers quickly captured this change and projected it on clothing, beginning to design suits for women with suits and pants.
With the outbreak of World War II, men rushed to the front, women went out of the family, began to undertake more and more physical labor and other social work, they were tenacious, brave, and the design of suit with shoulder pads not only made up for the narrow shoulders of women, but also expressed a strong sense of resistance.
During this period, Coco Chanel returned to the fashion industry with neutral wide-leg pants, and women changed skirts and pants became the "Power Dressing" of the time.
In the 60s of the 20th century, designer Yves Saint Laurent designed Le Smoking, the first tuxedo designed for women, and women wore ruffled white shirts with structured black jackets and straight and powerful trousers, writing the silent declaration that "suits are power" into milestones.
After decades of struggle, the suit gradually became a symbol and a social pass for professional women. In the 80s of the 20th century, the suit designed by Giorgio Armani became popular, and more and more women who were not willing to be only full-time housewives and pursued equal rights resolutely chose to wear suits and enter the society. With thick padded shoulders and wide shoulder lines as the signature elements, these suits blur the traditional gender boundaries, with wide lapels, calm and clean cuts, straight and tough pants, creating a sense of authority for women, hence the name Power Suit.
The rise and popularity of power suits is a classic example of how social change affects fashion and how fashion in turn affects society. The majestic power suit, accompanied by the women's liberation movement, set a typical style for women in the social workplace environment.
With the rise of the feminist movement in the 80s of the 20th century and the popularity of power suits, idealized images of modern professional women were erected. Just like the heroine Daisy in the 1988 movie "Working Girl" in a shoulder-padded gray plaid suit, the power suit provides a strong external power for women entering the workplace, and the image of "working girl" who is fierce and decision-making in the workplace has become a trend, and this image is particularly prominent in legal-themed film and television works.
Stills from the movie "Working Girl"
When it comes to Legally Beautiful, the comedy film "Legally Blonde" released at the beginning of the millennium undoubtedly contributed to the classic screen image. The blonde heroine Elle Woods wears the iconic pink suit, and the classic look and picture of walking with her head held high among the black-pressed congressmen has written a new footnote for the power girl. Women who defend their rights don't have to wear black and gray and be true to their inner choices, pink can also be powerful.
In the popular legal American dramas "The Good Wife" and "Proud War" series, although there is no fashion symbol such as a pink suit that flaunts personality, the rich and colorful female images in the play also show more aspects of power dress.
In "The Proud War", the style of law firm partner Diane Lockhart almost changed the traditional impression of women in the workplace, especially female lawyers wearing black and gray suits, silver, champagne, red V-neck blazers with a strong sense of presence jewelry, elegant eye-catching pearl stacked necklaces, fashionable abstract brooches, vintage colored earrings and other accessories on her body more imposing, confident and courageous strong aura enriched the expression of power suits.
The images of women in the workplace in legal-themed film and television works are clear, and the real-life legal beauties are no less effective in interpreting power suits.
Amal Clooney, a well-known international human rights lawyer, is not overwhelmed by the aura of superstar husband George Clooney, and while she has achieved many achievements in her career, her fashionable outfits provide a model for real-life working women. As a professional woman, Amal did not deliberately weaken her femininity in order to emphasize competence, and preferred bright and intense colors in the choice of suits.
Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, who is active in world politics, is a veritable power woman, and this strong woman who deals with money every day is also fiercely grasped by fashion taste. She doesn't stick to dark suits, she can handle beige, nude or even pink tweed suits with ease, and with sun-colored skin, she likes to wear them with brightly colored printed scarves to add vitality to professional outfits, and the powerful Power Woman can always stay elegant and modern.
If fashion giants such as Coco Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Giorgio Armani and other fashion giants have opened the way for women to pursue independence and equality with black, white and gray power suits, then independent women in the new era are on this basis, writing a new discourse of power suits with confidence and individuality.
Today, power suits no longer appear only as professional clothing for modern women, in addition to having more choices in color, material, and style, they are also more flexible in dressing. Sneakers and suits combine chic and comfortable, silhouette blazers and denim combinations are common, and a long jacket overlaid is a great way to show off your personality. Perhaps Attitude is becoming "new power."
Since its birth, the power suit has always reflected a strong connection between the individual and society, the era and fashion. This day is no exception.
As the emphasis on gender opposition is no longer a proposition strongly advocated by the current women's movement, women today are more focused on inward exploration and self-identification. How to transmit female power becomes the task given by the power suit in the new era.
If in the 80s of the 20th century, when power suits were popular, women needed to wear suits that represented masculinity to fight for rights, then today, power suits mean expressing individuality, stepping out of the collective narrative, and my coat only needs to tell my story and emotions.
A new power suit that weakens the functional meaning and dances with the body in a more personal, relaxed, and intimate way. CHANEL brings a brighter color and softer silhouette suit, embellished with sequins, tassels, pearls and other elements, as if to tell the mood of impatience into spring.
Chanel Spring/Summer 2023 collection
For Gen Z who don't hesitate to show their unique taste, personality is power. Fun colors, bold prints, deconstructed designs meet power sets, such as Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2023 collection, which is highly saturated with huge eye prints, making it the perfect choice to show off your personality. Giant eyes cast a curious gaze at the world, but also a contemplation of the self's heart.
Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2023 collection
On the other hand, after experiencing the panic and unpredictability brought about by the epidemic, people have had to re-examine their relationship with their work in the post-pandemic era. How do you stay focused and do something worthwhile? Such thinking is also faithfully documented by the new power dress. Bottega Veneta has rewritten traditional power suits with elements such as leather, abstract geometric patterns, handmade tassels, and changed wide lapels to stand collars for a more capable, purposeful image, and today's women are more clear than ever about what they want to live and where they aspire to.
Bottega Veneta Spring/Summer 2023 collection
This street slogan from the French Revolution laid the groundwork for women's liberation and women's clothing reform.
Power dress was once seen as a symbol and symbol of the feminist movement, and if Power Suit has been given a different meaning in each era, for women today, wearing a power suit means having the right to return to individual expression.
The premise of expressing power is to understand where this power comes from. The popularity and evolution of power suits record women's journey towards equality and freedom. The end of this road is not the other side of gender, but one's own heart. You don't have to dress like a man, you really have to be independent.
Power means free choice and living without limits.
Some of the images come from the Internet